Easy Rabokki (Tteokbokki with Ramen)

This easy Rabokki recipe features ramen noodles and rice cakes coated in a sweet and spicy sauce to give a burst of flavor in every bite. Made in a single pan with simple ingredients, this quick and satisfying meal is the ultimate winner for the weekdays!

What is Rabokki?

During my early years of living in Korea, one of my favorite memories going to Bunsikjips, which are small street food restaurants often located near the school district for the students to visit after class.

These Korean snack shops are particularly popular amongst teenagers to grab their midday pick-me-up snacks, and known for serving inexpensive street food items such as Kimbap, Soondae, and Tteokbokki.

Amongst the long list of menu items, Rabokki was always my go-to pick as it had all of my favorite things in a single dish – chewy rice cakes, fish cakes, ramen noodles, and boiled eggs.

Simply put, Rabokki is the upgraded version of Tteokbokki which I’ve shared earlier on the blog, with ramen noodles as the main highlight amongst other delicious toppings that you can add.

Best of all, all of these toppings are coated in an irresistibly delicious sauce that can be doubled as a dipping sauce for Twigim (Korean-style tempura), dumplings, or any other sides that you choose to serve the dish with.

Thanks to its easy preparation and addictive taste, Tteokbokki with ramen is also one of the most popular dishes to make at home as it calls for a handful of ingredients to put together.

On days where I don’t have much of an appetite, I often crave big and bold flavors to awaken my tastebuds.

That being said, Tteokbokki ramen is always on top of mind when it comes to the ultimate late-night snack, and the perfect dish that can be easily doubled in portion to share with your loved ones.

To create a fun activity for your friends and family, you can also set up a portable stove to cook your Rabokki in, and share a meal together around the pan.

Serve with some ice cold drinks and snacks on the side and it makes for a fun party for everyone to enjoy with minimal effort!

What do I need to make Rabokki?

As mentioned earlier, one of the best things about this Rabokki recipe lies in its simplicity, as it calls for a handful of ingredients that can be easily found in your kitchen!

The highlight of this recipe is the sauce and the toppings can be altered in different ways to cater to your own preference. Here is everything you’ll need for this Ramen Tteokbokki recipe:

• Rice cakes (Tteok): you can use either the sliced or the cylinder-shaped rice cakes for this recipe, but the latter (pictured above) is the one that is traditionally used for this dish.
  • I recommend using fresh rice cakes as they are a lot softer and chewier in texture, and can be easily found in Korean grocery stores. Otherwise, refrigerated or frozen rice cakes will work just fine.
  • To prepare frozen rice cakes, simply soak the rice cakes in warm water for about 10 minutes prior to cooking. You can also prepare this in advance by soaking it overnight.
• Ramen noodles: any kind of instant ramen or ramyun will work for this recipe. You will only need the noodles in the packet, whereas you can save the seasoning packets for later to enhance flavors in Korean soups/stews!
• Korean fish cakes: these are often sold frozen in sheet form like this in asian grocery stores, and can be defrosted in just a few seconds under hot tap water.
• Green onion, cabbage, and boiled eggs: to add to the Rabokki. You can be creative with this and add any other toppings or extra vegetables as your heart desires.
• Water: anchovy stock, or dashi: to maximize flavor. I highly recommend using stock instead of water for best results.
  • If you don’t have any traditional stock, you can opt for 2 cups of chicken stock + 1 cup water instead.
• Gochugaru (Korean chili powder), sugar, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and Gochujang (Korean chili paste): for the sauce.

And that’s it! All the ingredients you need to make Rabokki or Tteokbokki ramen in the comfort of your home.

What are some other toppings I can add to my Rabokki?

Rabokki is one of the most versatile dishes in Korean cuisine, as the dish itself is a variation of another street food staple.

Based on what you have in your fridge, you can easily cater the dish to your own preference and make it your very own! Here are some popular toppings to add to your Ramen Tteokbokki:

Dumplings or mandu: instant dumplings are popular options for Rabokki which can be added directly to the dish or served on the side to dip in the spicy sauce. Twigim or tempura also make for wonderful sides.

Other types of noodles: although it’s the most common to serve tteokbokki with ramen, you can also use other types of noodles such as Dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles), Jjolmyeon (chewy wheat noodles), or chow mien noodles.

Depending on the type of noodle, you may need to cook the noodles separately before adding to the Rabokki, or add it directly into the sauce.

Onions: for the sweet aromatics.

Cheese: melted cheese is an amazing addition to Rabokki which can be added right at the end for that glorious cheese pull. American sliced cheese or mozzarella cheese will both work for this recipe.

Toasted sesame seeds: to add nutty aromas to the dish.

Aside from these traditionally popular toppings, you can also add anything else that you believe will pair well with the sauce.

As always, you are the artist in your own kitchen, so please feel free to make any creative substitutions as your heart desires.

I hope this easy Rabokki recipe brightens up your week, and please do leave me a comment below or send me a message on Instagram if you have any questions. Happy cooking everyone!

Other easy Korean recipes you may like:

• Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)
• Dubu Jorim (Korean Braised Tofu)
• Bibim Guksu (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles)
• Dakdoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)
• Oi Muchim (Korean Cucumber Salad)