Easy Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)

This Tteokbokki recipe features soft and chewy rice cakes smothered in an umami-packed sauce that is sweet, spicy, and irresistibly delicious in every bite. These Korean rice cakes are so easy to make yet so addictive, they will instantly become your favorite comfort food for the weekdays.

What is Tteokbokki?

As the weather gets colder by the day, there’s nothing that I crave more than a steaming bowl of spicy Korean rice cakes to pamper my tastebuds. 

Tteokbokki (떡볶이), also known as topokki, or ddukbokki, is one of the most popular street food dishes in Korea which is iconic for its fiery red sauce and irresistibly addictive taste.

Tteokbokki translates to “stir-fried rice cake”, and compromised of soft & chewy rice cakes and fish cakes coated in a sweet and spicy chili sauce that’s packed with umami to give you an incredible burst of flavor in every bite. 

Tteokbokki is one of Korea’s most beloved comfort foods that is enjoyed both in the streets of Seoul and also at home as it is quick and easy to make with only a handful of ingredients!

As Korean rice cakes were one of my favorite foods growing up, I’ve spent so much time in the kitchen perfecting this recipe while making countless variations to trace back to that nostalgic taste of the food carts that I would frequent as a child. 

This recipe is also incredibly simple and easy to follow as long as you have the right ingredients at hand, so it is a great dish to make even if it’s your first time making Korean food at home. 🙂

This Korean rice cake recipe stays true to the classic version that has rice cakes and fish cakes as the main elements of the dish.

If you prefer the rendition that includes ramen noodles and more toppings, you can check out this Rabokki recipe that I shared earlier in the blog. 

What do I need to make Tteokbokki?

As mentioned earlier, one of the best parts about this Tteokbokki recipe is that it calls for a handful of simple ingredients, making it to be one of my favorite ’emergency’ meals to have during the weekdays. 

Here is a list of Tteokbokki ingredients that you will need:

• Korean rice cakes: or Tteok, as the main component of this recipe.
  • Using fresh rice cakes is ideal, but the packaged kinds will also work just as well. 
  • The cylindrical ‘stick-type” rice cakes are commonly found in the refrigerated section of Korean grocery stores or in the frozen aisle. 
  • Refrigerated rice cakes just need to be rinsed in water prior to cooking, but frozen rice cakes will need to be softened for about 10 minutes in warm water before using them in your recipe. 
• Korean fish cakes: sold in sheet form, to be defrosted in hot water and cut into bite-sized pieces.  
  • Korean fish cakes, also known as ‘Eomuk’, can be found in the freezer section of Korean grocery stores, often close to the frozen dumplings. 
  • Although fish cakes are a big part of the traditional version of this recipe, you can also just use rice cakes if that’s all you have at hand. 
• Soy sauce, sugar, Gochugaru (Korean chili powder), garlic, honey, and Gochujang (Korean chili paste): for the sauce. 
  • It’s important to note that Gochugaru comes in two different types of flake vs. powder. Both have different uses, but the fine powder type is what we will be using for this recipe. 
• Anchovy stock or dashi: to enhance flavor. Although you can use water, using stock as a base will ensure the most flavorful results.
  • If you don’t have any traditional stock, unsalted chicken stock or a 1:1 ratio of regular chicken stock and water make for wonderful alternatives. 
• Green onion: optional, for garnish.

And that’s it! As long as you have these ingredients at hand, preparing Korean rice cakes is incredibly simple and comes together in just a few minutes in the pan.

I hope you enjoy this easy & delicious topokki recipe, and please leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions. Happy cooking everyone! ツ゚

 Other Korean recipes you may like:

• Rabokki (Tteokbokki with Ramen)
• Dakdoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)
• Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)
• Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
• Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)

Print Recipe

5 from 25 votes

Easy Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)

This Tteokbokki recipe features soft and chewy rice cakes smothered in an umami-packed sauce that is sweet, spicy, and irresistibly delicious in every bite. These Korean rice cakes are so easy to make yet so addictive, they will instantly become your favorite comfort food for the weekdays.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 3 cups anchovy stock dashi, unsalted chicken stock, or water (see notes below)
• 1 lb (450g) Korean rice cakes
• 2-3 sheets Korean fish cakes defrosted and cut into bite-sized pieces
• green onion optional, for garnish

Tteokbokki Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar or 1 tbsp for reduced sweetness
• 1 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili powder) adjust to desired heat level
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp honey rice syrup, oligo syrup, or your choice of liquid sweetener
• 3 tbsp Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

Instructions

• Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. If your rice cakes are frozen, defrost them in warm water for 10 minutes prior to cooking.
• Add stock to a large pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add rice cakes and sauce and stir to combine. Cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced, add fish cakes, and cook for another 2 minutes. Garnish and enjoy!

Notes

I highly recommend using a base of anchovy stock or dashi to create deeper flavors in the dish. You can also use unsalted chicken stock, or a 1:1 ratio of regular chicken stock and water instead. 

Tteokbokki is best served immediately after cooking, as the rice cakes will naturally harden as they cool down. Happy cooking everyone! 

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