Servings
Font
Back
Tteokbokki - Spicy stir-fried rice cakes
4.7 from 1,110 votes

Tteokbokki - Spicy stir-fried rice cakes

Tteokbokki is a spicy Korean street food featuring chewy rice cakes cooked in a vibrant sauce of gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and sugar, simmered with fish cakes, cabbage, and scallions. Anchovy broth forms an umami-rich base. The rice cakes soften to a tender, chewy texture while the thick sauce clings to each bite, offering a balanced heat with subtle sweetness and depth from the anchovy broth.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 3
Course: Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tteokbokki tteok See Note 1, about 24 pieces, 3-inch long; Korean rice cake 떡볶이 떡
  • 1-2 eomuk fish cake sheets; aka 어묵
  • 4 ounces green cabbage yangbaechu, 양배추
  • 1-2 scallions or scallions
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
Anchovy broth if using
  • 8-10 anchovies Or simply use a broth packet, medium to large, dried; about 0.5 oz (15 g); aka 마른멸치
  • 1 dasima piece about 3-inch square; dried kelp
  • 1/4 onion medium, roughly sliced
Tteokbokki Sauce
  • 3 cups anchovy broth or water (use 4 cups for more sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons gochujang See Note 2, 고추장
  • 1-3 teaspoons gochugaru See Note 3, Korean red pepper powder; aka 고추가루
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar use 1 tablespoon for less sweet tteokbokki
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup or oligo syrup; use more sugar if not using syrup
Optional
  • 2 egg boiled

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the rice cakes for about 20 minutes (can be longer for refrigerated rice cakes).
  2. Cut the fish cake, cabbage, and scallions into about 2-inch long pieces.
  3. To a large pan, add the dried anchovies, dried kelp, and onion along with 5 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Reduce it close to medium if your heat is very high. Remove the anchovies, dasima and onion from the broth.
  4. Add the sauce ingredients to the pan, stirring to dissolve the red chili pepper paste (gochujang).
  5. Add the rice cakes. Boil until the rice cakes become very soft and the sauce is thickened, about 8 - 10 minutes. This can take longer, depending on your rice cakes. Stir frequently so the rice cakes don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
  6. Drop the vegetables, garlic, and fish cakes in. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, for an additional 4 - 6 minutes. Depending on rice cakes, you may need more time to reach a desired level of softness. Add more broth or water as necessary. Drop in the scallions and boiled eggs with 2 to 3 minutes remaining. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Use fresh rice cakes if available; otherwise refrigerated or frozen are acceptable with longer soaking.
  • For spicier or cleaner sauce, try 2 Tbsp gochujang with 1.5 Tbsp finely ground gochugaru and 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce.
  • Fine gochugaru can be made by grinding or sifting regular gochugaru for better texture integration.
  • Tteokbokki does not reheat well in a microwave; reheat gently on the stove with added broth or water.