Tteokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes)
Main30 min4 servingsEasyAbout this recipe
Tteokbokki is one of Korea's most beloved street foods — chewy cylindrical rice cakes simmered in a bold, sweet-spicy gochujang sauce with fish cakes and scallions. This classic home version is approachable, deeply satisfying, and comes together in under 30 minutes. The sauce clings to every piece of tteok, delivering that signature balance of heat, sweetness, and umami that makes this dish so addictive.
Instructions
- 1
If your tteok (rice cakes) are refrigerated or frozen, separate them and soak in ^[cold water] for 10 minutes to soften. Drain before using.
- 2
Add the water, kelp, and anchovies (if using) to a large wide skillet or shallow pot. Bring to a boil over ^[medium-high heat], then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the kelp and anchovies. This creates a simple anchovy-kelp stock (myeolchi yuksu) that forms the savory backbone of the dish.
- 3
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the gochujang, gochugaru (if using), soy sauce, sugar, honey, and garlic until combined into a smooth paste.
- 4
Add the sauce paste to the simmering broth and stir to dissolve completely.
- 5
Add the drained tteok and eomuk pieces to the pan. Stir to coat everything in the sauce. Bring to a boil over ^[medium-high heat].
- 6
Reduce heat to ^[medium] and cook, stirring frequently, for 10–13 minutes until the rice cakes are soft and chewy all the way through and the sauce has thickened and reduced to a glossy, clingy consistency. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a splash of water and stir.
- 7
Add the scallion pieces in the last 2 minutes of cooking and stir them in. They should soften slightly but retain some bite.
- 8
Remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallion. Serve immediately in the pan or in bowls — tteokbokki is best eaten hot.
