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Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes) Recipe - Korea's Favorite Street Food

Korean Ambassador 2026. 7. 30. 08:13

Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes) Recipe - Korea's Favorite Street Food

Post six in our "10 Easy Korean Recipes" series covers Tteokbokki (떡볶이), arguably Korea's most iconic street food. Chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce — it's a dish that's easy to fall in love with, and surprisingly simple to recreate at home.

Why This Recipe Works Abroad

Once you have gochujang (Korean chili paste) and rice cakes (tteok), the rest of the recipe comes together with pantry staples. Both ingredients are widely available at Asian grocery stores and increasingly online.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

  • 400g Korean rice cakes (tteokbokki tteok, cylindrical rice cakes)
  • 2 cups water or anchovy broth
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) — optional, for extra heat
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 fish cakes (eomuk), sliced (optional)
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 boiled egg (optional, for serving)

Ingredient Substitutions

  • No rice cakes? These are essential to the dish and hard to substitute — look for them frozen or refrigerated at Asian markets.
  • No fish cakes? Feel free to omit them, or substitute with sliced sausage.
  • No anchovy broth? Plain water works fine, or use a light vegetable stock.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Soak the rice cakes. If using refrigerated or frozen rice cakes, soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften, then drain.
  2. Make the broth. Bring water or broth to a boil in a wide pan.
  3. Add the sauce. Stir in gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic until dissolved.
  4. Add the rice cakes. Add the rice cakes and fish cakes to the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice cakes don't stick to the bottom.
  5. Thicken the sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats the rice cakes nicely. Add a splash more water if it becomes too thick.
  6. Finish and serve. Top with chopped green onion and a halved boiled egg if desired. Serve hot.

Pro Tips

  • If the rice cakes are hard even after soaking, simmer them a bit longer in the sauce — they'll soften as they cook.
  • Adjust the ratio of gochujang to sugar to control the spice-to-sweetness balance to your liking.