Korean Spicy Rice Cakes (Printable)

Chewy rice cakes simmered in a bold spicy-sweet sauce with green onions and sesame seeds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice Cakes

01 - 1.1 lb Korean rice cakes (tteok, cylindrical)
02 - 4.2 cups water

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
04 - 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
05 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
06 - 1 tbsp sugar
07 - 1 tbsp honey or corn syrup
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth

09 - 3 cups water
10 - 1 dried kelp (kombu), approx. 3.1 x 3.1 inches
11 - 4 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional)

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
13 - 1 small onion, sliced
14 - ½ cup chopped cabbage (optional)
15 - 2 boiled eggs, peeled (optional)
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds

# Method:

01 - Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if they are hard or refrigerated to ensure tenderness.
02 - In a medium pot, combine 3 cups water with kelp and anchovies if using. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove kelp and anchovies, reserving the broth.
03 - Add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey, and minced garlic to the broth. Stir thoroughly until the paste dissolves.
04 - Add rice cakes, sliced onion, and cabbage if desired to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the rice cakes are soft yet chewy.
06 - In the final 2 minutes, incorporate sliced green onions and peeled boiled eggs if using.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those rice cakes have the most satisfying chew, and the sauce clings to every piece like it was meant to be together.
  • You can make this in under 30 minutes, which means late-night cravings are totally manageable.
  • It's the kind of food that brings people together—everyone gathers around the pot, and suddenly you're sharing stories instead of just eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip the soaking step for the rice cakes—hard cakes will stay hard, and you'll end up with a disappointing texture no matter how long you simmer.
  • Stir the gochujang really well when you first add it, because it'll seize up and lump if it hits hot liquid without being loosened first.
  • The sauce thickens as it cooks because of the starch from the rice cakes, so if yours looks too thin at the end, just simmer it a bit longer instead of panicking.
03 -
  • If you can't find Korean rice cakes, look for them in the frozen section of Asian markets—fresh ones cook faster but frozen work just fine with a quick soak.
  • Gochujang quality varies wildly between brands, so taste your sauce before adding all the gochugaru and adjust the spice level to your preference.
  • Leftover tteokbokki reheats beautifully in a pot with a splash of water, and sometimes tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle.
Return