Tteokbokki, or spicy Korean rice cakes, is a beloved street food made with chewy rice cakes simmered in a rich, flavorful gochujang sauce. This easy, one-pot homemade tteokbokki recipe delivers bold Korean flavors using simple pantry ingredients, perfect for quick weeknight dinners or satisfying cravings.

Easy Tteokbokki Korean Rice Cakes Recipe

Tteokbokki is one of the my favorite Korean street food! The sauce is rich and tasty, and the texture is fun to eat. This one-pot recipe is super easy to make at home and highly customizable. Feel free to add other toppings like veggies, hard boiled eggs, ramen noodles, tofu, cheese, or blood sausage. If you enjoy Korean food or want to try something new, this is a great place to start.

Check out my other Korean dish recipes to try out yourself, such as: Korean Spicy BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wrap, Korean Bulgogi Beef Bowl Recipe, Budae Jjigae, Gimbap, and Rabokki.

What Is Tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki is a warm and spicy Korean comfort food made with fresh rice cakes, fish cakes, and a bold chili sauce. The flavor is a mix of spicy, sweet, and salty, with a deep, rich sauce that adds so much depth of flavor. Traditional tteokbokki was once served to Korean royals but is now a favorite Korean street food enjoyed by everyone. It’s quick to cook and perfect for days when you want something easy and tasty.

Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make the best Tteokbokki:

Rice Cakes: You can find Korean rice cakes in any Asian grocery stores in the fridge or freezer sections.
Fish Cakes: a classic and common ingredient in tteokbokki. They are thin, rectangular sheets, which are typically cut into smaller squares or triangles before added to the pan. You can find Korean fish cakes in the frozen or refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores.
Anchovy Stock: I used anchovy stock tablets for this recipe, but you can also make your own homemade stock.
Gochujang: Korean chili paste is what gives this recipe its bold and spicy flavor.
Gochugaru or Korean chili powder: If you can’t find gochugaru, you can leave it out or swap out for regular chili powder.
Cabbage: you can use any veggies you like.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Let’s Make Tteokbokki Korean Rice Cakes!

Make the Sauce: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, gochugaru, gochujang, and minced garlic. Set it aside.

Make the Stock: In a pot, add anchovy stock and bring it to a boil. Add the sauce and stir to combine.

Add Veggies & Rice Cakes: Add cabbage, green onion, and rice cakes. Simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and rice cakes are soft and chewy.

Simmer & Serve: Toss in fish cakes. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds.

What to Serve with Tteokbokki

You can add various toppings to tteokbokki, like hard boiled eggs, sausages, tofu, mandu (Korean kimchi dumplings), ramen noodles, cheese, and vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, kimchi, onions, and mushroom.

Substitutions & Variations

Anchovy stock: If you can’t find anchovy stock, you can use vegetable stock or dashi stock. Both offer a savory base, though anchovy stock has a deeper, oceanic flavor.
Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes): Substitute with regular chili powder.
Sugar: You can substitute white sugar with honey, Korean rice syrup, or brown sugar.
Fish cakes: Try tofu slices or mushrooms for a vegetarian option. They soak up the sauce well and add satisfying texture.

How to Store and Reheat

To Store: Leftover tteokbokki can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To Reheat: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or a few cups of water if it’s too thick. Heat in a pan over medium-high heat and stir gently until hot. This helps bring the sauce back to life without drying it out. You can also reheat in the microwave until warm.

FAQ

Where can I buy the Korean rice cakes?
You can find them at your local Asian market in the fridge or freezer section.
Can I make vegetarian tteokbokki?
Yes. Just use vegetable stock or vegetable broth instead of meat-based ones, and skip the fish cakes.
My sauce got too thick. What should I do next time? You can add more stock or water little by little while cooking until you reach your desired consistency.