Easy Tteokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes) with Cheese recipe

pan filled with cheesy tteokbokki with cabbage and hard boiled eggs

5 from 3 votes

Easy Tteokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes) with Cheese recipe

Cheese Tteokbokki or Korean Spicy Rice Cakes is a popular Korean street food that's surprisingly easy to make at home! A simple, 20-minute dish that comes together quickly and stars chewy, squishy, tube-shaped Korean rice cakes swimming in a spicy-sweet, umami-rich sauce. A generous helping of mozzarella adds so much cheesy goodness. Top with finely shredded cabbage to keep things fresh. A party-worthy platter that's always a hit!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Party Food, Side, Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: Cheese, Korean, Rice Cakes, Spicy, Tteokbokki

Servings: as main, 6 as side or snack

Calories: 196kcal

Author: The Subversive Table | Lis Lam

Equipment

1 Shallow Braiser or Pan (or large non-stick skillet)
1 Silicone Spatula

Ingredients

2.2 lbs/1 kg tubular Korean rice cakes (tteok or dduk)
3 cups/500ml anchovy stock or dashi (add 1 cup more anchovy stock for extra saucy tteokbokki)
4 sheets Korean fish cake (Eomuk), sliced into 1/2-inch strips

Sauce ingredients:

2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste) *add only 1 Tbsp for a less spicy version
2 Tbsp Gochukaru (Korean dried chili flakes) *add only 1 Tbsp for a less spicy version
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Hondashi (instant dashi granules)
2 Tbsp rice syrup or corn syrup or maple syrup

Top with:

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded or grated (approx. 1 large handful)
3/4 cup green cabbage, finely shredded (approx. 1 large handful)
3 soft or hard boiled eggs, halved

Instructions

Make sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Assemble. In a large shallow pan, add rice cakes, fish cakes, anchovy stock, and sauce on top.
Cook. Heat over medium until sauce is bubbling and rice cakes are soft and chewy, about 8-10 minutes. Stir with a silicone spatula to prevent sticking on the bottom.
Pay attention to the sauce consistency. As the sauce reduces, it will thicken significantly. Note: the sauce will continue to thicken even when the heat is turned off so do not reduce it too much. Feel free to add more water if the sauce evaporates too much. Or keep cooking if the sauce seems watery and thin.
Garnish and serve. Off the heat, sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Add halved hard-boiled eggs. Cover and let the residual heat gently melt the cheese. Uncover and add cabbage. Serve immediately!

Video

Notes

Pro Tips:

- Adjust the spice level. To make it spicier, add 1-2 Tbsp more Gochukaru or dried chili flakes. To make things less spicy, halve the amount of Gochujang and Gochukaru (1 Tbsp each vs 2 Tbsp each). FYI, Gochujang sometimes comes in a spicy level ranging from 1-5. Choose a spice level to your liking. I choose spicy level 3

- Make ahead. An easy party dish that can be prepped in advance. Simply place the garnish (cheese, eggs, cabbage) on a separate plate. Add the rice cakes, fish cakes, and sauce to a pan up to 1 hour in advance. When guests arrive, add the anchovy stock and cook until soft and chewy, about 8-10 minutes. Garnish with cheese, eggs, and cabbage, and serve immediately!

Variations:

Make it simple. If you don't have all the ingredients, feel free to make a basic, bare-bones pantry version. I've often made Korean Tteokbokki with only rice cakes, sauce, water, and hard-boiled eggs alone.

Add Instant Noodles. Make Rabokki (Ramen + Tteokbokki = Rabokki) by adding a pack of instant ramen noodles and additional 1 cup anchovy stock or water to create more sauce. The instant noodles cook quickly (2-3 minutes) and add a pleasurable, chewy texture. FYI make sure not to add the seasoning packet that's included in the instant noodles.

Add Udon noodles. Slightly different from instant ramen noodles, thick and chewy udon noodles soak up the sauce and add a delightfully chewy texture. I recommend frozen Sanuki udon noodles. Before adding the cabbage and cheese, add udon directly to the pan, still frozen, and gently stir with tongs on medium heat. The heat will unravel the noodles quickly. They are already pre-cooked and simply need to be defrosted and heated through.

Make it meaty. Add thinly sliced pork butt -- which is the same cut of meat used for Spicy Pork Bulgogi -- for a meatier Cheese Tteokbokki.

Make it saucier. Some people enjoy a very saucy Tteokbokki. It really depends on your personal preference. For more sauce, simply add 1 more cup of anchovy stock for a total of 4 cups.

Nutrition