Tteokbokki
- Korean Food Addict
- Nov 1, 2025
Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is Korea's most beloved street food featuring chewy rice cakes smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce. This dish is incredibly simple to make—ready in just 15 minutes—and is universally loved by people of all ages. The glossy red sauce coating the tender rice cakes creates an addictive flavor that keeps you coming back for more.
History of Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki originated in the 1950s in Seoul's Sindang-dong neighborhood. Originally it was made with soy sauce, but when someone added gochujang (red chili paste) to create the spicy red version, it became an instant hit. Today, tteokbokki is a quintessential Korean street food and beloved national snack that has gained worldwide popularity as part of the Korean food wave.
Cooking Tips
The key to delicious tteokbokki is balancing the sauce ingredients and using the right amount of water. Getting the proportions of sugar, soy sauce, gochujang, and gochugaru right creates the perfect sweet-spicy flavor profile. Too much water will dilute the flavor, while too little will cause sticking—aim for just enough to cover the rice cakes. Constant stirring while cooking prevents sticking and ensures the sauce coats everything evenly.
Storage and Variations
Tteokbokki is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 days. When reheating, add a splash of water and warm over low heat. Popular additions include fish cakes, ramen noodles, cheese, boiled eggs, or dumplings to make it more substantial. You can even stir-fry leftover rice in the remaining sauce for a delicious fried rice dish.
Instructions:
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Prepare the Rice Cakes
- Add 400g rice cakes to the pot
- No need to soak them beforehand
- Prepare the Rice Cakes
- Add 400g rice cakes to the pot
- No need to soak them beforehand
- Add Water
- Pour 2 cups of water (paper cup measurement)
- Check Water Level
- Water should just cover the rice cakes
- Add Sugar
- Add 4 tablespoons of sugar
- For less sweetness, use 2-3 tablespoons instead
- Add Soy Sauce
- Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- Add Red Chili Powder
- Add 1 tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean red chili powder)
- Add Gochujang
- Add a generous tablespoon of gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
- Mix the Sauce
- Mix well to dissolve all ingredients
- Stir until the sauce is evenly distributed
- Boil Until Thickened
- Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy
- Keep stirring over medium heat
- Add Green Onions
- Add 1 cup of chopped green onions
- Reduce the Sauce
- The water has reduced significantly!
- Continue cooking to let the sauce coat the rice cakes
- Finish
- When the sauce has thickened to your liking, give it a final stir and it's ready!
Recipe Notes:
- Adjust sugar to taste. For less sweetness, use 2-3 tablespoons.
- Paper cup measurement is based on 180ml standard cups.
- This is a simple water-based recipe. Using stock will add deeper flavor.
- No need to soak the rice cakes beforehand. They'll soften naturally while cooking.
- Stir constantly to prevent sticking to the bottom.
- You can add fish cakes, ramen noodles, cheese, or boiled eggs for variety.
- Adjust spice level by varying the amount of gochugaru and gochujang.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 days. Reheat with a splash of water.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 400 g rice cakes
- 2 cups water (paper cup)
- 1 cup green onions
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru