Korean Tteokbokki with Gochujang Sauce (Printable version)

Chewy rice cakes simmered in spicy gochujang sauce with onions and garlic. A beloved Korean street food, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Rice Cakes

01 - 500 g Korean rice cakes (tteok, cylindrical)
02 - 1 quart water

→ Sauce

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

→ Broth

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

→ Vegetables & Garnish

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Soak the rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if they are hard or refrigerated.
02 - In a medium pot, combine 3 cups water, 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 to dissolve the paste completely.
04 - Add rice cakes, onion, and cabbage (if using) to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the rice cakes are soft and chewy.
06 - Add green onions and boiled eggs (if using) in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those chewy rice cakes have a texture you won't find anywhere else, and they soak up every drop of that addictively spicy-sweet sauce.
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, so you can satisfy a craving without the stress of a long cook time.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, and the whole kitchen smells absolutely incredible while it simmers.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the rice cakes—hard ones will either stay tough or disintegrate, and there's no middle ground once the sauce gets hot.
  • Stir the gochujang paste into the broth slowly and deliberately; rushing it means lumpy sauce and uneven flavor throughout the dish.
03 -
  • Always taste the sauce before the rice cakes go in and adjust the seasoning then—it's harder to fix once everything's cooking together.
  • If your sauce gets too thick before the rice cakes are soft enough, add warm water a splash at a time rather than panicking.
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