Chewy Spicy Korean Tteokbokki (Printable)

Tender rice cakes in bold spicy-sweet sauce paired with boiled eggs for a savory Korean dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Rice Cakes & Eggs

01 - 1.1 lbs Korean cylindrical rice cakes (tteok)
02 - 4 large eggs

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
04 - 2 tablespoons 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
09 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Broth

10 - 3 cups water
11 - 1 piece (4x4 inches) dried kelp (kombu)
12 - 8 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional for vegetarian: omit anchovies)

→ Vegetables & Garnish

13 - 1 small onion, sliced
14 - 1 green onion, sliced
15 - 1 sheet fish cake, sliced (optional)
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How-To:

01 - Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if firm or refrigerated.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, dried kelp, and anchovies. Bring to a gentle boil, simmer for 10 minutes, then remove kelp and anchovies to clarify broth.
03 - Boil eggs for 8 to 9 minutes, cool in cold water, peel, and set aside.
04 - Add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey, garlic, and sesame oil to the broth. Stir thoroughly until well dissolved.
05 - Add soaked rice cakes, sliced onion, and fish cake if using. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes until sauce thickens and rice cakes become soft and chewy.
06 - Add boiled eggs to the simmering mixture and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
07 - Top with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like street food but comes together in your own kitchen in under 40 minutes.
  • The sauce is bold enough that you can serve it to people who think they don't like spicy food—they'll ask for seconds anyway.
  • Leftover sauce clings perfectly to rice or noodles the next day, making cleanup worth it.
02 -
  • If the sauce is watery at the end, you overcooked the rice cakes or the heat was too low; medium heat and patience make the sauce reduce properly and cling instead of pool.
  • Tasting the sauce before you add the rice cakes lets you adjust spice and salt; once everything cooks together, it's harder to fix without making it too salty.
03 -
  • Make extra sauce even if you don't need it; leftover sauce in a jar in the fridge becomes a shortcut for next time—just add broth, cakes, and eggs and you've saved yourself 20 minutes.
  • Peel the eggs while they're still warm because the membrane releases more easily, and nobody wants to hunt for shell fragments in their food.
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