Tteokbokki

Classic, but the Best Korean Tteokbokki

When it comes to Korean street food, nothing beats tteokbokki! It’s hands down one of the most iconic and beloved dishes in Korea.

I still remember coming out of school, hungry and tired, and grabbing a steaming hot plate of tteokbokki with my friends at the nearest snack stall. That warm, sweet, and spicy flavor always felt like the perfect reward after a long day.

Surprisingly, even though I ate it almost every day back then, I never got tired of it. There’s just something about tteokbokki that keeps you coming back for more - maybe it’s the chewy rice cakes, the savory fish cakes, or that rich red sauce that hits the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. Whatever it is, it’s seriously addictive!

Many people think all tteokbokki tastes the same, but the truth is, there are so many different versions out there! There’s street-style tteokbokki (like the one I’m sharing here), homemade tteokbokki, and franchise-style versions with complicated sauces and toppings. Each type has its own charm and flavor profile. Some people even like to add ramen noodles (making it “rabokki”), boiled eggs, sausages, dumplings, or even bacon!

Today, I’m making classic street-style tteokbokki, just like the kind sold at Korean market stalls. It’s spicy, sweet, comforting, and perfect as a quick lunch idea, a late-night snack, or even a satisfying dinner idea on a chilly day. Plus, it’s surprisingly simple to make at home - even if you’re new to Korean cooking!

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Korean food:

• Rice cakes 1 cup
• Fish cakes 1 cup
• Green onion 1cup
• Cabbage 2cups
• Sugar – 2 tbsp
• Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) – 1 tbsp
• Korean red chili powder (gochugaru) – ½ to 1 tbsp (adjust to taste)
• Cheese (optional, but highly recommended for cheese lovers!)

📌 You can find all of these ingredients at most Asian grocery stores or Korean supermarkets. Frozen rice cakes work too - just soak them in warm water before cooking.

I almost made this version with just rice cakes and fish cakes, but personally, I love adding cabbage and green onions - they bring extra flavor and texture.

Cabbage adds a slight crunch and a subtle sweetness when it softens, and green onions give a mild sharpness that pairs really well with the gochujang-based sauce.

You could also customize it even further by adding boiled eggs or a handful of ramen noodles toward the end for a more filling dish. This recipe is incredibly versatile, which makes it one of my go-to options for a comforting Korean lunch or quick weeknight meal.

I almost made this with just rice cakes and fish cakes, but I personally love cabbage and green onions in my tteokbokki, so I added them in!

How to Make Classic Tteokbokki

This spicy rice cake recipe is not only delicious but also super easy to make at home! Perfect for those looking for a comforting lunch idea or a quick dinner recipe.

1. Add rice cakes and sugar to water

In a medium-sized pan, add 200ml of water, rice cakes, and sugar.
The key is to add the sugar early, so the rice cakes absorb that sweetness from the beginning. This enhances the final flavor and gives your tteokbokki that authentic old-school market taste.

2. Add gochujang and gochugaru

Once the water starts boiling and the rice cakes begin to soften, add in the gochujang and gochugaru.
Stir well to make sure everything is evenly mixed and the sauce becomes smooth and rich. You’ll start to notice that deep red color that’s signature to classic tteokbokki.

3. Add fish cakes, green onions, and cabbage

Now toss in your sliced fish cakes, green onions, and cabbage.
Let the mixture simmer on medium heat until the cabbage is soft and everything is coated in that delicious spicy sauce. Don’t rush this step - letting it simmer helps the sauce thicken and flavors to deepen.

4. Optional: Add cheese!

If you love cheesy dishes, sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese on top and cover with a lid until it melts.
The cheese makes it super creamy and balances out the heat - highly recommended if you like spicy food with a twist.

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Tip: Eat it with rice balls!

Tteokbokki is often served with rice balls (jumeokbap) in Korea. These are made by seasoning warm rice with sesame oil, salt, and crushed seaweed, then shaping it into little balls with your hands. They’re perfect for soaking up the leftover sauce and make the meal more filling and balanced.

Eating rice balls with tteokbokki is something I used to do with friends at street food stalls, especially during winter. Holding a hot rice ball in one hand and chopsticks full of spicy tteokbokki in the other - pure comfort food bliss!

This was actually my first time making tteokbokki this simple.

Usually, I go all-out with more complicated franchise-style recipes that involve a long list of ingredients - soy sauce, corn syrup, anchovy broth, and so on. So I was honestly a bit skeptical at first. Would it taste bland with just sugar, gochujang, and gochugaru?

Bu t*** WOW***. One bite and I was hooked.

It’s bold, sweet, spicy, and totally addictive. The sauce is thick and glossy, clinging to every piece of rice cake. And even without fancy ingredients, it tastes just like the tteokbokki I used to eat at those old-school market stalls.

If you’re looking for a simple but satisfying Korean meal, or want to impress your friends with a new spicy street food recipe, give this one a try.
It’s the kind of dish that brings people together - whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or a late-night snack with roommates.

And the best part? It only takes about 15–20 minutes from start to finish. So even on your busiest days, you can still treat yourself to a bowl of comforting, delicious homemade tteokbokki.

The perfect balance of sweet and spicy, with that authentic old-school market-style flavor.🔥