Tteokbokki Recipe: How to Make Korean Spicy Rice Cakes at Home

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Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is Korea’s most beloved street food — chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet, savoury and gloriously spicy red sauce. It’s one of the easiest Korean dishes to make at home, and you only need a handful of pantry ingredients. This is the exact recipe I make on a weeknight in Australia, plus where to find every ingredient locally.

A bowl of Korean tteokbokki with a soft-boiled egg, spring onion and sesame seeds

What is tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki means “stir-fried rice cakes”. Cylindrical Korean rice cakes (garaetteok) are cooked in a bold sauce built on gochujang (Korean chilli paste) and gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), balanced with a little sugar and soy. The rice cakes turn soft and chewy while the sauce reduces into a thick, glossy glaze. Comforting, addictive, and ready in about 20 minutes.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Fast: on the table in around 20 minutes.
Few ingredients: mostly shelf-stable Korean pantry staples.
Customisable heat: dial the spice up or down to taste.
Beginner-friendly: one pan, no special skills.

Ingredients you’ll need

Makes 2 generous servings.

500g Korean rice cakes (tteok), the tubular kind — find them here
2 cups (500ml) water, or anchovy-kelp stock for deeper flavour
2–3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste) — find it here
1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), to taste — find it here
1 tbsp soy sauce
1–2 tbsp sugar
2 sheets fish cake (eomuk), sliced
2 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
Optional: 1–2 soft-boiled eggs, toasted sesame seeds

Raw ingredients for tteokbokki laid out: rice cakes, gochujang, gochugaru, fish cake, spring onion

Ingredient notes & substitutions

Rice cakes: fresh or refrigerated are best. If hard, soak in warm water for 10 minutes so they cook evenly.
Gochujang: the heart of the dish — no real substitute. Start with 2 tbsp and adjust.
Fish cake: optional but traditional. Swap for extra egg or leave out (use vegetable stock) for a vegetarian version.

How to make tteokbokki (step by step)

Step 1: Korean rice cakes soaking in water with fish cake and spring onion prepared

1. Prep the ingredients

Soak the rice cakes in warm water for about 10 minutes if they are firm, then drain. Slice the fish cakes and cut the spring onions.

Step 2: gochujang sauce mixed in a bowl for tteokbokki

2. Make the sauce

In a small bowl, mix the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce and sugar into a smooth red paste.

Step 3: spring onion, onion and fish cake being stir-fried in a pot

3. Stir-fry

Heat a little oil in a shallow pot and stir-fry the spring onion, onion and fish cake for 2–3 minutes.

Step 4: rice cakes simmering in red tteokbokki sauce

4. Simmer

Add the water or stock and the sauce, bring to a boil, then add the rice cakes. Cook, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until soft and the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze.

Step 5: tteokbokki finished with a soft-boiled egg and sesame seeds

5. Finish

Add a halved soft-boiled egg, drizzle with a little sesame oil and simmer for 1–2 more minutes. Taste and adjust sugar or chilli.

Step 6: finished tteokbokki plated in a ceramic bowl, ready to serve

6. Serve

Plate it up, top with spring onion and toasted sesame seeds, and serve hot. Enjoy!

Pro tips for the best tteokbokki

Don’t overcook the rice cakes — they’re done when soft and chewy.
Let the sauce reduce until it coats the rice cakes; it thickens more as it cools.
Balance the heat with sugar — a little sweetness rounds out the chilli.
Use stock instead of water for a richer flavour.

Popular variations

Rosé tteokbokki: stir in a splash of cream or milk for a mild, creamy sauce.
Cheese tteokbokki: melt mozzarella over the top.
Rabokki: add a pack of instant ramen noodles in the last few minutes.

Where to buy the ingredients in Australia

Every ingredient here is easy to find at Asian grocers across Australia, in-store and online. Rice cakes and fish cake are in the fridge or freezer section; gochujang and gochugaru are shelf-stable and last for months.

Three online Asian supermarkets that ship within Australia are worth knowing: Asian Grocer and Umall (both with a huge Korean range and home delivery), and Kmall09 (a Korean-focused grocer). For a full breakdown of prices and delivery, see our guide on where to buy Korean groceries online in Australia.

How to store leftovers

Tteokbokki is best fresh, as the rice cakes firm up once cold. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, and reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or stock.

Frequently asked questions

Is tteokbokki very spicy?

It’s traditionally spicy, but you control the heat. Use less gochugaru and a touch more sugar for a milder version.

Can I make tteokbokki vegetarian?

Yes — use water or vegetable stock instead of anchovy stock, and skip the fish cake.

Made this? I’d love to hear how it went — and if you’re after more, browse our latest Korean recipes and shopping guides.