Fork WeeklyTteokbokki is Korea’s favorite street snack, and the cheesy version is pure comfort: bouncy, chewy rice cakes in a glossy sweet-and-spicy sauce, made even better under a lid of gooey melted mozzarella.
The sauce thickens as the rice cakes release their starch, so keep it moving and pull it off the heat once everything is glazed — the cheese does the rest.
Cheesy Tteokbokki
Chewy Korean rice cakes simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce and blanketed with melted mozzarella — the ultimate cozy street-food snack in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Korean rice cakes (tteok)
- 2.5 cups (600 ml) water or anchovy stock
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1.5 cups (170 g) shredded mozzarella
- Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Instructions
- If using refrigerated or frozen rice cakes, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to soften.
- In a wide skillet, whisk the water, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar and garlic. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the drained rice cakes and simmer, stirring often, 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and glazes the rice cakes.
- Stir in the scallions for the last 2 minutes.
- Scatter the mozzarella over the top, cover, and cook 2–3 minutes until melted (or broil briefly for a browned top).
- Finish with sesame seeds and serve hot, straight from the pan.
Recipe notes & tips
- Adjust the gochujang and gochugaru up or down to set your heat level.
- Rice cakes firm up as they cool — serve right away, and loosen leftovers with a splash of water when reheating.
- Add a halved boiled egg or fish cakes for a more classic, filling version.
398 kcalCalories
13 gProtein
62 gCarbs
11 gFat