Spicy Korean Tteokbokki Bold (Printable)

Chewy rice cakes cooked in a spicy-sweet sauce with tender boiled eggs and savory seasonings.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Rice Cakes & Eggs

01 - 1.1 pounds 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 they are hard or refrigerated.
02 - Combine water, dried kelp, and anchovies in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove kelp and anchovies to leave clear 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 toasted sesame oil to the broth. Stir thoroughly until dissolved.
05 - Add soaked rice cakes, sliced onion, and fish cake if using to the sauce. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes until sauce thickens and rice cakes become soft and chewy.
06 - Incorporate boiled eggs and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to warm through.
07 - Garnish with sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is spicy-sweet in a way that makes you crave more, not because it burns, but because it's genuinely addictive.
  • Chewy rice cakes absorb every bit of flavor and have this satisfying texture that reminds you why people queue for street food.
  • Boiled eggs hidden in the sauce become little pockets of richness that balance the heat perfectly.
02 -
  • If your rice cakes are still hard after cooking, you skipped the soak—it sounds small, but it changes everything about the texture.
  • The sauce needs to thicken, not stay watery, so don't turn up the heat to speed it up; patience lets the flavors concentrate instead.
  • Gochujang and gochugaru are not interchangeable—the paste adds umami while the flakes add texture, and you need both.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at medium instead of cranking it high—the sauce needs time to thicken and the rice cakes need time to become truly chewy, not just soft.
  • If your sauce gets too thick, a splash of water brings it back to life; if it stays too watery, remove the lid and let it reduce for a few extra minutes.
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