Description
Cheesy Tteokbokki with Spicy Korean Rice Cakes is a comforting Korean dish that combines chewy rice cakes with a bold, spicy, and slightly sweet gochujang sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese for a creamy finish. This dish offers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and cheesy indulgence, ideal for sharing with friends and easy to customize to your taste or dietary preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 300g fresh or frozen cylindrical Korean rice cakes (tteok)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 100g fish cakes, sliced (optional)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup water or broth (vegetable, fish, or beef)
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Crushed roasted seaweed
Optional Variations
- Boiled eggs, cooked shrimp, or thinly sliced beef (for extra protein)
- Mushrooms, cabbage, carrots (for vegetarian twist)
- Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or spicy pepper jack cheese as alternatives
- Splash of cream to reduce spiciness
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice Cakes: Soak frozen rice cakes in warm water for about 10 minutes until softened, then drain and set aside. This step ensures even cooking and maintains the chewy texture.
- Make the Sauce Base: In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the minced garlic and sliced onions until fragrant and translucent. Stir in the gochujang, soy sauce, and sugar, mixing well until the sauce is smooth and aromatic.
- Cook the Rice Cakes and Fish Cakes (if using): Add the prepared rice cakes and optional fish cakes to the pan. Pour in the water or broth, then simmer while stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and the rice cakes become tender and fully coated.
- Add the Cheese: Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the hot, spicy rice cakes. Cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt until it becomes gooey and stringy, perfect for pulling apart.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the pan from heat, scatter the chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds (if using) on top, and serve immediately for the best cheesy and spicy experience.
Notes
- Use fresh rice cakes when possible for faster cooking and better chewy texture.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang gradually to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Cover the pan while melting the cheese to achieve a creamy, moist melt without drying out.
- Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent rice cakes from sticking to the pan and to ensure even sauce coating.
- Modify sauce thickness by adding more water or allowing it to reduce longer to achieve your ideal consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 25mg