Easy Vegan Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)
This delicious Vegan Tteokbokki consists of chewy rice cakes served in a rich and spicy sauce. Learn how to make this popular Korean street food at home. It's easy and ready in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
Spicy Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
Main Ingredients
- 10 ounces Korean rice cakes
- 1 and 1/2 cup water
- 5 ounces vegan cocktail sausages optional
- one batch of vegan "fish" cakes optional, see notes
- 1 stalk green onions cut into 2-inch strips
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the spicy sauce: in a small bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients until fully combined.
- Transfer the sauce to a skillet or large saucepan. Add the rice cakes and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes over medium heat.
- After 8 minutes, stir in the green onions, vegan cocktail sausages, and vegan "fish" cakes if using. Let simmer for another 7-8 minutes or until the rice cakes are very tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too thick, feel free to add more water.
- Divide between serving bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds!
- Tteokbokki will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thick.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the spiciness level. This recipe yields a mild spiciness. Depending on your tolerance, you can adjust the heat of this dish by using more or less Gochugaru (chili powder).
- Do not overcook it. Once the sauce starts to thicken and the rice cakes are tender, remove from heat. The sauce will continue to thicken a bit as it cools down.
- Dried rice cakes vs. refrigerated/frozen ones. You can find two types of rice cakes, the ones that are shelf-stable and the ones sold in the refrigerated section. While it obviously depends a lot on the brand, I personally had better results with the rice cakes from the refrigerated section. Those are usually fresher and become a bit more tender once cooked.
- If you want to make "fish cakes,": Marinate 7-8 thin slices of fried tofu (or inari age) for at least 2 hours in: 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp maple syrup, 3 tbsp water, 1/4 sheet of nori cut into strips, 1 clove of garlic, minced. Drain before using.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (without sausages and tofu) | Calories: 419 kcal | Carbohydrates: 96.5 g | Protein: 4.2 g | Fat: 0.6 g | Fiber: 2.7 g | Sugar: 10.2 g