Description
Cheese Tteokbokki is a comforting Korean street food made with chewy rice cakes smothered in a spicy, savory gochujang sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This recipe uses homemade rice cakes that are baked to a crispy texture before being simmered in the flavorful sauce with fish tofu and onions, then finished with cheese for a creamy and spicy twist. Perfect for a satisfying snack or light meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Rice Cakes
- 2 cups Korean rice cakes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang chili paste
- 1 tsp Korean chili flakes (optional, reduce for less spice)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cup water
Other Ingredients
- 1/4 onion (cut into wedges)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup fish tofu (optional, cut into bite size pieces)
- 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 green onion (separate white and green parts, finely chopped)
Instructions
- Bake Homemade Rice Cakes: Toss 2 cups of frozen homemade Korean rice cakes with 1 tbsp vegetable oil until evenly coated. Arrange them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, ensuring they do not touch. Bake at 355°F (180°C) for 20 minutes until crispy and puffy. If using unfrozen rice cakes, bake for 15 minutes instead.
- Prepare Store-Bought Rice Cakes: If using store-bought rice cakes, skip baking. If frozen or firm, boil them in water for about 5 minutes until soft, then drain and transfer to a plate.
- Mix Sauce: In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp gochujang chili paste, 1 tsp Korean chili flakes (optional), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce (optional), 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1¼ cup water. Stir well until the sauce is smooth and consistent.
- Sauté Ingredients: Place the baked or boiled rice cakes in a frying pan with ¼ onion wedges, ½ cup bite-sized fish tofu (if using), 1 tbsp minced garlic, and the white part of the chopped green onion. Pour the prepared sauce over the mixture.
- Cook with Sauce: Turn the heat to medium-high and gently stir all ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes using a spatula or tongs, allowing the sauce to thicken to your preferred consistency.
- Melt Cheese: Reduce heat to medium-low, evenly spread ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the rice cakes, cover with a lid, and cook for 1 minute until the cheese is fully melted. Then uncover and turn off the heat.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with the green part of the chopped green onion and ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot and enjoy your cheesy spicy tteokbokki.
Notes
- For a less spicy dish, omit the Korean chili flakes completely.
- If you don’t have homemade rice cakes, store-bought rice cakes work well after softening by boiling.
- Fish tofu is optional but adds a nice texture and protein to the dish.
- Adjust the amount of cheese according to your preference.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
