Description
Cheese Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food featuring chewy rice cakes cooked in a spicy and savory gochujang-based sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese for a creamy, indulgent twist. This recipe uses homemade rice cakes that are baked to a crispy puff before simmering in the sauce, combining texture and flavor for a deliciously satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice Cakes
- 2 cups Korean rice cakes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang chili paste
- 1 tsp Korean chili flakes (optional, skip if less spicy desired)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1¼ cup water
Other Ingredients
- ¼ onion, cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- ½ cup fish tofu (optional, cut into bite size pieces)
- ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 green onion (white and green parts separated and finely chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare Rice Cakes: If using homemade rice cakes, toss 2 cups frozen rice cakes with 1 tbsp vegetable oil using clean hands. Spread them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, ensuring they do not touch. Bake at 355°F for 20 minutes (or 15 minutes if not frozen) until crispy and puffy. For store-bought rice cakes, skip baking or boil frozen/firm rice cakes in water for 5 minutes until soft; then drain and set aside.
- 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 sugar, and 1¼ cups water. Stir until well mixed.
- Combine Ingredients: In a frying pan, add the baked or boiled rice cakes along with ¼ onion wedges, ½ cup bite-sized fish tofu (optional), 1 tbsp minced garlic, and the white parts of the chopped green onion. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over everything.
- Cook with Sauce: Turn the heat to medium-high and gently stir the mixture with a spatula or tongs for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Add Cheese: Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top, then cover with a lid. Let it cook for 1 minute until the cheese fully melts. Remove lid and turn off the heat.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the green parts of the chopped green onion and ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds over the dish. Serve hot for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For less spicy tteokbokki, omit the Korean chili flakes or reduce gochujang amount.
- If using store-bought rice cakes that are already soft, boiling is sufficient to prepare them before adding to sauce.
- Adding fish tofu is optional but adds extra protein and texture.
- Do not overcrowd rice cakes during baking to allow them to become crispy and puffy.
- Covering the pan briefly after adding cheese ensures it melts smoothly without burning.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately when the rice cakes are tender and the cheese is gooey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
