Bust out the chopsticks & pull up a chair! This 30-minute easy Cheese Tteokbokki recipe is filled with chewy Korean rice cakes smothered in a sweet & fiery sauce, then topped with a glorious amount of melty cheese - because cheese is life. Let's dig in!
This delicious Tteokbokki with cheese is a popular Korean street food that's become instantly recognizable & practically impossible to resist! It's an easy & filling snack or side dish made of chewy rice cakes swimming an umami-filled sweet & savory sauce, & that ooey gooey melty cheese - Mmmmm, is that my tummy grumbling or yours?
This easy Korean dish is a comforting side dish or snack that comes together with minimal effort! I know it may seem like a lot of ingredients, but all you're really doing is making the sauce, simmering the rice cakes in the broth & sauce, then topping it with that glorious cheese!
If you want to spice it up & make it even more filling, you can make a quick Rabokki with plump dumplings & bouncy ramen noodles *drool*
If you want a full on Korean takeout at home, serve it up with super crunchy Korean Fried Chicken, Veggie Japchae with bouncy glass noodles, and a comforting bowl of Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae), or Crispy Kimchi Pancakes!
Jump to:
🥘Ingredients
- Rice Cakes: You can easily find Korean rice cakes at Asian or Korean markets in the refrigerated section in typically cylinder or sliced variations. Choose whichever your heart desires 😉
- Gochujang: This is a fermented Korean chili paste & you can get it in various spice levels. You know I gotta get it spicyyy, but adjust to your tastebuds!
- Gochugaru: This is very mild Korean chili flakes that you can find at local Korean or Asian markets.
- Dashi Stock: I love using powdered dashi stock because it's SO convenient to have on hand for these recipes! One package has lasted me foreverrr & practically takes no space in the pantry. No need to make dashi stock from scratch each time! You can easily make this vegetarian by swapping dashi stock for vegetable stock too,
- Mozzarella: Freshly grated cheese here plzzz! Yes, it makes a world of difference if you want that ooey gooey melty cheese pull. For easy grating, keep the cheese cold until you grate because cold cheese is easier to grate than soft warm cheese!
🔪 How to Make Tteokbokki
Step 1: Before cooking, soak the Korean rice cakes in hot water for 10-20 minutes. This will help soften the rice cakes & speed up the cooking.
Step 2: In the meantime, here's the quick run down of how to make the tteokbokki sauce! In a small mixing bowl, stir together garlic, gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, gochugaru, & sesame oil. It should be deliciously thick & sticky.
Step 3: In a large pan or skillet, bring the dashi stock to a simmer, then add in the drained tteokbokki rice cakes and gochujang sauce. Stir & bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice cakes are tender & the sauce has thicken to your desired thickness 🙂
Step 3: Top with freshly grated cheese, then cover & cook until the cheese is all ooey, gooey, & melty!
Step 4: If you're feeling fancy, finish off your cheese tteokbokki with toasted sesame seeds & thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Use Freshly Grated Cheese: Trust - it makes a difference! Pre-shredded cheese has a powdered coating that prevents the cheese from sticking together in the package but when it melts, it stays separated. SO, that means you don't get the same gooey meltiness as freshly grated cheese.
- Pre-Soaking Helps Speed Up Cooking: Letting the rice cakes soak in warm water helps soften the rice cakes for a quicker cooking time.
- Thickening the Sauce: The tteokbokki sauce will naturally thicken from the starches from the rice cakes and evaporate the longer your cook it. Continue to cook the sauce to your desired thicc-ness 😉
💭 Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover Korean rice cakes in an airtight container & keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the microwave covered until the rice cakes are tender again and the cheese is melty. If the sauce needs to be loosened a bit, add a splash a water.
This can happen when the rice cakes were frozen. Unfortunately, there isn't a way to repair them but the good news is they're still edible!
Rice cakes can be easily found at Asian markets in the refrigerated or frozen sections. Before cooking your rice cakes, I highly suggest soaking them in hot water for 10 - 20 minutes prior. This helps soften them up a bit before cooking them in the sauce.
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food made of bouncy rice cakes swimming in a red gochujang sauce. You can include various toppings such as fish cakes, ramen noodles, dumplings, vegetables, boiled eggs, or cheese!
This spicy rice cake recipe is the simplest version that’s saucy, cheesy, and easily customizable! Satisfy your craving with this quick recipe or add in additional toppings if you’re feeling fancy and have the extra time!
🥗 What to Serve with Tteokbokki
Let's Get Cooking!
For drool-worthy step-by-step videos, follow along @MikhaEats on Instagram & Tiktok - and don't forget to tag @MikhaEats for a chance to be featured!
Easy Cheese Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cake Recipe)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rice cakes
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons gochugaru adjust spice level
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cup dashi stock or vegetable stock
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded Add more if you'd like extra cheesy
- 1 green onion thinly sliced (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak tteokbokki in hot water (not boiling) for 10-20 minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine garlic, gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, gochugaru, and sesame oil until well combined.
- In a skillet or pan, pour in stock then heat to medium-high to bring to a simmer.
- Drain tteokbokki then add to the stock with gochujang mixture. Mix & bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice cakes are tender and sauce has thickened.
- Top with mozzarella cheese, then cover with a lid to let cheese melt for another minute or two. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Rice Cakes: Rice cakes can be easily found in local Asian or Korean markets in the refrigerated or frozen sections and typically come in either cylinder or disk shapes.
- Dashi Stock: You can find this in Asian or Korean markets as well in powder form, which makes it super convenient to store! If you can't find it, you can swap it out for vegetable stock.
- Gochujang: This is a Korean chili paste that comes in different levels of spice. Choose whichever suits your spice tolerance and remember, you can always add more chili flakes to make it spicier, but it's difficult to adjust a paste that's already spicy!
- Mozzarella: I highly recommend shredding your own cheese if you're looking for that drool-worthy cheese pull! Pre-shredded cheese is coated with a powder that keeps the cheese from getting stuck together in the packaging and prevents it from melting as nicely as freshly shredded cheese.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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