Cheesy Cabbage Tteokbokki Recipe (2024)

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CT

Wow, this is good. I've made Tteokbokki before and liked it but adding raw cabbage was intriguing. As noted in the recipe, it steamed just a bit so is still crunchy. The eggs came out very well using the method described and were perfect with the flavors. I cut the gochujang down to 2TBL and used fewer rice cakes because they are so filling. It was even better the next day when I warmed up the leftovers. Can't wait to make it again.

Nathalie

I've made this twice, once as written and the second time with fresh ginger and rice vinegar in the sauce mixture, and some leftover tofu simmered with the teokk (it was languishing in the fridge). Both times I finished with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a tangle of fresh scallions because I love both. Across the board, this was an easy and excellent recipe, and infinitely customizable to match your mood and veg drawer situation.

Dan

I'd never cooked any Korean food, but got the unfamiliar ingredients at a Korean market. I was quite skeptical I was going to have anything edible. The rice cakes looked and felt like white plastic discs and the sauce prior to cooking was underwhelming. But then magic happened. The flavor of the sauce improved radically with cooking and the rice cakes became chewy. Seemed too little cheese for a recipe titled "Cheesy" but glad I followed the recipe and didn't add more. Delicious and fun!

Jane

Very delicious and simple to make. I used half a head of savoy cabbage because I had it on hand. Added some fresh scallions at the end. If you have leftovers, note that the tteok reheat terribly in the microwave, becoming very dense, so commit to doing it in a pan!

Doug

This was easy and very good. As other suggested I added a teaspoon of ginger and a couple of teaspoons of rice vinegar. I did not find 3 tbl of gochujang too spicy. The technique for the soft boiled eggs worked very well. It may not make enough food for 4 dinner servings, though the rice cakes are filling.

Mi Jeung

To reheat this dish and any type of rice cake in the microwave, dip your fingers in a bowl of water and splash the dish with thoroughly with water drops from your fingertips, then cover the dish with a silicon cover or plastic wrap and then zap in the microwave. This rehydrates the tteok to prevent it from getting dense and avoids flooding the dish with water. (Note that the tteok does get even tougher if left uneaten after a spin in the microwave. Good excuse to leave no leftovers!)

vxf111

I love this recipe. I like some cabbage that's cooked and a little caramelized and some that's crunchier. So when the shallots are about halfway done I add half the cabbage to the wok and cook that, covered until everything is cooked. Then I continue on with the recipe as written.

starbuckluck

Didn’t have rice cakes so I cooked one cup of rice and stirred that with the sauce. Didn’t have gojuchang so I subbed 1 Tbs hot sauce with 2 Tbs BBQ sauce. Delicious! No leftovers.

Steph

My partner and I could eat this four times a week. Even without the perfect toppings, this is the best recipe for tteokbokki with gochujang sauce that I've found online. The crunch of the cabbage and pull of the melted cheese take it to another level. I don't think you'd miss the eggs if you left them out, but they add protein and make the meal feel complete. Thanks for another great recipe Eric Kim!

Lauren

This is so good as is. Had it for dinner tonight and was so impressed by how quickly it came together and how delicious and satisfying it was. I'm excited to make this for my friends and family. I think it could easily be scaled up or served alongside another dish to make for an easy and enjoyable meal for company.

Kylie

This is delicious! I made it, finished the leftovers for lunch, then immediately had to make it again for dinner. My only change was to brown some additional cabbage along with the shallots just to have more cabbage in my life, keeping the raw cabbage on top for the crunch.

jill

This strange combination of stuff is absolutely amazing!

Molly

Ok ERIC!! This is like Korean Mac and cheese but better for you and with more flavor. Cheesy, mildly spicy, super filling, with a bit of crunch and protein to top. I goofed and put the sauce in and then the shallots but it turned out just fine. Would totally make again on a cozy night in

Lyndey

This has become a dish that I make every other week. I use ssamjang instead of gochujang because my three year old is a bit sensitive to spice and it is so good! I also throw some Korean Vienna sausages and fish cakes in with the rice cakes to make it more of a robust meal. We never have leftovers.

lcg

Wow! What a simple yet satisfying recipe. The egg boiling hack is VITAL! Upon reading some comments from other users, I added a tsp of ginger to the gochujang/soy sauce mixture. I also added sliced shiitakes to the onions right after the sauce mixture went into the pan. Topped with green onion & white sesame seeds, added a side of whole radish kimchi. This came together so easily & made a truly special weeknight dinner.

MC

I so wanted to love this dish! I was super excited when Trader Joe's started carrying frozen Tteok--finally, I could try this Korean delight I was seeing everywhere!! Unfortunately, my husband didn't care for the chewy texture of the rice cakes, and I really didn't care for the flavors (especially the sweetness) of the sauce. Might try again, but I think this dish might not be for some people!

jullianne

This is delicious and very forgiving, also easy to make on a weeknight. I second what a previous commenter said: it makes me think of healthy mac and cheese, with complexity. NYT Cooking — please give this one better tags! It’s very difficult to find by searching the ingredients and not the name, which was difficult to remember at first.

Dagmar

Absolutely delicious! Made as written, except that I had the sliced tteok instead of the cylindrical kind; they seemed to work just fine. The eggs were mind blowing! Next time I’ll reduce the sugar considerably, but that probably has to do with the brand of gochujang I use. Can’t wait to make this again.

abby

This is extremely good for how little effort is required! My gochujang was pretty spicy and I am weak so I did 2 tbsp, and I found that I needed to simmer for about twice as long to get the sauce to thicken, but not a problem because the tteok stayed perfectly chewy. Definitely gonna make this a lot

SA

Made a half recipe, with the slice oval shaped rice cake and used cheddar cheese. Delicious as is but next time I may add a little more cheese. Later I added a couple of crushed toasted seaweed sheets from a snack packet right before serving which was delicious.

evelyn

When I made this, I substituted 2 Tbs of the gochujang with ssamjang as I was afraid it would be too spicy for me…I’m a lightweight. I tripled the cabbage. It was absolutely delicious, and I shouldn’t have worried about the heat. I will make again as written. Thank you, Eric Kim.

kac

I’ve made this many times with the addition of chopped kimchi and ginger to the base. I decided to try to take it to an office lunch in a slow cooker and it worked wonderfully. Tripled everything, made the base in a skillet, transferred to slow cooker and added the tteok and water. Let that cook on high for about an hour in the office, then gently mixed in cabbage (lots of cabbage) and cheese. Only thing missing was the crunch of the cabbage but everyone loved it.

MW

This is officially my favorite recipe of 2023. So easy for insane flavor. I have made it with frozen potato gnocchi and with the coin-shaped rice cakes as well.

vicky

Added in 2.12 cups of shredded chix breast, prob too much Subbed 1 onion for shallots Used 4.5 cups of cabbage, steamed and mixed in

Samra

Added ginger to the sauce, and mushrooms shortly after adding the shallots, as some suggested. As I’ve been focused on clearing out the freezer (am moving at the end of the month) I also added frozen spinach, and omitted the cabbage later. Not knowing what to expect from this dish, I was pleasantly surprised!

ColleenL

Made exactly as written. Came out perfectly despite my doubts. So deliciously spicy and textured. Will use this way for eggs always.

Bridget

This is SO GOOD, eats more complex than it feels to make, and is such comfort food. I've made it without the cheese and not missed it. I at least double the amount of cabbage. I've also done broccoli instead of cabbage. Endless veggie variations are possible- it's not a fiddly recipe. Please make it!

Dr Eggplant

I've made this twice now and it truly is easy, fast and delicious. I double the cabbage and add half with the shallot, as there isn't enough vegetable in this for me. Apart from that is is pretty darn perfect, like a comforting Korean mac 'n' cheese.

MsMcK

Trader Joe’s has tteok in their frozen food section!!! Wasn’t even looking for them, but there they were! And they worked well in this yummy dish.

AC

Why does this work???!!! Just delicious. Thank you Eric Kim!

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Cheesy Cabbage Tteokbokki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my homemade tteokbokki not chewy? ›

Though all rice cakes taste like pounded rice (even the ones made with brown rice vary little in their taste), the specific shape dramatically affects the texture. Thin slices are significantly less chewy than large, cylindrical rice cakes that are genuinely toothsome in the degree of their chewiness.

How to know if tteokbokki is cooked? ›

Stir gently with a wooden spoon when it starts to boil. Let it simmer and keep stirring until the rice cake turns soft and the tteokbokki sauce thickens and looks shiny, which should take about 10 to 15 minutes. If the rice cake is not soft enough, add more water and continue stirring until it softens.

Why is my tteokbokki falling apart? ›

Why do my tteokbokki split apart and crack? If your tteokbokki keep splitting and cracking, it's because your rice cakes are too dry and freezer burnt.

Is tteokbokki healthy? ›

Vegetables such as scallions add dietary fiber and nutrients such as vitamins K and A. Additionally, tteokbokki is a low-fat dish, making it a healthy option for those who are watching their fat intake. The dish is also low in cholesterol, making it a good choice for those with high cholesterol levels.

How to tell if Korean rice cakes are bad? ›

If you notice a sudden change in color or visible mold growth, or if the cakes have a strong, unpleasant odor, they have likely gone bad. Another sign of declining quality, while not necessarily a sign of expiration, is tteok that is hard or crumbly rather than moist and springy.

How to make tteokbokki softer? ›

To get each piece to a softer, more elastic place in less time, you can skip the long hydration period and boil your tteok in water directly from frozen.

Is tteokbokki considered junk food? ›

Is tteokbokki considered junk food? Spicy tteokbokki is a popular street food and snack that is not necessarily considered “junk food.” While it can be enjoyed as an indulgent treat, it is also a common part of regular Korean cuisine and can be a nutritious dish when prepared with balanced ingredients.

Why is my tteokbokki so hard? ›

If the rice cake is not soft enough, add more water and continue stirring until it softens. When you use freshly made rice cake, it takes shorter time. If you use frozen rice cake, thaw it out and soak in cold water to soften it before cooking. Remove from the heat and serve hot.

How chewy should tteokbokki be? ›

“When cooked correctly, it's soft, pillowy, chewy, starchy,” Kim said. “Very fun to chew.” Tteok come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be composed of different ingredients.

What is a substitute for fish cake in tteokbokki? ›

Instead of anchovy broth, use water or vegetable broth for vegetarian or vegan tteokbokki. Simply omit the fish cake, or substitute it with fried tofu pockets called yubu.

Why do Koreans like tteokbokki so much? ›

Street vendors that sell the snack with eomuk (fish cake) on a stick are ubiquitous on Korea's streets, attracting passersby especially in the cold winter. This is because the sweet and savory taste with a bit of a spicy kick remains irresistible to many Koreans, along with a chewy texture.

Is tteokbokki a meal or snack? ›

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is a spicy Korean “snack” food that uses thick rice noodles/cakes (떡) and a pepper sauced (고추장) as its base. Most tteokbokki is usually mixed with eomuk (어묵) which is a fish cake.

Can you reheat tteokbokki? ›

Unfortunately, these rice cakes don't reheat well in the microwave. They can get dry and hard. Your best option is to simmer the leftovers in a sauce pan, covered, with some water or broth over medium low heat. Stir once in a while.

Why are my rice cakes not chewy? ›

FLOUR BLEND

The rice cakes are made from a combination of rice flour and tapioca starch. The tapioca starch gives the rice cakes a chewier quality. If you only used rice flour, the rice cakes will be firmer and denser when you bite into them.

Is tteokbokki supposed to be chewy? ›

But instead of rice cakes' flavor, texture is their prized feature. “When cooked correctly, it's soft, pillowy, chewy, starchy,” Kim said. “Very fun to chew.” Tteok come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be composed of different ingredients.

Why is my tteokbokki so soft? ›

If you add too much water, the rice cakes may turn out soft and sticky. Boil a large pot of water on the stovetop. Roll rice cakes out and pop into the pot.

How do you keep rice cakes chewy? ›

Keep your rice cakes in the fridge and try to eat them as soon as possible for the best flavor and texture. If your rice cake seems a little stale, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds before you eat it. Experts don't recommend freezing rice cakes, since it can change their flavor and texture.

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