Spicy Korean Rice Cakes (Grilled Tteokbokki)

This grilled tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food that comes in the form of a sweet and chewy rice cake. A delicious Asian sauce soaks these rice cakes (or more appropriately, rolls) once they’ve been grilled to perfection. These spicy, Korean rice cakes are usually about the size of a thumb and have the perfect light crisp on the outside with a delightfully chewy center.

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You guys, I’m totally in love. With these Korean rice cake skewers. It’s a thing. It’s a sweet, sticky, saucy, and the first thing I ate when I first landed in Seoul. So to recreate this experience, I added this grilled tteokbokki to my menu when we had a BBQ. Korean food was the theme.

Remember this Top 10 Grilling Essentials I shared last week? Well, I have even better news today. This grill. 360° Griddle Cooking Center from Cuisinart. Love this griddle so much! Whether you are cooking for a small crowd or a large party, the Cuisinart 360° Griddle Cooking Center will amaze any audience. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the size that anyone can handle. Not to mention it’s so easy to set up and clean up, too!

What I like about this griddle is the ability to create almost any kinds of cooking, from steaming, roasting, smoking, grilling, to stir-frying. It’s a one-stop shop if you’re looking to save space in your backyard. This is a real deal, folks! And since Korean food was the theme, I was able to make these Korean beef tacos (bulgogi tacos), Korean spicy pork tacos on the grill while cooking these rice cakes tteokbokki. How cool!

Now back to this. This grilled spicy rice cake recipe is one of my favorites. Super easy, and it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients that you might not familiar with. So, no dried kelp, dried anchovy, or even minced garlic.

If you’ve never tried Grilled Tteokbokki before, you really should give it a whirl. These spicy Korean rice cakes are pretty simple and quick to make. Not to mention, they are usually a unique dish that gets a conversation started at get-togethers. They’re worth a try and they’ll truly give you a new perspective on branching out your recipe options.

How to cook tteokbokki?

You first need boiling water to soak the frozen rice cake. Once boiled, just add the rice cakes to the pot for 10 seconds, then set them aside and let them cool for a few minutes before you add 2 or 3 pieces in a skewer. While waiting, you can start mixing the sauce which has a combination of gochujang (Korean chile paste), sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey, and soy sauce. Let it mix. Once the rice cakes are ready, add a generous amount of oil to your griddle, then start making pan fried. Brush the sauce on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion on top.

If you can’t find gochujang in where you live, you can replace 1 tablespoon of gochujang with 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes moistened with soy sauce and add a little sugar. The taste might be different; however, the flavor will be the same.

What do you eat with tteokbokki?

Grilled tteokbokki is considered a street food which means it’s in the snack category. It also is considered a side dish which means it can be eaten with many various other foods, such as fish cakes or boiled eggs. However, it’s popularly eaten with other fried foods or sundae (not the ice cream) which is a type of sausage. A broth is often served with tteokbokki to add even more flavor to these spicy snack cakes.

Can you put tteokbokki in the fridge?

It’s important to note that when reheating tteokbokki, it won’t be as saucy and flavor the second time around. It’s best eaten right after it’s made. However, these spicy Korean rice cakes are still delicious and can be refrigerated for around 2-3 days after they’re made. Keep them in an airtight container. When reheating, use a bit of water or stock so they’re not hard or too tough to consume.

I guarantee you’ll be thrilled once you give these Grilled Tteokbokki a try. I thought they were going to be a lot tougher to make than they were. They’re now one of my favorite appetizers or snacks to make when a company is coming over or, just whenever I feel like having some. And don’t forget to check about this 360° Griddle Cooking Center from Cuisinart. Easy setup, easy cleanup, space saver, and most importantly, it’s very affordable.

Spicy Korean Rice Cakes (Grilled Tteokbokki)

This grilled tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food that comes in the form of a sweet and chewy rice cake. A delicious Asian sauce soaks these rice cakes (or more appropriately, rolls) once they’ve been grilled to perfection. These spicy, Korean rice cakes are usually about the size of a thumb and have the perfect light crisp on the outside with a delightfully chewy center.

5 from 54 votes

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Author: Linda

Ingredients

• 2 pounds tube-shaped Korean rice cakes large size
• Bamboo skewers
• Oil to grill
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion for garnish

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup gochujang Korean chili paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce or season to taste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

• Boil a pot of water. Once boiling, add the rice cakes and let them soak for 30 seconds, or until rice cakes turn soft. Strain the rice cakes using a colander and set aside. Once the rice cakes are no longer hot, skewer 2-3 rice cakes in one skewer. You can skip this step if you’re using fresh and soft rice cakes.
• Meanwhile, heat the sauce in a separate saucepan briefly for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.
• Add oil to a heated griller. Place skewered rice cakes on a grill and cook for 1-3 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown. Remove from the grill and brush the sauce over. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve immediately.

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