This super saucy vegan jjajang tteokbokki, or Korean rice cakes, features chewy rice cakes cooked in a rich black bean sauce. Super easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes. It is non-spicy and seriously addictive!
Inspired by my vegan jajangmyeon, this vegan tteokbokki has been a staple in our household recently! It is bouncy, chewy and is incredibly rich in flavor.
Unlike traditional ones, this version is cooked in chunjang, or black bean paste. Hence, it is great for anyone who have a low spice tolerance!
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Super saucy, rich and comforting to have - The combination of chewy rice cakes and savory black bean sauce will leave you craving for more!
- A non-spicy family friendly recipe - Unlike normal gochujang version, this jjajang tteokbokki does not contain any spice, making it suitable or kids and adults alike. You can still enjoy rice cakes even if you have a lower spice tolerance!
- One pot and easy to make - All you need is a handful of ingredients and 30 minutes to make this amazing vegan tteokbokki.
- Versatile - You can have this as a side, main or even as a snack. It is customizable too, so feel free to add in whatever sounds good! I sometimes love adding veggies and tofu to make it heartier.
🤔What exactly is tteokbokki
Tteokbokki, also known as ddukbokki or topokki, is a popular Korean street food that usually consist of long, cylinder rice cake cooked in some sort of sauces or seasonings, the most common one being gochujang. Fishcakes and boil eggs are also oftentimes added to this dish.
In this variation, we will be cooking our rice cakes in chunjang, or black bean sauce instead of the more commonly used gochujang. Hence, this dish is great for anyone who are sensitive to spice!
This jjajang tteokbokki is also made without any animal products, and is naturally vegan.
🧄What you will need
📃Notes/substitutions
- Korean rice cakes - If you have the option, purchase fresh or refrigerated ones as opposed to frozen ones. Frozen rice cakes are usually dry, brittle and less chewy.
- Chunjang - It is basically a thick paste made from fermented soy beans and colored with caramel. You can find it in most Asian markets. I usually purchase my chunjang online.
- Maple syrup - You can substitute it with other sweeteners like agave syrup, brown sugar or regular white sugar.
🔪How to make
Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir to mix. Set aside.
Heat up a tablespoon of canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil) in a non-stick pan/cast iron skillet on medium heat. Once pan is heated, add in chunjang and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Then, add in garlic and saute for another 1 minute until fragrant.
Add in water, cornstarch mixture and maple syrup. Bring it to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sauce has thicken.
Add in rice cakes next and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice cake have softened and is fork tender. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Give it a taste and season with salt, if needed. Your vegan tteokbokki is ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- Types of rice cakes - There are mainly 2 types, the thinner-cylindrical shaped ones, and the thicker ones that have to be sliced before cooking. Both types can be used in this vegan tteokbokki.
- Add more water if jjajang sauce is too thick for your liking.
- For a more flavorsome sauce, you can choose to use vegetable broth in place of water. However, it is recommended to use the LOW SODIUM ones as chunjang is pretty salty on its own.
- If you prefer a richer and more intense flavored sauce, increase chunjang used to ⅓ cup. You can always start with less and add more, if needed.
- This vegan tteokbokki is best served immediately after cooking, but you can refrigerate for up to 3 days if you have leftovers. Heat them on stove and add a few tablespoons of water to thin. Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, or until rice cakes are tender and soft.
✨Variations/add-ins
For a more watery sauce - The sauce is quite thick for this jjajang tteokbokki. If you prefer your sauce to be thinner and more liquidy, reduce cornstarch used to 1-1 ½ tablespoons.
Spicy - To make this dish spicy, you can add a few teaspoons of gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes), or regular chili flakes. Alternatively, you can add in ½ tablespoon or so of gochujang if you want it to be mildly spicy.
Veggies - Some veggies that can be added to vegan tteokbokki include sliced mushrooms, shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and chopped zucchini. Add them in alongside your rice cakes.
Protein - Tofu or silken tofu cubes are some great additions to bump up the protein content of vegan tteokbokki. You can also toss in some veggie ground or chunks of seitan.
❔Commonly asked questions
It is NOT recommended to freeze cooked jjajang tteokbokki as the texture of rice cakes will change and turn dry and brittle after thawing and reheating.
Store leftover jjajang tteokbokki in a sealed container and it will last in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat it on stove and add some water to thin the mixture. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until rice cakes are tender and chewy.
On their own, the rice cakes are tasteless and flavorless, but absorb seasonings really well. So essentially, you can make them taste however you like. They have a unique chewy and toothsome texture that makes them super addictive to have!
Traditional tteokbokki is not vegan as fish cakes and anchovy broth are oftentimes used to make this dish. However, this jajang tteokbokki is naturally vegan and is made without animal products.
You might have left it out for too long. Over time, the rice cakes will turn dry and hard. You can easily soften them by reheating them in a pan for a few minutes.
🍽More vegan Korean recipes
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📖 Recipe
Saucy Vegan Jjajang Tteokbokki
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch *
- ¼ cup chunjang (korean black bean sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener
- 17 oz Korean rice cakes
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir to mix. Set aside.2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Heat up a tablespoon of canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil) in a non-stick pan/cast iron skillet on medium heat. Once pan is heated, add in chunjang and fry for 1-2 minutes.¼ cup chunjang
- Then, add in garlic and saute for another 1 minute until fragrant.3 cloves garlic
- Add in water, cornstarch mixture and maple syrup. Bring it to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sauce has thicken.2 cups water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Add in rice cakes next and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice cake have softened and is fork tender. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Give it a taste and season with salt, if needed. Your jajang tteokbokki is ready to be served!2 teaspoons sesame oil, salt, 17 oz Korean rice cakes
Notes
- Types of rice cakes - There are mainly 2 types, the thinner-cylindrical shaped ones, and the thicker ones that have to be sliced before cooking. Both types can be used in this recipe.
- Add more water if jajang sauce is too thick for your liking.
- If you prefer a richer and more intense flavored sauce, increase chunjang used to ⅓ cup. You can always start with less and add more, if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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