This vegan tteokbokki features chewy rice cakes coated in a bold, spicy red sauce. You will only need 7 ingredients and 30 minutes to recreate this classic Korean street food at home.
If you love Asian noodle dishes, check out my vegan jjajangmyeon or tofu pho next!
Tteokbokki is the ultimate comfort food in our household. Jam-packed with flavors, warm, and satisfying, it makes a cozy mid-week dinner after a long day of work.
I love pairing it with other Korean side dishes, such as vegan japchae, gochujang tofu, and tofu kimbap, to create a full Korean-inspired meal.
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💚Why you will love vegan tteokbokki
- Hearty, fiery, and brimming with flavors
- Low-effort recipe that requires only one pan and 30 minutes
- Highly forgiving - adjust the spice levels and customize your add-ins!
🤔What is tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food that features chewy rice cake (known as tteok) cooked in a spicy sauce made primarily from Korean red pepper paste, or gochujang.
Traditional tteokbokki is often not vegan and contains anchovy stock, eggs, and fish cakes.
While this spicy gochujang version is the most common, there are other variations of tteokbokki as well, including jjajang tteokbokki (with black bean sauce) and Gungjung tteokbokki (a stir-fry style).
🌶️What you will need
- Korean rice cakes (tteok) - Rice cakes come in different shapes, but it is recommended to use cylindrical-shaped ones (known as garae-tteok) in this recipe. Find it in groceries (at the international food aisle), Asian markets, or online.
- Gochujang - A fermented Korean red pepper paste. Similarly, you can find it in the international food aisle at groceries, Asian markets, or online. If you prefer a milder dish, go for mild gochujang.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu.
- Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) - Add more heat to vegan tteokbokki. Can be substituted with regular red pepper flakes.
- Sugar - Balance out the savoriness of gochujang. Feel free to use any sweetener in place.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✨Variations and add-ins
Gluten-free version - Rice cakes are typically gluten-free, but you can go for a certified gluten-free brand. Also, use gluten-free gochujang and soy sauce.
Vegan rabokki (ramen + tteokbokki) - Replace ½ of the rice cakes with 1 pack of instant ramen noodles.
Make it high protein - Stir in some pan-fried tofu, instant pot seitan, or vegan sausages (like my vegan andouille sausages!)
Load up on vegetables - Some great options for this recipe include cabbage, Napa cabbage, sliced mushrooms, or zucchini. Just cook them together with the rice cakes.
Fun toppings - Top it off with slices of vegan American-style cheese, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, chopped green onions, or a few pan-fried tofu dumplings to make a heartier dish!
🔪How to make vegan tteokbokki
Step 1: Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes. (Omit if fresh rice cakes are used.)
Step 2: Heat some oil in a pan, and add garlic. Fry until fragrant, about a minute.
Step 3: Add broth along with gochujang and the rest of the seasonings. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Add the rice cakes and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until they are tender and chewy. Top vegan tteokbokki with sesame seeds and green onion before serving!
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✅Helpful tips
- Adjust spice levels - To make vegan rice cakes spicier, add more gochugaru. Use a mild gochujang and skip the gochugaru for a milder dish.
- Thickness of broth - Adjust it to your personal preference. Reduce broth by ¼-½ cup for a thicker sauce or add more for a soupier tteokbokki.
- Serve immediately - Rice cakes will firm up and turn stale as they cool. If it happens, reheat in the microwave or on the stove until chewy again.
❄️Storing suggestion
Storing - Leftover vegetarian tteokbokki can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It is NOT recommended to freeze cooked tteokbokki; they might lose their chewiness after thawing.
Reheating - Tteokbokki can either be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
To reheat on the stove, add tteokbokki into a pan with a splash of water. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
Alternatively, you can microwave tteokbokki with a splash of water at 15-second intervals, or until the rice cakes are warm and soft.
❔Commonly asked questions
It is not recommended to eat tteokbokki cold. As the rice cakes cool, they will harden and lose their chewiness. For the best texture, enjoy tteokbokki while hot, or reheat it before eating.
Tteokbokki can become overcooked when boiled for too long, resulting in a texture that is too soft or even mushy. You should cook tteokbokki until just tender and chewy.
🍽️More vegan noodles dishes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan tteokbokki (spicy Korean rice cakes)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Korean rice cakes garaetteok (450g)*
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons gochujang **
- 2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitutes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (us gluten-free if needed)
- 1-2 teaspoons gochugaru optional; omit for less heat
Instructions
- Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes. (Omit if using fresh rice cakes).
- Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a pan, and add garlic. Fry until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add broth along with gochujang and the rest of the seasonings. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add rice cakes and allow them to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until they are tender and chewy. Add more broth if the sauce thickens too much.
- Top vegan tteokbokki with sesame seeds, sesame oil, and green onion before serving!
Notes
- Gluten-free version - Rice cakes are typically gluten-free, but you can go for a certified gluten-free brand. Also, use gluten-free gochujang and soy sauce.
- Thickness of broth - Adjust it to your personal preference. Reduce broth by ¼-½ cup for a thicker sauce or add more for a soupier tteokbokki.
- Serve immediately - Rice cakes will firm up and turn stale as they cool. If it happens, reheat in the microwave or on the stove until chewy again.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
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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