Rosé Tteokbokki

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Chewy-tender rice cakes smothered in a rosé-coloured gochujang sauce that is the perfect balance of creamy, spicy, sweet and umami. Bacon bits, melty cheese, soft boiled eggs and scallions contribute to the party of flavours and textures that make this dish so darn addictive.

Rosé Tteokbokki is the milder, modern spin-off of the original Tteokbokki dish which has been a popular Korean street food and restaurant snack for ages. To say that my family is obsessed with Tteokbokki is an understatement. But even for us die hard fans, sometimes the blazingly spicy red sauce is a little too…intense. Although great for getting you to drink your daily quota of water, it can be challenging for some people for sure. Creamy Rosé Tteokbokki is the perfect solution.

Are you a tteokbokki fan? This Rosé Tteokbokki is quick to make for a snack or side dish that will have you craving more, more, more!

Eat well and be well,

🎥 Watch my video for Rosé Tteokbokki

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Recipe Notes for Rosé Tteokbokki

1. Gochujang

Gochujang is a Korean fermented red chili paste that is spicy, sweet and umami packed. “It is made from gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process (wikipedia)”. As with so many food stuffs, store-bought gochujang vary in quality. Look for a short ingredient list with minimal additives, with the first being gochugaru (may be listed as red pepper powder), and rice syrup instead of sugar or corn syrup, and meju (may be listed as fermented soybean powder). These are going to be pricier than the inferior versions.

2. Gochugaru

Gochugaru is dried Korean red pepper chili powder. Look for sun-dried gochugaru (labeled "taeyang gochugaru" or “taeyangcho”) imported from Korea, considered the best in terms of flavour and spiciness. I store mine in the freezer to extend freshness. The amount of gochugaru in this recipe depends on taste preference and intensity of your gochugaru (sun-dried versus machine-dried, how long it’s been on the store shelf, etc.) so be sure to adjust accordingly. I consider the spice level in this recipe mild with just a little kick.

3. Korean rice syrup

Korean rice syrup is a common pantry ingredient in many Korean dishes, including tteokbokki. Mine is a 5-grain rice syrup that includes white rice, brown rice and barley as well. There are cheap versions of Korean cooking syrup that are more like corn syrup but I prefer to stay away from those. Apart from adding sweetness to balance spiciness, it gives a certain sheen and viscosity to the sauce. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with honey, sugar or other syrup.

4. Dashi and what are good substitutes for this recipe

Dashi is a foundational element in Japanese cooking. It is a flavourful broth made from seaweed (kombu) and smoked bonito flakes (katsuobushi). I’ll admit, I usually substitute with the instant version — made by mixing instant dashi powder with water. I often use kombu dashi powder, a vegetarian version made just from dried kelp alone. See images for the two kinds below. If you don’t have instant dashi (or regular dashi), you can substitute with chicken or vegetable broth or water.

LEFT: Dashi Powder (contains fish) RIGHT: Vegetarian Dashi Powder (made from kelp and contains no fish)

5. Rice cakes (tteok)

Korean word for rice cakes made of various grains including glutinous and non-glutinous rice. They come in different size and shapes, most notably flattened discs and cylinders commonly used in tteokbokki. The same rice cakes are also used in Northern Chinese dishes like my Shanghai Braised Rice Cakes with Napa Shiitake and Pork. Rice cakes are sold in various forms: frozen, dry vacuum packed or fresh. If you’re lucky enough to get fresh rice cakes, definitely use those for this recipe. It makes it SO good! However, since fresh rice cakes only stay fresh for about 2-3 days before they get progressively harder, frozen rice cakes are good to have on hand in the freezer.

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Tips and FAQs

Can I substitute bacon with something else?

Other popular proteins commonly found in tteokbokki include canned sausages (Vienna sausages), Eomuk (Korean fish cake) and hard boiled eggs. I’ve even seen dumplings and ramen added to tteokbokki.

Can I make this recipe meatless / vegetarian?

Yes! Many versions don’t include meat. The hardboiled eggs are a great protein option to bulk up this dish for ooo-vegetarians. Replace the dashi powder with vegetarian dashi powder — read about dashi powders in Recipe Note #5 above.

Can Rosé Tteokbokki be dairy-free?

I would say so. Substitute the cream and whole milk with a dairy-free alternative — the thicker and “creamier”, the better. I suggest using something intended for coffee (such as “barista” milk) for a consistency closer to cream and whole milk, and which has a more neutral flavour profile such as oat, almond or cashew milks. I personally wouldn’t use coconut products because the flavour is strong but that is personal preference. Sub vegan mozzarella cheese or omit the cheese.

Storing and reheating Rosé Tteokbokki:

Rosé Tteokbokki can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. The rice cake will absorb the sauce as it sits. Add a splash of water and reheat on the stove over medium heat until heated through, stirring to prevent sticking. I also often reheat in the microwave on high for convenience.

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You may also be interested in these other recipes!

• Japanese curry udon

• Shanghai braised rice cakes with Napa, shiitake and pork

• mushroom and egg ‘gyudon’ japanese rice bowls

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Rosé Tteokbokki

Yield: 4

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Rosé Tteokbokki

Chewy-tender rice cakes smothered in a rosé-coloured gochujang sauce that is the perfect balance of creamy, spicy, sweet and umami. Bacon bits, melty cheese, soft boiled eggs and scallions contribute to the party of flavours and textures that make this dish so darn addictive.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 3 tbsp Korean red pepper paste (gochujang) – Note 1
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru), more or less to taste – Note 2
• 1 tbsp Korean rice syrup (can be substituted with honey or sugar) – Note 3
• 1 C dashi OR substitute 1 C broth – Note 4
• ½ C heavy cream
• ½ C whole milk

For Rosé Tteokbokki

• 600g tteok or Korean cylindrical rice cakes (fresh or frozen) – Note 5
• 4 strips of bacon, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• ½ white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve some green parts for garnish)
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
• 2 boiled eggs, cooked to desired doneness (I like them jammy)
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

For garnish:

• Sliced scallions -- green parts reserved from above

Instructions

1. If rice cakes are frozen or dry, begin by soaking them in cool tap water for 20-30 minutes, then drain. If rice cakes are fresh, there is no need to soak.
2. In a small bowl, mix gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, gochugaru and Korean rice syrup. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup with a pouring spout, combine dashi (or broth), heavy cream and milk. Set aside.
4. Set an 11” skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add bacon bits into cold pan and let the fat render out as the pan heats up. Cook bacon until slightly crisp on the edges but still soft in the middle.
5. Add onions, scallion white parts and garlic. Sauté until onions are softened.
6. Add gochujang sauce paste, dashi/milk/cream mixture, rice cakes and eggs.
7. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 8 minutes or until rice cakes are chewy but tender all the way through, and the sauce is thickened. Stir often to prevent rice cakes from sticking to the pan bottom. Add splashes of water if sauce is drying out too much.
8. In the final few minutes of cooking, sprinkle cheese on top to melt. Cover with a lid to speed up melting.
9. Garnish with reserved scallions and serve immediately.
10. Storing and reheating: Rosé Tteokbokki can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. The rice cake will absorb the sauce as it sits. Add a splash of water and reheat on the stove over medium heat until heated through, stirring to prevent sticking. I also often reheat in the microwave on high for convenience.

Notes

1. gochujang

Gochujang is a Korean fermented red chili paste that is spicy, sweet and umami packed. “It is made from gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process (Wikipedia)”. As with so many food stuffs, store-bought gochujang vary in quality. Look for a short ingredient list with minimal additives, with the first being gochugaru (may be listed as red pepper powder), and rice syrup instead of sugar or corn syrup, and meju (may be listed as fermented soybean powder). These are going to be pricier than the inferior versions.

2. gochugaru

Gochugaru is dried Korean red pepper chili powder. Look for sun-dried gochugaru (labeled "taeyang gochugaru" or “taeyangcho”) imported from Korea, considered the best in terms of flavour and spiciness. I store mine in the freezer to extend freshness. The amount of gochugaru in this recipe depends on taste preference and intensity of your gochugaru (sun-dried versus machine-dried, how long it’s been on the store shelf, etc.) so be sure to adjust accordingly. I consider the spice level in this recipe mild with just a little kick.

3. Korean rice syrup

Korean rice syrup is a common pantry ingredient in many Korean dishes, including tteokbokki. Mine is a 5-grain rice syrup that includes white rice, brown rice and barley as well. There are cheap versions of Korean cooking syrup that are more like corn syrup but I prefer to stay away from those. Apart from adding sweetness to balance spiciness, it gives a certain sheen and viscosity to the sauce. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with honey, sugar or other syrup.

4. Dashi and good substitutes in this recipe

Dashi is a foundational element in Japanese cooking. It is a flavourful broth made from seaweed (kombu) and smoked bonito flakes (katsuobushi). I’ll admit, I usually substitute with the instant version — made by mixing instant dashi powder with water. I often use kombu dashi powder, a vegetarian version made just from dried kelp alone. See images for the two kinds below. If you don’t have instant dashi (or regular dashi), you can substitute with chicken or vegetable broth or water.

5. Rice cakes (tteok) 

Korean word for rice cakes made of various grains including glutinous and non-glutinous rice. They come in different size and shapes, most notably flattened discs and cylinders commonly used in tteokbokki. The same rice cakes are also used in Northern Chinese dishes like my Shanghai Braised Rice Cakes with Napa Shiitake and Pork. Rice cakes are sold in various forms: frozen, dry vacuum packed or fresh. If you’re lucky enough to get fresh rice cakes, definitely use those for this recipe. It makes it SO good! However, since fresh rice cakes only stay fresh for about 2-3 days before they get progressively harder, frozen rice cakes are good to have on hand in the freezer.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

997

Fat

34 g

Sat. Fat

16 g

Carbs

141 g

Fiber

8 g

Net carbs

133 g

Sugar

14 g

Protein

34 g

Sodium

1071 mg

Cholesterol

156 mg

Disclaimer: nutritional information is auto-generated and should only be used as an approximation.

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