Vegetarian Korean Spicy Rice Cakes

Total time30 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time20 min

Chewy cylindrical rice cakes simmer in a bold, glossy sauce built from gochujang, coconut aminos, a touch of honey, and warm ground turmeric, all deepened with a savory vegetable broth base. Garlic, fresh ginger, and scallions get bloomed in avocado oil first, so every bite carries that signature aromatic punch before the sauce even hits the pan. As it bubbles away, the broth reduces into a thick, clingy coating that hugs each piece of tteok, giving you that classic sticky-chewy texture street-food fans crave. A scatter of sesame seeds and the reserved scallion greens finish things off with color, crunch, and a little nutty aroma. It's a fast, one-pan dish that comes together in under twenty minutes, and it's a genuinely solid pick for a vegetarian kitchen. Spicy, sweet, savory, and deeply comforting — this is weeknight Korean comfort food done right.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tteokbokki

1 lb cylindrical rice cakes (tteok), fresh or thawed
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2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
1 tbsp avocado oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces (white and green parts separated)

For the sauce

3 tbsp gochujang (korean red pepper paste)
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground turmeric

For serving

1 tsp sesame seeds, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
If using refrigerated or frozen rice cakes, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. Fresh rice cakes can go straight into the pan.
2
In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, and ground turmeric until smooth. Set aside.

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