Tteokbokki Recipe: Korean Spicy Rice Cakes Made Abroad

Looking for a tteokbokki recipe that works with ingredients you can actually find abroad? This is the one I tested in my own kitchen — no shortcuts, no lies.

TESTED IN MY KITCHEN • JINA MOON

By Jina Moon • Updated August 18, 2026 • Tested in my kitchen in Washington • 10 min read

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I bought every product below with my own money.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Quick answer: Yes, you CAN make authentic-tasting tteokbokki outside of Korea. The two must-buy ingredients are Korean rice cakes (tteok) and gochujang — both available on Amazon.

Skip: “tteokbokki kit” from non-Korean brands — they are overpriced and the sauce is always wrong.

My Story

I still remember the first time I tried to make tteokbokki in my Washington kitchen. I was 22, newly married, and 40 minutes from the nearest H Mart. I had a craving so strong I could taste the chewy rice cakes soaked in that sweet-spicy red sauce — the same snack I ate after school every day in Seoul.

Ten years later, I have perfected the overseas tteokbokki formula. This recipe is built for people who do not live near a Korean market. I will tell you exactly what to buy, what to swap, and where to get it online.

What Is Tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is Korea’s most beloved street food — chewy cylinder-shaped rice cakes cooked in a thick, sweet-spicy gochujang-based sauce. It is quick (15 minutes), cheap, and incredibly satisfying.

The magic is in three elements:

The rice cakes — chewy, bouncy, nothing else feels like them
The sauce — sweet + spicy + savory, coated thick on every piece
The garnish — sesame seeds, green onions, and optional fish cakes for texture

Ingredient Breakdown: What to Buy, What to Swap

1. Korean Rice Cakes (Tteok) — The Non-Negotiable

There is NO perfect substitute for Korean rice cakes. Regular pasta or gnocchi will not give you that signature chewy bounce. But here is the good news: you can buy them online.

Options (best to worst):

Frozen Korean Rice Cakes — Amazon, H Mart online, Weee!. This is what I use. Chewy, authentic, freezes for months.
Fresh Korean Rice Cakes — H Mart or Korean market (fresh section). Even better than frozen, but shorter shelf life.
Dried Rice Cakes — Amazon, Korean grocery online. Need soaking. Good backup, slightly less chewy.
Gnocchi (emergency swap) — Regular grocery store. Last resort only. Boil then pan-fry.

My buy: CJ Korean Rice Cakes (Frozen) on Amazon

How to store: Freeze them. Cook straight from frozen — no thawing needed.

2. Gochujang (고추장) — The Heart of the Sauce

I have a full gochujang substitute guide here, but briefly:

Real gochujang (best) — Nothing beats it. One tub lasts 6 months.
Swap: doenjang + gochugaru + sugar — Works in a pinch (see my guide).

My buy: CJ Haechandle Gochujang on Amazon

3. Gochugaru (고추가루) — For Extra Heat & Color

Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) give tteokbokki that beautiful red-orange color and smoky heat.

Real gochugaru (best) — Buy once, use for months.
Crushed red pepper flakes — Works but lacks the smoky note. Use half the amount.
Paprika (sweet or smoked) — Gives color, not heat. Add cayenne for spice.

My buy: Gochugaru on Amazon

4. Soup Stock — The Hidden Flavor

Traditional tteokbokki uses dashima (kelp) + anchovy stock. Abroad, use these:

Dashima + anchovy (best) — Asian market or Amazon.
Dashi powder (Japanese) — My lazy-day go-to. Use 1 tsp per 2 cups water.
Chicken or vegetable broth — Acceptable. Avoid beef broth — too heavy.

My quick hack: 2 cups water + 1 sheet dried kelp + 1 tsp anchovy powder. Boil 5 min, remove kelp. Done.

5. Fish Cakes (Eomuk / 어묵) — Optional but Traditional

Fish cakes add texture and savory flavor. Buy Korean fish cakes on Amazon or use Japanese chikuwa as a substitute. The dish is still delicious without it.

6. For the Garnish

Green onions (scallions) — essential
Sesame seeds — toasted
Hard-boiled egg (optional)
Mozzarella cheese (optional but amazing)

The Tteokbokki Recipe, Step by Step

Serves 2 hungry people, or 4 as a snack. Prep 5 min, Cook 10 min.

Ingredients

Core:

2 cups (300-400g) Korean rice cakes — Amazon
2 tbsp gochujang — Amazon
1 tbsp gochugaru — Amazon
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar (brown sugar is better)
1 tbsp corn syrup or honey
2 cups water or stock
2-3 green onions, sliced

Optional:

Fish cakes (eomuk)
1 hard-boiled egg
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Toasted sesame seeds

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Prep the rice cakes. If frozen, no need to thaw. Separate pieces under running cold water.

Step 2: Make the sauce. Mix gochujang + gochugaru + soy sauce + sugar + honey into a paste.

Step 3: Make the stock. In a pan, put 2 cups water + 1 sheet dried kelp. Boil 5 min. Remove kelp. Stir in sauce paste.

Step 4: Cook. Add rice cakes and fish cakes. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken and coat the rice cakes.

Step 5: Finish. Add green onions. Top with sesame seeds, egg, or cheese.

Jina’s tip: If adding cheese, sprinkle on top while the tteokbokki is still bubbling hot. Cover for 30 seconds, then serve. Melty cheese + spicy sauce = perfection.

Variations

Rosé Tteokbokki (크림 떡볶이): Add 1/4 cup heavy cream + 1/2 cup mozzarella at the end.
Curry Tteokbokki: Add 1 tbsp Korean curry powder to the sauce.
Gungmul Tteokbokki (국물 떡볶이) — Soup Style: Double the stock and skip the thickening.

Where to Buy Everything Online (US / UK / EU)

Amazon (US):

UK: Amazon.co.uk (search “Korean rice cakes”, “gochujang”)

EU: Amazon.de — look for “CJ Haechandle Gochujang” and “Korean Reiskuchen”

Non-Amazon: H Mart Online (hmart.com), Weee!, local Asian grocery

Tteokbokki Recipe FAQs

Can I make tteokbokki without gochujang?
Yes, use 1 tbsp doenjang + 1 tbsp gochugaru + 1/2 tbsp sugar. Full guide here.

Rice cakes too hard or too soft?
Too hard = not cooked enough, or dried out. Soak dried cakes 30 min first. Too soft = overcooked. Rice cakes need only 5-7 minutes in the sauce.

Can I use regular pasta?
You can, but it won’t be tteokbokki. It will be spicy pasta. Call it “Korean-style spicy pasta” and enjoy it.

Is it gluten-free?
Rice cakes are naturally gluten-free. But check the label for wheat flour. Gochujang often contains wheat.

Why is my sauce too thin?
Cook it longer uncovered. If still thin after 7 mins, mix 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp water and stir in.

Bottom Line

Must buy: Korean rice cakes + gochujang (both available on Amazon)
Can swap: Stock (use dashi), fish cakes (skip or use chikuwa)
Avoid: Non-Korean “tteokbokki kit” — overpriced and wrong taste
The secret: Let the sauce reduce until it coats the rice cakes thickly

Tteokbokki was my first Korean food craving when I moved abroad. Now it is my go-to 15-minute comfort meal. Once you have the rice cakes and gochujang in your freezer and fridge, you are always 15 minutes away from a taste of Seoul.

Next reads:

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I have bought with my own money. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Written by Jina Moon — Seoul-born, cooking Korean food 5-6 days a week in Washington. Photos from my kitchen.

If this tteokbokki recipe made you hungry, you’ll love my 19 Korean ingredient substitutes guide too.