Name: Easy Vegan Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes) - Full of Plants
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Easy Vegan Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes) - Full of Plants

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If you are looking for the very best vegan Tteokbokki recipe, look no further because I’ve got you covered! This Korean-inspired dish consists of chewy rice cakes cooked in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce. It takes just 20 minutes to prepare and is insanely easy!
This popular Korean dish is one of my favorites! It has the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and is LOADED with flavor and texture. It’s the one recipe I make over and over again regarding the season.
After extensive research through Korean websites (as well as tasting Tteokbokki from five different Korean restaurants), I decided to develop my own version. My recipe is not as spicy as the traditional one simply because we couldn’t enjoy the dish due to the high level of spiciness. Hence, I slightly reduced the spiciness while keeping the main flavor profile.
Once you taste my vegan Tteokbokki and see how easy it is to make, you will never want to order from a Korean restaurant again! Unlike other recipes, I went the extra mile by incorporating vegan sausages and vegan “fish cakes” to make the dish even closer to the original. To make it short: it’s FREAKING DELICIOUS.
If you are like me, you probably enjoy spicy food but to a certain level. That’s why I made sure to adapt this recipe to more tolerable spiciness levels that are adapted to our foreign palates. It is not overly spicy, subtly sweet, and has a ton of flavor. Plus, the sauce is perfectly thick and coats the tender and chewy rice cakes beautifully!
Making vegan Tteokbokki is as simple as dumping all of the ingredients in a skillet or pot and letting it simmer for 15 minutes! It requires minimal ingredients and is very easy to prepare.
Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is a popular Korean street food consisting of rice cakes simmered in a spicy red chili sauce. It has recently gained popularity thanks to Korean culture’s influence through dramas, K-pop, and fashion.
There are many variations of this dish, from the original version, which consists of rice cakes cooked in a sweet Gochujang sauce, to the non-spicy alternative called Jjajang Tteokbokki, in which black bean sauce is used in place of the Gochujang. Another popular version of Tteokbokki is called Rabokki, where instant ramen noodles are added toward the end of cooking to create different textures.
Called Garaetteok in Korean, these rice cakes are typically made from rice flour, salt, and sometimes sesame oil. Garaetteok is available in two different shapes. One comes in thick and long cylinders while the others come in discs. To make this recipe, you will need to use the cylinders.
You can find them in the fresh/frozen section of your local Asian store or get dried rice cakes here.
Dried vs. refrigerated/frozen rice cakes
You can find two types of rice cakes, the ones that are shelf-stable and the ones sold in the refrigerated/freezer section. While it obviously depends a lot on the brand, I personally had better results with the rice cakes from the refrigerated section. Those are usually fresher and become a bit more tender once cooked. I tested two different brands of Korean rice cakes:
Gochujang is an essential component of the sauce. This Korean condiment is made with chili powder, fermented soybean paste, sugar, and salt. Gochujang is a flavor bomb! Think of it as a very spicy miso with smoky notes, a hint of tanginess, and complex flavors. You can find Gochujang in most Asian stores or online. There are many brands available, but my favorite is Sempio.
Note: I used 2 tablespoons of Gochujang for a mild spiciness. If you like the spiciness of instant Tteokbokki cups, for example, I recommend adding an extra tablespoon of Gochujang.
Also called Korean chili powder. Gochugaru brings a subtle smokiness to the sauce as well as extra heat. I recommend adding it sparingly as it has a lot of heat that could overpower the dish. If you are unsure, start with 1/8 teaspoon of add more to your liking.
Tteokbokki sauce is always quite sweet. The sweetness helps balance the saltiness and spiciness. While it’s not authentic, I like to use maple syrup to sweeten the sauce. I found it adds a hint of caramelized flavor to the sauce, which I prefer. However, any type of sugar works. I tried using white sugar, light brown sugar, and even agave syrup and got great results with each sweetener.
To compensate for the reduced gochujang, I opted for regular Japanese soy sauce, which not only adds saltiness but also brings extra umami.
Vegan Frankfurter sausages add a meaty component to this dish and bring a smoky flavor that takes this recipe from tasty to delicious. You can find my recipe for vegan sausages here or simply use store-bought vegan Frankfurters. 
Before using the sausages, slice them into 2-inch (5cm) logs and slice each log in half lengthwise.
Traditionally, Tteokbokki also includes thin fish cakes. So, how could we replace them in this vegan version? As soon as I saw what those fish cakes looked like, it instantly reminded me of Inari Age! If you are familiar with sushi, you have probably seen Inari sushi before. These fried tofu pockets are usually filled with sushi rice and garnished with different toppings.
The best part about Inari Age is that it looks and has a texture a bit similar to the thin fish cakes used in the authentic recipe. Game-changer! Plus, they are the best at soaking the sauce!
You can find Inari age online or in the dried section of most Asian supermarkets.
How to prepare the “fish” cakes
Whisk together the marinade ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup, 1 minced clove of garlic, and 1/4 of a nori sheet cut into strips.
Marinate. Pat the fried tofu pouches dry and add them to the marinade. Toss to coat and let them marinate for about 2 hours. You can then drain them and add them to the pan. 
Note: If you can’t find fried tofu pouches, simply omit them or replace them with thinly sliced fried tofu. Although those add texture and a bit extra flavor, they are not essential to this recipe.
Green onions, or scallions, are used in both the broth and for topping. They add freshness and a delicate onion flavor. Slice the green onions you will add to the sauce into 2-inch long stalks and finely chop the ones you will use for topping.
Used as a topping for decoration and to add a subtle nuttiness. You can use raw sesame seeds or slightly toast them for 1-2 minutes in a pan to bring out their natural nuttiness.
Start by preparing the sauce, a key component of this Korean dish. It packs most of the flavor as rice cakes are kind of bland on their own. 
Stir together the sauce ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the Gochujang, maple syrup (or sugar), soy sauce, garlic, and Gochugaru (chili powder).
Transfer to a skillet. Next, add the sauce and the rice cakes to a large non-stick skillet. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. I recommend giving it a stir from time to time to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for about 8 minutes.
Incorporate the add-ins. Next, stir in the vegan sausages, tofu fish cakes if using, and green onions.
Let simmer again. Cook the rice cakes in the sauce for another 7-8 minutes. At this point, the rice cakes should be tender and chewy, and the sauce will have thickened. There is no need to add any thickener, as the rice cakes will release starch as they cook, helping the sauce thicken naturally.
Serve. Finally, transfer to serving plates or bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds!
You can serve this Tteokbokki as is or top it with grated vegan cheese for even more deliciousness! It also tastes great served with some vegan kimchi on the side.
Where can I buy rice cakes? You should easily find rice cakes in Asian stores, sold dried or frozen. If you have time, it’s also possible to make your own. There are many recipes online.  Is Tteokbokki very spicy? I would say it is mildly spicy. If you are not used to spicy dishes, you will probably find it quite spicy. You can adjust the spiciness by using less Gochujang/Gochugaru and adjusting the saltiness to taste.  Can I use sliced rice cakes? Yes, it will work just as well!  
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		Servings 3 servingsCalories 419 kcal
    
		
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Serving: 1 serving (without sausages and tofu) | Calories: 419 kcal | Carbohydrates: 96.5 g | Protein: 4.2 g | Fat: 0.6 g | Fiber: 2.7 g | Sugar: 10.2 g
	 Course : Entree, Main Course, Side Dish
	
	
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes. 
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If you are looking for the very best vegan Tteokbokki recipe, look no further because I’ve got you covered! This Korean-inspired dish consists of chewy rice cakes cooked in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce. It takes just 20 minutes to prepare and is insanely easy!
This popular Korean dish is one of my favorites! It has the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and is LOADED with flavor and texture. It’s the one recipe I make over and over again regarding the season.
After extensive research through Korean websites (as well as tasting Tteokbokki from five different Korean restaurants), I...

Easy Vegan Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes) - Full of Plants

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