Enjoy dump-and-go Rice Cooker Tteokbokki with chewy rice cakes and spicy sauce. Minimal prep, maximum comfort for busy nights!
Craving a savoury and spicy Korean treat that’s both comforting and easy to prepare? Look no further than this Rice Cooker Tteokbokki! This is hands-down one of my all-time favourite rice cooker recipes! And it’s also the one that you all are so excited for – when I previewed this on my Instagram stories, I’ve never received so many DMs for the recipe.
This beloved Korean street food, known for its chewy rice cakes and rich, spicy sauce, is transformed into a hands-off delight with the help of your rice cooker. Minimal prep and cleanup and steps – you throw everything in the pot and that’s it! – you can enjoy this delicious dish any day of the week.
What is Tteokbokki?
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean dish featuring chewy rice cakes (tteok) simmered in a spicy, sweet, and savory sauce made from gochujang (Korean chili paste), gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), soy sauce, and a touch of sweetness.
It’s typically enjoyed as a snack or quick meal and can be customized with various add-ins like fish cakes, boiled eggs, and even cheese or even veggies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Prep and Cook: With the rice cooker doing most of the work, you get to enjoy a flavourful meal with minimal hands-on time.
- Balanced Meal: This recipe turns the beloved snack into a MEAL which includes carbs, proteins and vegetables!
- Convenient: Perfect for busy weeknights, with minimal cleanup and no need to watch over the stove.
- Comforting and Satisfying: The combination of chewy rice cakes and spicy sauce is pure comfort food bliss.
Key Equipment: The Rice Cooker
Your rice cooker is a game-changer for this tteokbokki recipe. Tteokbokki is best served warm, and the longer it’s left simmering, the thicker the sauce becomes, and the chewier the tteoks get! It’s not too easy to do this over a stovetop, since you have to monitor the fire to make sure it doesn’t burn. With a rice cooker, this perfect consistency is easily achieved with ZERO watch time!
It not only makes cooking effortless but also keeps the dish warm for extended periods without the risk of overcooking.
This means you can enjoy your tteokbokki at the perfect temperature whenever you’re ready!
As with this recipe and all other rice cooker recipes on the blog – ANY rice cooker will work! If your rice cooker does not have a ‘keep warm’ setting like mine, and you’re not ready to serve, simply turn the rice cooker back on to get the same consistency again.
Of course, I love my ultra-reliable Zojirushi:
- Zojirushi NS-ZAQ10 Micom Fuzzy Logic (the exact one I purchased – this is the same as the model above; it’s labelled differently in Singapore/Southeast Asia. This is a ‘Made in Japan’ model.)
Key Ingredients for Rice Cooker Tteokbokki
- Tteok (Rice Cakes): The star of the dish – chewy Korean rice cakes! You can use either fresh or frozen versions.
- Gochujang: This Korean chili paste adds the signature heat and depth of flavour.
- Gochugaru: Korean chili flakes provide an extra kick of spice. Adjust to taste.
- Soy Sauce: Adds savory umami and depth to the sauce.
- Sugar or Honey: Balances the heat with a touch of sweetness.
- Garlic Paste or Minced Garlic: Infuses the sauce with aromatic flavor.
- Ginger Paste or Grated Ginger: Adds a warm, zesty note to the sauce.
- Water or Stock: Water works just fine, but I like to use dashi or dried anchovy stock! Chicken stock will work as well. Gochujang and soy sauce has sodium, so use low sodium versions for the best results, or combine with water to adjust the sodium levels. For an in-depth recipe on how I make my dried anchovy stock, see this post.
- Spring Onions / Scallions / Green Onions: Chopped and added at different stages for fresh, aromatic flavour.
Toppings
Add your favourite toppings to turn this into a balanced complete meal!
- Fish Cakes (Eomuk): These soak up the sauce – so good!
TIP: if you’re based in Singapore or Malaysia, swap these with Fried Tau Kee instead! They are cheaper, a lot easier to find than eomuk, and have the same texture and soak ability with the added benefit of fried tofu skin, YUM!
Other toppings
- Cheese, ramen noodles, or veggies like carrots and beansprouts!
Key Steps to Making Rice Cooker Tteokbokki
1. Prepare the Rice Cakes
- Rinse the rice cakes under water, this will make them chewy quicker.
- If using frozen tteok, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix the Sauce
- In your rice cooker pot, combine gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar or honey, minced garlic, ginger, and water or stock. Add the white portion or stalks of the spring onions as well.
- Stir well to create a smooth sauce.
3. Add Ingredients
- Add in the rice cakes, fish cakes (if using), cabbages and boiled eggs as well, if using.
- Stir to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
4. Cook
- Close the lid and set your rice cooker to the ‘cook’ setting. Let it cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice cakes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- The sauce is thickened solely by the starches from the rice cakes! If the sauce is not thickening, let it cook further.
5. Add Optional Ingredients
- If adding instant ramen noodles, cheese, or other vegetables, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir to combine and let them cook until tender.
6. Stir and Serve
- Once cooked, Tteokbokki is ready! Serve the tteokbokki hot, straight from the rice cooker.
- Garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, chopped spring onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Adjust Spice Level: Reduce the amount of gochugaru or gochujang for a milder dish.
- Consistency: If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water or stock to reach your desired consistency.
- Saltiness: If you find the sauce too salty at the end, simply add more water to adjust sodium levels!
Storing and Reheating
Storing
- Tteokbokki is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating
- To reheat, pop in the microwave until heated through.
- You can also add it back to the rice cooker pot, and reheat reheat on the ‘warm’ setting until the rice cakes soften and the sauce is heated through. You may want to add a splash of water or broth to the rice cooker when reheating.
Rice Cooker Tteokbokki
Course: 30 Minutes u0026amp; Under, Easy Weeknight, Eggs, Korean, One Pot, Rice, Rice Cooker
Ingredients
250g (about 2 cups) Tteok (Korean rice cakes)
2 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp Soy Sauce (or to taste)
1 tbsp Sugar or Honey (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp Garlic Paste or 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger Paste or Ginger, grated
2 cups Water or Stock (low sodium dried anchovy, dashi or chicken preferred)
2 Spring Onions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
- Toppings:
100g Fish Cakes (Eomuk), sliced
2 Boiled Eggs, peeled
1 cup Cabbage, loosely packed, chopped
Other options: Shredded mozzarella cheese, instant ramen noodles, or additional vegetables like carrots
Directions
- Prepare the Rice Cakes: Rinse the rice cakes under water. If using frozen tteok, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
- Mix the Sauce: In your rice cooker, combine the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar or honey, minced garlic, ginger, white parts of the spring onions, and water or stock. Stir well to create a smooth sauce.
- Add Ingredients: Add the rice cakes, fish cakes (if using). Stir to coat everything evenly in the sauce. Add the cabbage and boiled eggs as well, if using.
- Cook: Close the lid and set your rice cooker to the regular ‘cook’ setting. Let it cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice cakes are tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- Add Optional Ingredients: If adding instant ramen noodles, cheese, or additional vegetables, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir to combine and let them cook until tender.
- Serve: Once everything is cooked and the sauce is thick and glossy, stir in the green parts of the spring onions. Serve the tteokbokki hot, straight from the rice cooker. Garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, chopped spring onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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