Pickled Plum
Rose Tteokbokki (Creamy and Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)

There’s a lot to love about rose tteokbokki. It is a milder, creamy spin on the fire-red, spicy and pungent original. Korean rice cakes soak up a velvety, rich and cheesy gochujang and cream sauce. Let’s look at the origins of this popular Korean street-food – and I’ll show you step-by-step how to make it at home.

What is Rose Tteokbokki

Rose tteokbokki is chewy, bouncy Korean rice cakes and sliced fish cakes served in a sweet, savory and thick gochujang and dairy-based sauce. It’s a creamier, milder version of the fire-red classic Korean tteokbokki. In fact, rosé tteokbokki doubles down on the dairy in the sauce with not only cream, but cheese as well. It’s very popular in Korea, both in restaurants and especially as a late night street-food snack.

Why is it Called Rose Tteokbokki

Think of rose tteokbokki as a Korean / Italian fusion dish of sorts. Traditional rose sauce is a Northern Italian pasta sauce that combines tomato puree and heavy cream. For rose tteokbokki, the cream is added to another red sauce – but this one is comprised of gochujang and gochugaru (more on those Korean ingredients in a sec). Both rose sauces take on a light pink hue – but rose tteokbokki’s flavor is very unique.

What Does Rose Tteokbokki Taste Like

Springy and dense rice cakes absorb the smoky, sweet, salty and velvety rich sauce. Expect a mild spiciness that is tempered by the milk, cream and the gooey cheese. Actually, rose tteokbokki is the perfect recipe for people who like Korean flavors, but who may be a little sensitive to full-on spicy food.

Rose Tteokbokki Ingredients

• Cooking Oil: Any neutral cooking oil works here. I usually use grapeseed or vegetable oil.
• Onion and Garlic: Use about half an onion and 2 sizable cloves of garlic as aromatics.
• Korean Rice Cakes: These cylindrical shaped rice cakes are called tteokmyeon – and they have a chewy, almost springy texture. Bonus: tteokbokki rice cakes are a magnet for absorbing whatever flavors they’re being cooked in.
• Korean Fish Cakes: Fish cakes are called eomuk in Korea. They are a mixture of surimi, fish, starch and egg. Most versions are lightly fried until golden brown on the outside, and have a savory flavor and an almost bouncy texture. Grab them at Asian grocery stores, next to the imitation crab sticks. I prefer the thin, flat Korean fish cakes for this dish.
• Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan delivers a ton of savory umami – and as the Mozzarella cheese melts, it makes the whole creamy, gooey aspect of rose tteokbokki skyrocket.
• Scallions: I’m using 2 finely chopped green onions for both texture and a sharp, fragrance that contrasts the creaminess and compliments the spicy notes.
• Rose Tteokbokki Sauce: A mix of gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and half and half. Adding half and half will give you that trademark pink rosé color once mixed with the gochujang and gochugaru.

How to Make Rose Tteokbokki

1. Start by making the sauce. Combine the gochujang, gochugaru and soy sauce in a bowl. Add a bit of the half and half and whisk until everything starts to smooth out. Continue adding the half and half and whisking until thoroughly combined. Then set the sauce aside.
2. Next, get a large deep skillet going over medium-high heat on the stove top. Once the pan is hot, add your oil and coat the cooking surface. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the onions are translucent (around 2 minutes).
3. Turn the heat on the burner down to medium-low and add the rose sauce. Stir until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Then add the rice cakes and fish cakes, stir and turn the heat back up to bring the sauce to a boil. Once bubbling, bring the heat back down so everything gently simmers for about 5-7 minutes. Test the rice cakes. They’re good to go when they are chewy but still slightly firm.
5. Turn the heat off. Stir in the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
6. Finally, transfer to a serving bowl, top with chopped green onions (and an optional sprinkle of more cheese) and serve.

Tips and Variations

• Make it spicier (or milder). To adjust the spice level of tteokbokki, add more or less gochugaru until you are happy with the amount of heat.
• Add a protein or veggies. Popular flavorful additions include smoky bacon or Korean cocktail sausages. Thinly sliced broccoli florets soak up the fiery, creamy sauce super well.
• Make it plant based. If you decide to make a vegan rose tteokbokki, you’ll need to make some changes to the ingredients list, but it’s absolutely doable. Use unsweetened, extra creamy oat milk instead of half and half. Go with nutritional yeast instead of cheese. And use Japanese aburaage (fried tofu pouches) instead of the fish cakes.
• Add ramen noodles. Add ramen noodles just like you would if you were making rabokki.
• Stick with the classics. Make traditional tteokbokki without the creamy rosé sauce – and with an anchovy stock and kelp base instead.

Traditional Tteokbokki Video

What to Serve With Tteokbokki

• Korean Chive Pancake (Buchujeon)
• Korean Steamed Egg (Gyeran Jjim)
• Easy Pan Fried Tofu With Gochujang Sauce
• Korean Seaweed Soup (Tofu Miyeok-Guk)
• Vegetarian Kimbap (Gimbap)
• Korean Bean Sprout Salad (Sookju Namul)

Did you like this rose tteokbokki recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!