Vegan Tteokbokki (떡볶이) with Vegetables
This Vegan Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes) is chewy, saucy, spicy, and loaded with veggies! A plant-powered twist on the classic Korean street food.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 to 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 3 green onions, roughly chopped; white and green parts separated
- 1/4 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 to 5 cloves)
- 2-3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes; optional)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cane or coconut sugar
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 16 ounces (450 g) Korean rice cakes (thawed if frozen)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (optional)
- sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the vegetable broth to a deep pan or pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add the cabbage, white parts of the green onions, carrot, and garlic; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the gochujang (paste), gochugaru (flakes), tamari, and sugar. Add the mushrooms and simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the rice cakes to the pan/pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The rice cakes will soften and grow a larger, while the sauce will decrease and thicken.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the green onions and sesame oil (optional). Top with sesame seeds, then serve warm.
Notes
- Substitutions: there is no substitute for the rice cakes, gochujang, or gochugaru. Please see the links above for my personal recommendations.
- I recommend using freshly made or refrigerated rice cakes – frozen are okay, but shelf-stable ones can be very dry.
Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/vegan-tteokbokki/