Tteokkochi (Korean Rice Cake Skewers) (2024)

Tteokkochi, or Korean Rice Cake Skewers, is one of Seoul's most popular street foods! Cylinder-shaped rice cakes are threaded onto skewers and grilled for a crunchy yet chewy texture, then slathered in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. This addictive Korean snack is deliciously fun and takes only 40 minutes to make at home!

🍢 What Is Tteokkochi?

When walking the streets of Seoul, you're guaranteed to see Tteokkochi (떡꼬치) on one of the many street food carts. "Tteokkochi" (pronounced DUCK-oh-chee) is a combination of tteok (떡), or "rice cakes", and kkochi (꼬치), which translates to "skewer". They're essentially a Korean kebab!

This beloved Korean street food is made with skewered rice cakes that are grilled or fried until the outsides are crispy and golden. Tteok is usually mild in taste but the grilled exterior creates amazing texture and a lightly charred flavor.

The rice cake skewers are then coated in a sweet, spicy, and smoky red sauce made from gochujang and ketchup. These classic Korean flavors makes Tteokkochi absolutely nostalgic and craveable. That must be why this affordable handheld treat is a popular after-school snack amongst students!

Once you try Tteokkochi, it'll be hard to stop at just one skewer! For more irresistible Korean snacks, some of our favorites include Korean Popcorn Chicken, Jumeokbap (Korean Rice Balls), or Bibimmyeon (Korean Cold Spicy Noodles).

Why You'll Love It

• Affordable: Tteokkochi only requires skewers, rice cakes, and a handful of pantry staples for the sauce. It's a budget-friendly snack or appetizer that both kids and adults love!
• Quick and easy: These vegetarian Korean Rice Cake Skewers couldn't be any easier. The only prep required is the assembly for the skewers. Plus, grilling the skewers and the sauce comes together in minutes, so safe to say that this recipe is very beginner-friendly!
• Portable: Tteokkochi is versatile enough to serve as an after-school snack or as a delicious hand-held appetizer. Skewered food is always a great addition to any party!

🧂 Ingredients

• Rice cakes (tteok): Tteokkochi is traditionally made with cylinder-shaped rice cakes, also called garrae-tteok (가래떡). You can find them in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. But I prefer fresh tteok, which has a lighter and chewier texture, but they need to be cooked or frozen within 1-2 days of purchase. Find them on shelves close to the cash registers.
• Garlic powder: I like using the powder version for Korean Rice Cake Skewers to keep prep minimal. However, you can substitute with 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic.
• Gochugaru: Korean chili flakes have varying levels of coarseness. I prefer fine powder consistency for this recipe.
• Ketchup: Adds sweetness and creates a glazed consistency.
• Gochujang: Like gochugaru, gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste) comes in varying levels of spice. I highly recommend mild versions as the Hot is very spicy. Gochujang is widely available now but for more variety, visit an Asian market.
• Soy sauce: For salt, umami, and flavor. I always recommend low sodium.
• Honey: For sweetness and sticky glaze consistency.
• Sesame oil: A touch to add depth and flavor to the sauce.
• Sesame seeds and green onion: for garnish
• Cooking oil: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.

Substitutions & Variations

• If using , add an additional ½ teaspoon honey.
• Replace honey with your sweetener of choice. An equal amount of white, brown, or coconut sugar would work.
• To make so-tteok, alternate mini sausages with rice cakes on the skewers. Korean sausages usually have a hint of spice, but feel free to use Vienna sausage, smokies, or even cut-up hot dogs instead.
• For cheesy Tteokkochi, cut cheese sticks in half and alternate with tteok. As they melt, they can be a little messy on the pan. Alternatively, you can sprinkle grilled tteok with shredded cheese.
• Play with the toppings and garnishes! Top Tteokkochi with seaweed strips, furikake, additional gochugaru, or crushed peanuts.
• To make Tteokkochi without skewers, pan-fry a single layer of tteok and flip each one as they become golden brown. Coat with sauce and serve.
• To make a less spicy sauce, use mild gochugaru and mild gochujang. Start with half of each, and add more as preferred.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Tteokkochi

⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.

STEP ONE: First, soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent them from burning. I'm using 6 inch (15cm) wooden skewers.

STEP TWO: If using frozen or refrigerated rice cakes, cover with water and soak for 20 minutes as well.

STEP THREE: This step is only for frozen or hardened refrigerated tteok. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add drained tteok. Stir constantly to prevent them from sticking to the bottom and boil for just 30 seconds, or until soft.

Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to prevent excess starch from making them too sticky. The tteok should be as soft as the image on the right - when bent, the tteok shouldn't crack or break.

STEP FOUR: Assemble Tteokkochi by threading softened rice cakes onto skewers. Use gloves or coat fingers with oil to prevent tteok from sticking.

You can add as many rice cakes onto the skewer as you'd like, but I recommend leaving at least 2 inches for a handle. Feel free to alternate with mini sausages like I did, or add fish cake, cheese sticks, imitation crab, or simply leave plain.

STEP FIVE: Heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add a splash of oil. When hot, add a couple Tteokkochi, making sure to not overcrowd the pan or have them touch or else they'll stick to one another. Leave alone to brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip and repeat with the other side. Then set aside on a clean plate. Add another splash of oil and repeat until all the skewers are done.

STEP SIX: In another skillet, add gochujang, ketchup, garlic powder, soy sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk continuously over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly steaming and thoroughly mixed together. Season to taste.

STEP SEVEN: Use a pastry brush to coat rice cakes with sauce. Top with sesame seeds and green onion and serve Tteokkochi immediately.

💭 Top Tips

• Use small, cocktail or appetizer-sized skewers for Tteokkochi. If you only have regular sized skewers, cut them in half with kitchen shears.
• Check the softness of your rice cake by bending them. If they don't break, they're ready to be threaded onto the skewers (usually with fresh tteok). If they crack or break, boil them for 30 seconds until soft and bendable.
• Rice cakes can get very sticky, especially after they've been boiled. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Use gloves or coat fingers with oil to thread tteok onto skewers.
• Thread rice cakes onto skewers as evenly as possible. If any are off-center, they'll brown unevenly. If a rice cake isn't touching the pan, lightly press it with chopsticks or wooden spoon to help "sear" the Tteokkochi.
• Use a non-stick or cast-iron pan. Cast iron griddles are traditional on the streets of Korea. They conduct heat well and can get very, very hot for the perfect crispy exterior. Non-stick will help prevent rice cakes from sticking to the pan.
• These Tteokkochi has a lightly browned and crisp exterior, similar to a grilled effect. For a crispier exterior, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. This will create a pan-fried Tteokkochi.

🥡 Storing & Freezing Tteokkochi

Storing: For the best taste and texture, enjoy Korean Rice Cake Skewers immediately. As they sit, they'll lose their crispy grilled texture.
However, if you have leftovers, let them cool completely first. Then store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If possible, store the skewers and sauce separately. Feel free to remove the rice cakes off the skewers as well.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing Tteokkochi as they will not reheat well.

Reheating: Microwave at 30 second intervals until Tteokkochi are soft again. If they've already been coated in sauce, keep an eye on them since the sugar can burn.
Tteokkochi that haven't been sauced can be pan-fried on medium heat or air fried or toasted at 325ºF until warm and lightly crispy again.
If the sauce is too thick after storing, microwave in 10 second intervals with a splash of water to make it more viscous.

Make Ahead: Boil rice cakes and assemble the skewers up to 2 days in advance. Pan fry the Korean Rice Cake Skewers fresh for the best texture.
The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Mix ingredients together, but do not heat up yet. On the day-of, microwave the sauce for 30 seconds to warm up or heat in a skillet as directed until warm and everything is well-combined.

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