Jajang Tteokbokki. If you love Korean rice cakes then you will love this version in roasted black bean sauce with bouncy fish cakes. It's the perfect snack or side dish. Ready in 30 minutes!
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What is Jajang Tteokbokki?
"Jajang" means "fried sauce" and "Tteokbokki" means "stir fried rice cakes" in Korean. This saucy dish features chewy bouncy rice cakes stir fried in a roasted black bean sauce that's made with onions and fish cakes.
It's such a tasty concoction of ingredients with umami flavor from the fishcakes and kelp. The black bean sauce is also savory with sweet notes and really soaks into the rice cakes.
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food snack. The most popular version is the kind stir fried in a thick bright red spicy sauce. It's a beloved food in Korean cuisine and young kids to adults love this dish for it's spicy and sweet flavors.
This is the perfect recipe for those who love Tteokbokki but can't tolerate the spice. I specifically developed this recipe 4 years ago adapting the sauce from my Jajangmyeon recipe. After a few trials, I ended up with this delicious version and it really hits the spot.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Korean Rice Cakes: make sure to get the tubular kind and not the ones that are circular and flat. Korean rice cakes are usually made of wheat flour and rice flour with water. Avoid using the frozen kind and opt for the fresh or refrigerated kind as these do not splinter as easily.
- Roasted black bean paste: make sure it's the Korean kind. As a last resort, use the Chinese kind.
- Small onion
- Green onion
- Stock: you can use chicken stock, anchovy stock, vegetable stock or water
- Cornstarch: or potato starch
- Fishcakes: or substitute with the fish cake sheets.
- White granulated sugar
- Oyster sauce: or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- Neutral oil:Â like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.
- Green onions: optional Garnish
- Sesame seeds: optional Garnish
Note: Most Korean or Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
How to make Jajang Tteokbokki
- In a large bowl, soak your rice cakes in warm water for at least 5 minutes to help acclimate them. Strain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together your water or stock and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat.
- Fry your roasted black bean paste in the oil for 1 minute constantly stirring it.
- Then add in onion, green onions and fish cakes. Mix until well combined.
- Pour in cornstarch stock mixture. Mix until combined. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat or until sauce has thickened.
- Mix in rice cakes. Season with sugar and oyster sauce to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes until rice cakes are soft but chewy or fork tender.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds over top (optional).
Storage & Reheating
This dish will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat on the stovetop in a pan on medium heat until hot.
Expert Tips
- Soak the rice cakes in warm water to help them acclimatize to the warm sauce.
- Opt for fresh or refrigerated rice cakes. Avoid the frozen kind as they splinter easily.
- Make sure to fry the roasted black bean paste in oil. This removes the bitterness.
- Season to taste. Feel free to add more sugar or oyster sauce to taste
FAQ
No, it's made of a roasted black bean paste which is savory.
You may have used frozen ones which require you to soak them in warm water before cooking. Or you have overcooked the rice cakes or you didn't soak them in warm water to help acclimate them.
Other recipes you may like!
📖 Recipe
Easy & Quick Jajang Tteokbokki
Ingredients
- 2 cups Korean rice cakes
- â…“ cup Korean roasted black bean paste
- 2 cups stock chicken stock, anchovy stock or water
- 1 cup fish ball or fish cake sheets cut into triangles
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 green onion sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce add more to taste
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional Garnish
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, soak your rice cakes in warm water for at least 5 minutes to help acclimate them. Strain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together your stock and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat.
- Fry your roasted black bean paste in the oil for 1 minute constantly stirring it.
- Then add in onion, green onions and fish cakes. Mix until well combined.
- Pour in cornstarch stock mixture. Mix until combined. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat or until sauce has thickened.
- Mix in rice cakes. Season with sugar and oyster sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes until rice cakes are soft but chewy or fork tender.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds over top (optional).
Lauren - BasicGinger.com
Christie, this is delicious! Love that it only takes 30 minutes to make, so easy! thank you so much for sharing it!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
I love the addition of fish cakes to this dish! My eldest would enjoy this since he LOVES fish cakes and the cylindrical rice cakes! What a fantastic combo... I'm showing this to him right now!
christieathome
Thanks Michelle! It's really good with the fish cakes along with the chewy rice cakes 🙂 And perfect for kids as it's not spicy.
Rebecca Dillon
This looks divine. Def want to try this sauce!
christieathome
Thank you Rebecca!
Sherri
This looks amazing! I am totally in love with the black bean onion sauce! 🙂
christieathome
Thanks Sherri! It's such a treat.
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
I've never had this dish, but do love all the elements!! I know my husband and I would love it (not so sure about the Bugs, I'm not sure they are really my children because they don't currently care for Asian flavors. Someday, right??)! Those fish cakes and black bean sauce are calling me!!
christieathome
Thanks Tasia! It was so delicious especially with the fish cakes and black bean sauce!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is one amazing bowl filled with all sorts of tasty happiness. I love all the different flavors. Then the black bean paste and fish cakes give it the perfect finishing touch!