If you’ve tried my tteokbokki, you already know the joy of biting into chewy, satisfying Korean rice cakes. But let’s be real—sometimes you don’t have the time (or patience) to run to the store for specialty ingredients but you need to eat. You want something quick, comforting, and packed with bold, umami flavors to curb those cravings now. Enter these Spicy Sesame Rice Cakes: chewy, carby perfection coated in a flavor-packed sauce that just cooks in the pan, featuring gochugaru, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. Even better? They’re ready in just 20 minutes with simple pantry staples, so let’s get into it!
This all started with a goal that I had to empty out the fridge and freezer before Christmas. I host my family every year and I need the storage space. So I challenged myself to purchase as little as possible while using up everything I had on hand. It forced me to get creative with meals and also made me realize how much food I had squirreled away. But who doesn’t need a way to use up odd bits and leftovers? This “recipe” is as lean and basic as you can get, allowing you to make it your own. Got a handful of greens that need a home? Some cold chicken that’s not enough for a meal? Some wilted veggies that must be used now? Go ahead and add it in. Just be careful that you don’t go crazy in trying to put in everything you see :)
For this recipe, I’m using cylindrical rice cakes for maximum chewiness. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Korean market like H-Mart, you can grab them fresh. Otherwise, look for shelf-stable packages online or frozen ones at a well-stocked Asian grocery. (If they’re frozen, make sure to thaw them before starting.) Before cooking, run your hands through the rice cakes to separate any that are stuck together.
Because rice cakes love to stick, it’s important to use a non-stick pan for this; they will even stick to pans that are well seasoned. If you don’t have any non-sticks pans I give you instructions in the notes section of the recipe so you can still enjoy these glorious rice cakes without having to scrape them out of your pan.
These Spicy Sesame Rice Cakes are a one pan dish to make prep, cooking, and cleaning as simple as possible. I’m using a 10″ medium non-stick skillet and the finished dish will fill up most of the pan. If you are adding anything more than a handful of extras, I recommend you use a bigger skillet to prevent overflow.
Once your rice cakes are softened, I remove the lid and cook them for a few extra minutes to get the edges crisp. Then comes the magic: gochugaru, a Korean red pepper flake that gives kimchi its signature smoky, fruity heat. (It’s not super spicy, so don’t be afraid to pile it on!) If you can’t find gochugaru, Aleppo pepper flakes are a great substitute but even a sprinkle of cayenne or crushed chili flakes will work too. Now is also the time to add any extras if you have them.
A pinch of sugar helps balance the flavors before I add the scallions and keep things moving in the pan. If you’ve added any extra ingredients to this dish, taste it at this point and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Finally, I finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, which ties all the flavors together beautifully.
And there you have it—less than 20 minutes to a crispy, chewy, slightly spicy snack that’s perfect for a midnight nosh or anytime hunger strikes. Crispy, chewy, a little spicy, this is the snack dreams are made of.
I can’t wait for you try these Spicy Sesame Rice Cakes. Let me know what you think and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasianktichen, we love hearing from you!
Spicy Sesame Rice Cakes
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 2
- Category: small plates, snacks
- Cuisine: korean
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh rice sticks
- ½ large onion
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
- ½ cup water
- 3 garlic cloves very thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Break up the noodles so that they are not sticking together.
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil, onions and noodles. Stir to combine and separate the onion slices.
- Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium high and cook the rice sticks for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the rice sticks start to crisp and brown.
- Add the garlic, scallions, chile flakes, oyster sauce, and soy sauce and stir to coat the noodles.
- Stir and cook for another couple minutes until the scallions are wilted. Season with sesame oil and ground black pepper.
- Transfer the spicy sesame rice cakes to a plate and serve immediately.
Notes
*This recipe as written requires a non-stick pan. Even a well seasoned pan may give you problems with the rice sticks sticking to the pan.
*If you don’t have a non-stick pan, use a well seasoned pan and add 1 cup of water to the rice stick/onions instead of ½ cup. Drain the rice sticks in a colander after cooking. Rinse the pan and then turn the heat to medium and heat up the pan for a couple minutes. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan plus the rice sticks, garlic, scallions, and sauce ingredients and cook for a couple more minutes until the scallions are wilted. Serve immediately.
Keywords: rice cakes, tteok, korean snacks, fast
