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

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: serves 2
• Category: small plates, snacks
• Cuisine: korean

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 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

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Instructions

1. Break up the noodles so that they are not sticking together.
2. Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil, onions and noodles. Stir to combine and separate the onion slices.
3. 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. 
4. 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.
5. Add the garlic, scallions, chile flakes, oyster sauce, and soy sauce and stir to coat the noodles. 
6. Stir and cook for another couple minutes until the scallions are wilted. Season with sesame oil and ground black pepper.
7. Transfer the spicy sesame rice cakes to a plate and serve immediately.

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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

If you’re craving something quick, hearty, and delicious, Yaki Udon might just become your new best friend. This Japanese stir-fried noodle dish is everything you want on a busy weeknight: thick, chewy udon noodles coated in a savory and umami laden sauce, tender bites of chicken, and colorful veggies. It’s satisfying, full of flavor, and noodles always hit the spot! Yaki Udon has been my go-to when I want a meal that’s both comforting and vibrant. The beauty of this dish is in its versatility—you can swap out the chicken for shrimp, beef, or even tofu. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover veggies hiding in the fridge. In this recipe, I’m using a classic combo of juicy chicken thighs, crunchy red bell peppers, shredded cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and carrot, but feel free to get creative with your own mix of ingredients. Yaki Udon is a weeknight hero-10 minutes prep time and 10 minutes cooking time, so let’s get into it.

Since Yaki Udon is a stir fry dish, you’re going to want to have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. I start by cutting the chicken and veggies into thin strips that will be easy to twirl with the noodles using chopsticks or a fork.

I add all of those veggies to the same big bowl, as they will get added to the stir fry at the same time. For the scallions, I trim them and then thinly slice one for a garnish and set it aside. I cut the remaining ones into two inch lengths and add them to a separate bowl with the shredded cabbage.

Once I have the meat and veggies prepped it’s time to make the sauce! This comes together quickly with pantry staple ingredients, and it is deeply flavorful. I use Japanese Worcestershire sauce, which is milder and sweeter than its western counterpart, which makes it ideal for balancing the salty, umami flavors of the dish without overpowering it. (But don’t worry, in the notes section I include how to incorporate standard worcestershire if that’s what you have on hand). Dashi powder, mirin, and soy sauce round it out.  Just mix all the ingredients until the dashi powder dissolves.

Now that the everything is prepped and the sauce is mixed, it’s time to get cooking! For this recipe, I’m using Sanuki udon, a style of udon noodles that are famous for their firm, chewy texture, which makes them perfect for stir-frying. Unlike other types, this udon holds up well to high heat without turning mushy, giving you those satisfying, bouncy noodles with every bite. In stir-fries like yaki udon, texture is key, and Sanuki udon adds just the right amount of chew to balance the tender chicken and crisp vegetables. It makes this dish feel a little heartier and more substantial, which is why it’s my go-to for this recipe. I buy them in the frozen section of the Asian grocery. They are already cooked, so they just need a quick dunk in boiling water and then they are ready to be used.

When you add the noodles to the boiling water, let them defrost before trying to untangle them. Use chopsticks or tongs and be gentle. You want to keep the strands long and unbroken. Drain them as soon as you are done, since the noodles are already cooked and will finish heating up in the stir-fry.

Then I add a little toasted sesame oil and give everything a good stir.

Now that everything is mixed and saucy, it’s time to plate and serve. I like to garnish with smoked tuna flakes, and the minced scallion. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds would feel right at home here too.

I have a feeling that my Yaki Udon is going to become your midweek savior meal too. Drop a note and let me know what you think and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Love noodles as much as we do? Check out our Peanut Noodles, Wild Mushroom Japchae, or this super popular Cold Ramen.

Yaki Udon

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: serves 2

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Ingredients

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• 2 frozen Sanuki Udon blocks
• 4 Tablespoons neutral oil, divided
• 2 large boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
• ½ large onion
• ½ red pepper
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 large carrot
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage (about ⅛ head)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 3 green onions, divided
• A couple Tablespoons Katsuo Bushi (shaved dried bonito flakes) for garnish 

Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 5 Tablespoons Japanese Style Worcestershire Sauce (I prefer Bulldog Brand)
• 3 Tablespoons Mirin
• ½ teaspoon dashi powder

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Instructions

Prep the vegetables:

1. Slice the onion and red pepper and put them into a bowl.
2. Cut the woody stem off of the shiitakes and then slice thin. Add it to the bowl of vegetables.
3. Peel and trim the carrot and slice on an angle. Stack the slices and cut through them to yield matchsticks. Add the carrots to the veggie bowl.
4. Trim and cut two of the scallions into 2 inch pieces. Add it to a separate bowl with the cabbage.
5. Trim and thinly slice the remaining scallion for garnish. Set aside.

Make the sauce:

1. Combine the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, mirin, and dashi powder and stir together until the dashi powder has dissolved. Set aside.

Make the Noodles:

1. Heat a medium pot with 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles and let them defrost in the water before gently untangling them with tongs or chopsticks. They are already boiled so once the noodles are separate, drain them into a colander and set aside.
2. Heat a large 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of oil and the chicken. Let the chicken cook for 1 minute and then stir fry for another minute.
3. Add the onion, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil. Raise the temperature to high and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Lower the heat to medium high and add the drained noodles and the sauce. Continue to stir fry for another minute.
5. Add the cabbage and scallions and stir fry for another minute or two until the cabbage has wilted.
6. Add the sesame oil and stir it into the noodles.
7. Transfer to a plate and garnish with the shaved bonito flakes and the scallions.
8. Serve immediately.

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Notes

*You can find Sanuki style udon, which is thicker and more chewy than the dried udon, in the freezer section of many Asian grocery stores. Leave the udon frozen until ready to use. If you would like to substitute other udon, follow the package instructions for boiling the noodles before continuing with the recipe.

*If you do not have Japanese worcestershire sauce, you can use regular worcestershire sauce. However, the Japanese one is milder and a little sweeter. If substituting, use only 4 tablespoons of regular worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Keywords: noodles, chicken, yaki udon, udon, japanese