Korean Tteokbokki: The Chili-Free Recipe

For a long time, I believed that tteokbokki was necessarily "either spicy or nothing". But then, by cooking it at home, I understood that the charm of the dish doesn't just come from the gochujang: it's mainly the softness of the tteok, the sauce that coats it, and that subtle, deep taste of Korean broth.

My version without chili remains true to the classic tteokbokki in terms of technique: we start with a broth of seaweed and anchovies (the traditional base), we reduce a nice glossy sauce, and we add the typical accompaniments (fish cakes, eggs, spring onion).

Instead of chili, I use soy sauce, a hint of garlic, a little sugar and a touch of sesame oil to keep it addictive.

Seasonally, I like to add some crunchy vegetables that blend naturally into the sauce: thinly sliced ​​carrots and leeks, and a handful of spinach right at the end. It adds freshness and color, and balances out a dish that can quickly become very "carbohydrates + sauce".

If you've never cooked tteok before, don't worry: the only real thing to be careful about is not overcooking them. As soon as they're tender and plump, let the sauce coat them, and then it's time to eat. It's a perfect appetizer to share, especially when you want comfort food without a fiery explosion of flavor.

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Tteokbokki without chili

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: entranceKitchen: KoreanDifficulty: average

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

392

kcal

Total time

45

minutes

Soft and fluffy tteok in a mild, glossy, and incredibly comforting Korean sauce, without chili. It stays true to the classic dish, with just the right amount of richness and umami.

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Ingredients

• 500g of tteok (Korean rice cakes) in stick form

• 600 ml of water

• 10g of kombu (dried seaweed)

• 15g of dried anchovies (large anchovies, gutted if possible)

• 200g of sliced ​​eomuk (fish cakes)

• 2 eggs

• 1 carrot (approx. 120g)

• 1 leek (approx. 150g)

• 60g of young spinach leaves

• 3 garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (approx. 30ml)

• 1 tablespoon of sugar (approx. 12g)

• 1 tablespoon of rice syrup or honey (approx. 15g)

• 1 tablespoon of mirin (approx. 15ml)

• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil (approx. 5ml)

• 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (approx. 3g)

• 2 spring onions

• 1 pinch of salt (depending on the saltiness of the soy sauce)

Preparation steps

• If your tteok are vacuum-sealed and already soft, proceed to the next step. If they are hard (dry tteok), soak them for 20 minutes in cold water, then drain them.
• Prepare the broth: In a saucepan, pour 600ml of water, add the kombu, and let it infuse for 10 minutes in cold water. Then heat until simmering. Remove the kombu just before it boils (otherwise it may become bitter). Add the dried anchovies and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain to obtain a clear broth.
• While the broth is heating, cook the eggs for 9 minutes in a small saucepan of simmering water for hard-boiled eggs. Cool, peel, and set aside.
• Slice the carrot into thin half-moons. Slice the leek (white and tender green parts) into thin rounds. Mince the garlic. Cut the spring onions into pieces (reserve some of the green parts for garnish).
• In a large sauté pan or wide saucepan, pour 500ml of stock (reserve the rest just in case). Add the soy sauce, sugar, rice syrup (or honey), mirin, and garlic. Stir and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes to dissolve and begin to concentrate the base.
• Add the tteok, carrot, and leek. Simmer gently for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently (tteok tend to stick). Add a little more broth if the sauce reduces too quickly before the tteok are tender.
• When the tteok are soft and the sauce has thickened (glossy and slightly syrupy), add the eomuk slices. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the spinach and spring onions, stir for 30 seconds just until wilted. Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil.
• Serve immediately in small bowls. Add half a hard-boiled egg per person, sprinkle with sesame seeds and a little green part of a spring onion.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 330g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If you're serving Tteokbokki as an appetizer, allow one small bowl per person. As a main course, increase the amount to 700g of tteok and a little more broth, without changing the reduction ratio.

💡 Chef's Tips

The broth is key: be sure to remove the kombu before boiling and strain out the anchovies for a clean taste. For a rich, coating sauce, simmer gently, stirring occasionally: it will thicken naturally thanks to the starch in the tteok.

🔄 Variations

• If you cannot find eomuk, replace with plain surimi strips or fish balls, keeping the same logic (add at the end of cooking).
• For an even milder chili-free version, reduce the soy sauce to 1.5 tbsp and compensate with 1 to 2 tbsp of extra stock.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.