Grains & Rice

Rice Cake (Tteok)

Chewy Korean rice cakes from pounded rice, used in tteokbokki and soups.

Tteok are Korean rice cakes made from steamed and pounded rice, ranging from cylindrical garae-tteok to flat coins and sweet stuffed varieties. The savory cylinders are the chewy stars of tteokbokki in spicy gochujang sauce and float in tteokguk soup. Their dense, springy bite comes from working the rice into a smooth dough.

Korean rice cakes, known as tteok (떡), are chewy cakes made from rice—typically glutinous short-grain or a blend—that has been soaked, steamed, and then pounded or extruded into molds. Unlike Western rice dishes where grains remain distinct, the starch in tteok is fully gelatinized through steaming, creating a dense, cohesive chew that is entirely its own texture. The neutral flavor makes tteok a vehicle for bold sauces and savory broths rather than a destination in itself.

Tteok holds a sacred place in Korean culture, appearing at every major celebration from Seollal (Lunar New Year) to Chuseok, where families gather to make and share these cakes together. The act of pounding steamed rice in a stone mortar (jeolgu) develops the characteristic springy bite that machine-extruded versions sometimes lack. Even today, the best tteok for ceremonial use is often hand-pounded, while everyday tteok for cooking comes conveniently pre-made from markets.

When cooked, fresh tteok softens and swells, absorbing surrounding flavors while retaining its pleasant chew. Dried tteok requires soaking first to rehydrate evenly; skipping this step produces fractured pieces with mealy centers. The cakes float to the surface and feel yielding when pressed gently—reliable indicators they are ready. Once cooked, tteok firms as it cools, making them ideal for simmering in sauce or serving in broth without immediately disintegrating.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Garaetteok (가래떡)

Long cylindrical white rice cakes; the most versatile variety; base for many preparations; made from glutinous rice

Tteokbokki-tteok (떡볶이 떡)

Short, thick rounded cylinders sold specifically for tteokbokki; softer texture than garaetteok that holds up well in sauce

Injeolmi (인절미)

Soft, chewy rice cakes rolled in toasted soybean powder (konggaru) and rice flour; sweet dessert variety

Gyeongdan (경단)

Small round rice cakes, often filled with sweet red bean paste; traditional dessert

Mugwort Tteok (쑥떡)

Green-hued from added mugwort (ssuk); slightly bitter and herbaceous; traditional medicinal variety

Gangjeong (강정)

Fried rice cake pieces bound in sweet syrup; crispy sweet snack rather than chewy

Dried Tteok (마른 떡)

Hard pale cylinders; must be soaked before cooking; longer shelf life; most common in markets outside Korea

Fresh Tteok (생떡)

Soft, pale white cakes sold in blocks or cylinders; used immediately or stored refrigerated

Fresh vs. Dried Tteok

The choice between fresh and dried tteok affects both preparation method and final texture. Fresh tteok has a superior, silky chew and requires only slicing and brief cooking. Store it submerged in water in the refrigerator, changing the water daily, and use within 2–3 days. Dried tteok, the form most available outside Korea, must be soaked 30 minutes to 2 hours in room-temperature water before cooking. Score dried cylinders lengthwise before soaking to prevent cracking and ensure even hydration. Both types can be frozen; portion fresh tteok between sheets of plastic wrap for easy separation.

Fresh tteok: superior texture, minimal prep, short shelf life
Dried tteok: long shelf life, requires soaking, score before hydrating
Frozen tteok: thaw at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking

Glutinous vs. Non-Glutinous Varieties

Glutinous short-grain rice (chapssal) contains high amounts of amylopectin starch, which gelatinizes fully during steaming and creates the signature elastic, cohesive chew. Most tteok—from garaetteok to tteokbokki cakes—uses glutinous rice or a glutinous-heavy blend. Non-glutinous long-grain rice produces a firmer, less sticky cake that holds its shape differently. For the classic tteokbokki experience with sauce-coating chew and structural integrity, always choose glutinous varieties.

Glutinous rice: high amylopectin, elastic and cohesive texture
Non-glutinous rice: firmer, less sticky, different mouthfeel
Tteokbokki requires glutinous varieties for optimal sauce adherence and chew

Common uses

Tteokbokki — stir-fried in gochujang sauce with fish cakes and scallions (the most iconic preparation)Tteokguk (rice cake soup) — sliced rounds in beef broth; traditional Seollal dish for the new yearPan-fried tteok — sliced and seared with soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions for a quick side dishGrilled tteok — brushed with sauce and charred over direct heat; the exterior firms nicely while interior stays softSteamed rice cakes (Suyak) — savory or sweet, often with bean paste filling; specialty preparationDesserts — injeolmi and gyeongdan for traditional sweet applications, often with honey and toasted nutsKimchi tteokbokki — tteokbokki variation with kimchi added to the sauce for tang and depthBraised rice cakes — simmered in soy-based braising liquid with vegetables until sauce clings

Tips & pitfalls

Score dried tteok cylinders lengthwise before soaking—this prevents cracking and ensures even cooking throughout
Never skip the soaking step for dried tteok; cooking from hard produces fractured pieces with mealy centers
Use fresh tteok when available—the texture is noticeably superior and they need only slicing before cooking
For tteokbokki, briefly sear the sliced rice cakes in oil before adding sauce—this adds subtle flavor and prevents them from becoming waterlogged
Avoid overcooking tteok; they become mealy and lose structural integrity. Test one piece before draining the cooking liquid
Press gently with chopsticks to check doneness—when they yield slightly and float, they are ready
For soups, add tteok near the end of cooking—they continue cooking in residual heat and prolonged boiling breaks them down
Store fresh tteok submerged in water in the refrigerator, changing water daily, to extend freshness by 2–3 days
Freeze fresh tteok in portions separated by plastic wrap; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before using
One hundred grams of rice cake yields approximately 1 cup of sliced pieces—useful for recipe scaling
Fresh tteok should be slightly sticky with a clean, mild rice scent; avoid any with sour or fermented odors unless intentionally fermented varieties

Nutrition

392kcal

Energy

1640 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 7%Carbs 83%Fat 10%

Protein

7.1g

14% DV

Carbs

81.1g

29% DV

Fat

4.3g

6% DV

Fiber

4.2g

15% DV

Sugars

0.9g

of which

Sodium

71mg

3% DV

Notable micronutrients

Niacin (B3)49% DV

Selenium45% DV

Magnesium31% DV

Phosphorus29% DV

Zinc27% DV

Riboflavin (B2)12% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Rice cake, cracker (include hain mini rice cakes)

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Good to know

Primary Material: Glutinous short-grain rice or non-glutinous rice; water; sometimes sugar or additional starches
Traditional Process: Rice soaked and steamed, then pounded in a stone mortar (jeolgu) into a smooth dough or extruded through molds
Texture: Chewy, dense, slightly elastic when cooked; firms noticeably as it cools
Origin: Korea; central to Korean cuisine for centuries, especially ceremonial and celebratory foods
Shelf Life (Fresh): Refrigerated 2–3 days; frozen up to 3 months (thaw at room temperature before cooking)
Shelf Life (Dried): 6–12 months in a sealed container at room temperature
Hydration for Dried Tteok: Soak 30 minutes to 2 hours in room-temperature water before cooking
Doneness Indicator: Cakes float to the surface and feel yielding when pressed gently with chopsticks
Dietary Note: Naturally gluten-free when made from pure rice flour; verify packaging for cross-contamination if needed

Substitutes

Korean sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon) — Better sauce absorption than tteok, chewy bite; common in Korean cuisine for tteokbokki variations
Shirataki noodles — Similar chewy texture; acceptable for low-calorie versions but the flavor profile differs significantly
Glass noodles (dangmyeon) — Soft rather than chewy texture but absorbs sauce well; acceptable for tteokbokki if chew is not essential
Western rice cakes — Rounder and smaller; not ideal substitutes; acceptable only in soups, not for tteokbokki or saucy preparations
Fresh rice vermicelli — Dissimilar texture entirely; not recommended as a primary substitute for chewy preparations