Crunchy, delicious and addictive Korean rice cake skewers (Tteok Kkochi) recipe!
Do you like rice cakes? I love them. I particularly love the soft and chewy texture of them. Korean rice cakes are usually one of these types – sweet varieties or savory varieties.
Today I want to share my Korean rice cake skewers (Tteok Kkochi, 떡꼬치) recipe, which is made with savory kind of rice cakes. Who has tried this before?
Some Facts About Korean Rice Cake Skewers (Tteok Kkochi or Tteok Kochi)
- Korean rice cake skewers are one of the most popular Korean street food. You can see them a lot amongst street vendors in Korea.
- They are made with the same type of rice cakes that are also used in tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes, 떡볶이). This rice cake is called garaetteok (가래떡).
- They are made by sticking through a few soft rice cakes into a skewer, pan grill it/or deep fry it then brush on the somewhat addictive, sweet, tangy and spicy sauce on both sides of the rice cakes.
- The outer texture is slightly crunch (like potato chips) and the inside is soft and chewy.
- Back in the day when I was in high school I used to pay about 500 won (about US 40 cents) for 1 skewer but nowadays (about 15 years later) it costs about 1000 won (about US 80 cents) in Korea. Do you think it’s cheap? or expensive now?
If you are like me (love Korean rice cakes), you will like this one. It was SO good to be able to make Tteok Kkochi at home this week as I haven’t had it for a while. It brought back some nostalgic moments of my life when I was in Korea.
Though for my toddler daughter, I made some special non-spicy savoury sauce and she loved it! My husband was trying to taste some of hers and she got all up set because it was “ALL HERS”. I thought that was adorable.
On a side note, my husband also preferred this non-spicy version as well. (He’s just not that into spicy food unless it’s Jeyuk Bokkeum (Korean spicy pork). I don’t understand his tastebuds. lol) So be sure to check out this sauce too!
I hope you enjoy making this at your home!
Ingredients for Tteok Kkochi (4 servings as a snack)
Main
- 32 pieces of Korean rice cakes (garaetteok, 가래떡)
- Some cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
- 1 to 2 Tbsp crushed nuts of your choice to garnish (I used walnuts. Peanuts, almonds or even sesame seeds are also a popular choice.)
Spicy, sweet and sour sauce (Original style) – mix these in a bowl
- 1 and 1/2 Tbsp tomato sauce/ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Korean chilli paste (gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
Savoury sweet sauce (Optional, Kids friendly style) – mix these in a bowl. This sauce is only enough for about 16 pieces of rice cakes.
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
*1 Tbsp = 15ml
** If you want to learn more about Korean cooking ingredients, check my essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
How to Make Tteok Kkochi (Korean Rice Cake Skewers)
1. Blanch the rice cakes in hot boiling water for about 30 seconds to soften them. Drain the water and run cold tap water on the rice cakes. Drain and pat dry the rice cakes with some kitchen paper to avoid oil splash during cooking. (If your rice cakes are fresh and soft already, skip this step.)
2. (While boiling the water above) Heat the sauce in a separate sauce pan briefly (for 20 to 30 seconds) to dissolve the sugar and honey and thicken the sauce a bit. Constantly stir it to avoid burn.
3. Put the rice cakes on the skewers. (Number of rice cakes on the skewer will depend on the length of the skewer. But make sure that it will fit nicely in your frying pan.)
4. Add some cooking oil in a well heated pan and grill both sides of the rice cakes on medium high heat for about 1 min each. Take them out and brush the sauce on both sides of the rice cakes. (Alternatively you can dip the rice cakes into the sauce bowl if it’s deep enough.)
5. Garnish with your choice of crushed nuts and eat & slurp! 🙂
Note
- They can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
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Korean Rice Cake Skewers (Tteok Kkochi)
Ingredients
MAIN
- 32 pieces Korean rice cakes (garaetteok)
- Some cooking oil , I use rice bran oil
- 1 to 2 Tbsp crushed nuts of your choice to garnish (I used walnuts. Peanuts, almonds or even sesame seeds are also a popular choice.)
SPICY, SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE (ORIGINAL STYLE) – MIX THESE IN A BOWL
- 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
- 1 Tbsp Korean chilli paste (gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
SAVOURY SWEET SAUCE (OPTIONAL, KIDS FRIENDLY STYLE) – MIX THESE IN A BOWL. THIS SAUCE IS ONLY ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 16 PIECES OF RICE CAKES.
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Blanch the rice cakes in hot boiling water for about 30 seconds to soften them. Drain the water and run cold tap water on the rice cakes. Drain and pat dry the rice cakes with some kitchen paper to avoid oil splash during cooking. (If your rice cakes are fresh and soft already, skip this step.)
- (While boiling the water above) Heat the sauce in a separate sauce pan briefly (for 20 to 30 seconds) to dissolve the sugar and honey and thicken the sauce a bit. Constantly stir it to avoid burn.
- Put the rice cakes on the skewers. (Number of rice cakes on the skewer will depend on the length of the skewer. But make sure that it will fit nicely in your frying pan.)
- Add some cooking oil in a well heated pan and grill both sides of the rice cakes on medium high heat for about 1 min each. Take them out and brush the sauce on both sides of the rice cakes. (Alternatively you can dip the rice cakes into the sauce bowl if it’s deep enough.)
- Garnish with your choice of crushed nuts and eat & slurp!
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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