Tteokbokki Gnocchi Recipe

Tteokbokki is a Korean street food dish consisting of chewy rice cakes and a savory, spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Although delicious and traditional, glutinous rice cakes are unfortunately less accessible to us except in Korean markets. Fortunately, store-bought gnocchi make a great alternative—the biggest difference is that, while Korean rice cakes are chewy, the ultimate Italian gnocchi is pillowy soft. Both are enjoyed as a main dish or as a snack (in Korean street stalls it is often paired with tempura vegetables). We totally get the versatility of tteokbokki—the sauce is so easy and addictive that you’ll be looking for more opportunities to make it!

The key player in the sauce is gochujang red chili, a traditional fermented Korean paste made from chili powder, glutinous rice, soybean powder, and salt. You’ll recognize it from dishes like kimchi or bibimbap where it’s often mixed with vinegar and sugar to push its flavor profile and tone down its inherent heat. Here we’ve added mozzarella to help with the flavor, but if you’re a fan of spice, feel free to add more chili powder on top!

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    YIELDS:	TOTAL TIME:
 2 serving(s)	 Â30 mins

ÂIngredients

GOCHUJANG SAUCE:

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth

4 tbsp. gochujang red pepper paste

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 (12-oz.) package fresh gnocchi

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 scallions, cut into 2″ pieces, plus more thinly sliced for garnish

1 c. mozzarella

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Make sauce: Whisk together cornstarch and vegetable broth, then add gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

Step 2

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi until they float to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a large plate.

Step 3

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add as many gnocchi as you can fit in a single layer and sear until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and sear 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

Step 4

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook garlic and scallions until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add all the gnocchi and the sauce and cook until sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 5

Reduce heat to low and add mozzarella. Cover and let melt, 1 minute. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.