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Korean Tteokbokki, plated and ready to serve

Korean Tteokbokki, Spicy Cheese "Rice Cakes"

Tteokbokki is Korea's most beloved street snack: chewy rice cakes simmered in a fiery, sweet red sauce. Regular rice cakes are pure starch, so this keto version uses chewy logs of mozzarella and almond-flour dough, baked first so they hold their shape, then tossed in the bubbling sauce with boiled eggs and cabbage.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 403kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • 1 ounce cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 1/2 cups anchovy-kelp broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon Keto Gochujang-Style Paste (Chapter 10) or store-bought gochujang
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons allulose
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups green cabbage cut into squares
  • 3 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs peeled
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  • Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the almond flour, egg and xanthan gum and knead into a soft dough.
  • With oiled hands, roll the dough into ropes about 1/2 inch thick and cut into 2-inch pieces. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set and lightly golden. These are your rice cakes.
  • In a wide, shallow pan, bring the broth to a boil. Whisk in the gochujang paste, gochugaru, soy sauce, allulose and garlic.
  • Add the cabbage and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the hard-boiled eggs and scallions and spoon the sauce over them.
  • Add the baked rice cakes and simmer just 1 to 2 minutes, turning to coat, until glossy. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve right away.

Notes

Add the cheese rice cakes at the very end. They are sturdy once baked but will soften if they simmer too long. The sauce should be thick enough to cling, so cook it down before they go in.
Chef's Tip: Top with a slice of melting cheese at the end for rabokki-style cheese tteokbokki, a favorite at Korean snack bars.
Keto Swap: Store-bought gochujang is made with rice and sugar or syrup. The nutrition here uses the Keto Gochujang-Style Paste from Chapter 10; using store-bought gochujang instead adds about 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
Success Tip: For less heat, cut the gochugaru in half. Children often prefer gungjung tteokbokki, a mild soy-sauce version; use soy sauce, allulose and garlic instead of the red pastes.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 403kcal | Protein: 25g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 4.7g
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