Korean Stir-Fried Rice Cakes

Tender beef, chewy rice cakes, and a blend of vegetables mixed in a savory sauce, these Korean stir-fried rice cakes are a great meal that comes together in one pan.

Korean dishes are one of my favorite Asian cuisines because of the flavors and textures, and stir-fried Korean rice cakes are no exception.

Haven’t heard of Korean stir-fried rice cakes? They’re also known as “Royal Court Stir-Fried Rice Cakes”.

Alternatively, you might see them called “Gungjung Tteokbokki”.

Try saying that 5 times fast.

And even though this is a rice cake dish, I’m not talking about those big dry crisp puffed rice cakes you find in the cracker section of the grocery store.

Korean rice cakes are oblong shaped disks made from rice flour, and you find them in the refrigerator section of your handy-dandy neighborhood Asian grocery store. They are opaque and hard when you buy them, but once cooked, the hard rice cakes soften and have a nice chewy bite to them.

Combine them with flavorful marinated beef and a myriad of vegetables and you’ve got a one tasty one-pan meal!

Speaking of flavorful marinated beef, part of that magical marinade includes…

…grated pear!

I know, right??

So what does the grated pear do? When you mix it in the raw beef and allow it to marinate, it acts as a natural meat tenderizer! And as a bonus, it adds a natural sweetness to the overall dish.

For even more of a Korean taste, serve this dish with some kimchi or some gochuchang (Korean spicy chili sauce)! If you know Korean food, you know that gochuchang sauce makes just about every Korean dish even better!

And if you’re interested in trying another Korean dish, take a look at my recipe for Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)!

This mix of rice cakes, vegetables, marinated beef, all coated in a tasty sauce is a delicious blend of textures and flavors, all in one bowl. Hearty and satisfying, this recipe is a great way to bring a taste of Korea to your next meal.

~ Lisa.

Korean Stir-Fried Rice Cakes

Flavorful marinated beef mixed with tender chewy rice cakes and vegetables makes for a great one-pan meal!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Keyword: beef, rice cakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Calories: 480kcal

Author: Lisa from A Day in the Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. (340g) tenderloin steak, sliced thin

Beef marinade:

• 3 tbs soy sauce (tamari, liquid aminos for gluten-free)
• 1 tbs mirin or white wine
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1/2 Asian pear grated
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 1 tbs honey

Rice cakes:

• 1 lb. (454g) Korean rice cakes
• 1 medium carrot julienned or sliced into thin disks
• 1/2 lb. (227g) small head napa cabbage chopped into bit-sized pieces
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbs soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free)
• 2 tbs mirin or white wine
• 2 tbs sesame oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Slice beef into small slices.
  
• Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  
  
• Add marinade to beef slices and stir well to combine. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours; overnight is best.
  
  
• Soak rice cakes in hot water for 30 minutes; drain.
  
  
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs light olive oil.
  
• Add onions and carrots and stir-fry until tender, about 5 minutes.
  
  
• Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  
• Add beef and cook through.
  
  
• Add napa cabbage and stir-fry with other ingredients, about 1-2 minutes.
  
  
• Add rice cakes to skillet and mix well with all the ingredients.
  
  
• Cover skillet with lid and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 3-4 minutes until rice cakes have softened.
  
• Uncover skillet and add sauce. Stir to combine and heat through.
  
  
• Remove the pan from heat when the rice cakes have absorbed enough of the sauce so that the spatula leaves a "path" when scraped on the pan.
  
  
• Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
  

Notes

• This recipe also tastes great with sliced shitake mushrooms, spinach, and broccoli.
• It does not take long for the rice cakes to cook through and start to soften, so remove the pan from the heat as soon as they are done.
• It is important to keep stirring/tossing the ingredients in the pan once you add the rice cakes so that they cook evenly and don't start to stick to the bottom of the pan or wok.

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcal

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