Is Tteokbokki Vegetarian + Vegetarian Korean Spicy Rice Cake Recipe

If you’re a vegetarian and have ever thought about sampling Tteokbokki, you may have been left wondering, “Is Tteokbokki vegetarian?” That’s an excellent question. Because Tteokbokki is often served with very savory and umami-flavored sauces and cakes, you do well to ask before trying it without knowing the full answer. So, is Tteokbokki vegetarian?

Table of Contents

• Is Korean Tteokbokki Vegetarian?
  • Can a Vegetarian Eat Tteokbokki?
• Does Tteokbokki Have Meat in It?
  • Do Rice Cakes Have Meat?
• Tteokbokki And Meat
  • Does Tteokbokki Have Pig?
  • Does Tteokbokki Have Fish?
  • Does Tteokbokki Contain Egg?
• Why Is Tteokbokki Not Vegan?
• Tteokbokki Vegetarian Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
• Is Tteokbokki Vegetarian? Sometimes!
• FAQs

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Is Korean Tteokbokki Vegetarian?

Kind of. Tteokbokki are spicy Korean rice cakes. These cakes are a popular Korean street food that embodies vegetable broth, sesame oil, hot pepper paste (or gochujang paste) all of which make the Tteokbokki sauce. This is then ladled over rice cakes made with rice flour creating delicious Tteokbokki.

With these ingredients in mind, one might assume that Tteokbokki is indeed vegetarian. However, there are other factors to consider when giving a complete answer to this question.

Can a Vegetarian Eat Tteokbokki?

In its original form, a vegetarian can safely consume traditional Tteokbokki. But as previously mentioned, things aren’t always that cut and dry.

As with many foods, Tteokbokki is a type of Korean cuisine that can be highly variable.

For example, Tteokbokki is often served with fish cakes, anchovy broth, and meat based products. When served this way, a vegetarian would not be able to consume the meal as it would contain meat products.

Because of this reality, it is very important that you know what’s in your Tteokbokki if you are a vegetarian. Without this information, you may be consuming meat or meat products without your knowledge. Even something as simple as chicken or anchovy broth may be lurking in your Tteokbokki, so please, be sure to ask around to ensure your meal is vegetarian-friendly before eating.

Does Tteokbokki Have Meat in It?

Tteokbokki can have meat. But it doesn’t always.

When prepared in the most basic manner, Tteokbokki will be vegetarian. Having said that, there are times when these chewy rice cakes will be served with meat. 

Serving Tteokbokki with fish cakes or meat products is relatively common in Korean cuisine. It is for this reason I recommend you ask around before eating your Tteokbokki to make sure your Korean spicy rice cakes are vegetarian-friendly.

Do Rice Cakes Have Meat?

Rice cakes, in and of themselves, don’t typically contain meat. This makes them an ideal choice for both vegetarians and vegans alike.

However, when rice cakes are topped with sauces or served alongside other dishes, you may have reason to worry.

Tteokbokki, or rice cake, is a Korean food that is often mixed with vegetables, sauce, and sometimes meat. Because of this, it is imperative that you know what you’re eating and what ingredients were involved when making the meal. This way you can ensure that you are making the most informed decision possible before choosing to consume the dish.

Tteokbokki And Meat

Though Tteokbokki Korean street food doesn’t always have meat, it can! The following are the most common questions people pose when it comes to Tteok containing meat.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the answer to this question now.

Does Tteokbokki Have Pig?

Though Tteokbokki isn’t traditionally served with pork, it isn’t a foreign concept.

There are plenty of recipes out there that combine delicious rice cakes with pork and a spicy sauce. Thus, while you won’t typically have to worry about pork being in your Tteok, you may occasionally come across a restaurant or recipe that offers it this way.

Does Tteokbokki Have Fish?

Tteokbokki can oftentimes contain fish or fish ingredients. This is because this popular and spicy Korean dish can be served with fish cakes and sometimes even anchovy-based broth.

If you are concerned about this possibility, be sure to speak with the person preparing the Tteokbokki to ensure that no meat products were used in the preparation of your Tteokbokki.

Does Tteokbokki Contain Egg?

While Tteokbokki doesn’t usually have egg, it can sometimes be served with egg as a side dish or as tossed within the dish.

Of course, eggs aren’t necessarily considered off the menu for vegetarians, though some vegetarians may elect to opt-out.

Remember that egg is almost always considered non-vegan, so if you are vegan and wish to not have egg in your Tteok, simply have the person preparing it to leave it out.

Why Is Tteokbokki Not Vegan?

Like many other dishes out there in the world today, Tteokbokki can be made vegan by using the right ingredients.

As mentioned before, Tteokbokki is usually made with sliced rice cakes, Korean red pepper paste, garlic, onions, sesame oil, and sometimes sesame seeds. In this way, Tteokbokki would be vegan, assuming you ensure that each of these ingredients is definitely vegan (most of them are).

Still, because Tteokbokki is a Korean dish that is also often sold or made with meat, it isn’t always suitable for people following a vegan diet. Instead, these people should look to taking up Korean cooking at home to create their own delicious vegan recipe, or simply look to consume only vegan-friendly teok instead.

Tteokbokki Vegetarian Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons gochujang
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• ½ teaspoons gochugaru
• 10 ounces Korean rice cakes
• 1 ½ cup water
• 1 stalk green onions cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Optional

• 5 ounces vegan cocktail sausages
• 1 batch of vegan “fish” cakes

Instructions

1. Mix together gochujang, maple syrup, soy sauce, minced garlic, and gochugaru in a bowl. Mix until very well incorporated.
2. Once the spicy sauce ingredients have been mixed, transfer the sauce to a skillet. Turn the stove on to medium heat.
3. Carefully add your rice cakes. Then add your 1 ½ cups of water to the mixture. Stir to coat.
4. Allow the ingredients to simmer for about 8 minutes.
5. After 8 minutes is complete you may stir in the green onions. You may also add your vegan cocktail sausages and vegan fish cakes if you have opted to use them.
6. Allow this mixture to continue simmering over medium heat for another 8 minutes.
7. Your sauce will eventually become very thick. Once the sauce has thickened, you’ll be ready to serve. If the sauce becomes a little too thick, feel free to adjust the consistency with a bit more water.
8. Divide your vegan Tteokbokki into small bowls and top with sesame seeds for garnish.

Store your Tteokbokki in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or you may opt to freeze it. When reheating, do so for around 8 minutes or until fully heated through. Again, if the sauce becomes too thick, feel free to add additional water.

Is Tteokbokki Vegetarian? Sometimes!

While Tteokbokki isn’t always vegetarian, when it is made in its most basic format it can be. Beware of sneaky ingredients lurking in Tteokbokki such as anchovy broth, fish cakes, egg (if you’re vegan), and meat.

Remember that you can just as easily cook Tteokbokki at home which allows you to control everything from the ingredients to the spice level of the dish. You can try this easy recipe for rose tteokbokki!

I hope this has helped to answer the question, “Is Tteokbokki vegetarian?” Until next time! 

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