Creamy carbonara tteokbokki is a comforting, rich dish combining chewy rice cakes and ramen for a satisfying meal. This creamy version blends savory bacon, mushrooms, garlic, and parmesan with a velvety cream sauce that clings to both tteok and noodles.
Tteokbokki + ramen = rabokki
What is tteokbokki?
Tteokbokki (떡볶이) literally means stir-fried rice cakes. You may also see it spelled topokki, ddeokbokki, or dukbokki—these all refer to the same Korean dish.
Rice cakes, called tteok, come in many shapes and sizes, but the small cylindrical variety is the most popular for tteokbokki. Any type of rice cake works well in this recipe. If you find cheese-filled tteok, it’s a delicious option to try.
Tteok has a mild taste and absorbs the flavor of the sauce it’s cooked in. Its texture is pleasantly chewy—think of a thicker, chewier udon noodle. That chew pairs especially well with creamy sauces.
Tteokbokki can be made in many ways; there are plenty of variations to explore.
- Spicy tteokbokki with gochujang – a more traditional, street-food style that highlights Korean red chili paste.
- Cheese tteokbokki – a crowd-pleasing version with melted cheese, fish cakes, and hard-boiled eggs added to spicy tteokbokki.
Where to buy tteokbokki ingredients
Most ingredients for creamy carbonara tteokbokki are available at Asian markets. If you have an H-Mart or a well-stocked Korean grocery nearby, you’ll find fresh refrigerated rice cakes there—these are usually tastier and have a better texture than frozen ones.
Many larger supermarket chains now carry essential Asian ingredients in their international aisles. If you can’t find something locally, online retailers offer wider selections, though prices may be higher.
How to store leftovers and reheat
This dish is best enjoyed fresh but refrigerates well. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating method:
Warm leftovers gently in a pan over low heat. Add a small splash of chicken broth (or water) to loosen the sauce and cover the pan until heated through, stirring occasionally. Reheating slowly preserves the texture of the rice cakes and sauce.
Watch the video tutorial
Creamy Carbonara Tteokbokki
- Author: Jasmine and Tea
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices of bacon
- ½ onion (about 100g)
- 6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced (100g)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped (30g)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup rice cakes, rinsed (175g)
- Ramen noodles (see notes)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese (20g)
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- Fresh basil for finishing
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a cold pan and heat to medium-high. Cook, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon and leave the rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the onion and mushrooms to the same pan and cook until softened and browned, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Sprinkle in the garlic powder and pour in the chicken broth, scraping the pan to release browned bits. Stir in the heavy cream and add the rice cakes. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
- Add the ramen noodles to the pan and cover. Cook on low heat until the noodles and rice cakes are tender, stirring halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Remove from heat, stir in the parmesan, dried basil, and torn fresh basil leaves. Crumble or chop the cooked bacon and mix in or sprinkle on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
For best texture, you can parboil dried ramen noodles in a separate pot until they are just halfway cooked, then add them to the pan to finish cooking with the rice cakes. This helps prevent overcooking the noodles while ensuring everything finishes at the same time.