If you are in the mood for some Tteokbokki and want some sides, I’ve got you.
Tteokbokki is by far the best Korean food that goes with everything. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the strong taste though, so if you’re looking for something that goes well with Tteokbokki, here are 11 sides.
To be very honest, I eat anything with Tteokbokki. Literally, any type of food you can think of goes well with tteokbokki.
Anyways, I won’t get into my weird eating combinations.
Let’s get started.
Here are the 11 Sides to Eat with Tteokbokki:
1. Fish Cakes
Let’s start with Fish cakes. You can’t go wrong with fish cakes. The majority of people already cook tteokbokki with fish cakes.
But eating it on the side with tteokbokki is a whole different experience. You can dip the fish cake in the tteokbokki sauce, which is delicious.
Although fish cakes are not for everyone out there. The taste is quite strong and you either like it or don’t.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all. But fish cakes are by far the most popular side to eat with tteokbokki. So, if you haven’t tried this already. You’re missing out.
2. Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are severely underrated when eating tteokbokki. Only in street food markets you get served boiled eggs with tteokbokki.
I don’t know the reasoning behind this, but boiled eggs are godly with tteokbokki. Make sure you cook the eggs before adding them to the tteokbokki.
The egg yolk with the tteokbokki is literally one of the best things I’ve ever tried…
…and adding a bit of that spiciness to the egg is delicious. I grew up in an Asian household where we never added boiled eggs to tteokbokki, but once I visited a street food market in Myeong-dong (Seoul) it was mind-blowing.
The rice cakes that are served on the market aren’t fresh, but other than that. The tteokbokki is delicious over there. It’s a bit spicier than homecooked tteokbokki.
But give it a go. Try adding some boiled eggs next time you’re cooking tteokbokki.
3. Scallions
Scallions are probably something you’re already adding to your tteokbokki. It gives the tteokbokki an extra bit of flavor, and scallions are generally very healthy.
Now, if you don’t like eating healthy, then you don’t have to add it.
But trust me, adding scallions to any type of Korean food will enhance the taste, smell, and overall experience.
It’s that type of ingredient that can’t be missed when it comes to home-cooked tteokbokki. Almost all Korean moms add scallions to every dish they cook.
So, give it a go and next time you’re cooking tteokbokki add some scallions, or just on the sides will also do the job.
4. Ramen Noodles
Ramen noodles can’t be left out when eating tteokbokki.
Unlike most people eating ramen noodles on the side is uncommon. However, it doesn’t overpower the taste of the tteokbokki. That’s the reason why I really like eating ramen on the side instead of putting it in the tteokbokki.
If you’re like me and don’t like overpowering the taste of the noodles, then I’d highly recommend you eat noodles on the side.
It’s very easy and cooking the noodles doesn’t take longer than a few minutes. Make sure to add some kimchi on the side too, that makes it even better.
Plus, you’ll get that spicy-sweet taste… it will literally melt in your mouth. That’s how good this combination is. Make sure to give it a go, you’ll be surprised how delicious it tastes.
5. Hot Dogs
As a Korean food lover, you shouldn’t be missing out on this. Without eating hot dogs on the side with tteokbokki you’re missing out big time!
Hot dogs are hot and trendy at the moment. Everyone in Seoul is getting this, you can it at the Myeong-dong street food market or in Gangnam.
Both places are very popular these days, especially for foreigners it’s a must-try. Now, eating hot dogs with tteokbokki isn’t very common in traditional Korean food.
But that doesn’t mean that it tastes amazing. Looking back at the history of tteokbokki almost no one has ever mentioned that eating hot dogs with spicy Korean rice cakes is delicious.
So, if you want to try something new. This is it.
6. Korean Fried Chicken
Are you on a diet or bulking?
Chicken is your go-to food. But have you ever tried it with tteokbokki? Let me tell you, it’s amazing! Dipping the chicken in tteokbokki sauce is by far the best taste you’ll ever have.
Are you craving tteokbokki already…
…the spicy sauce and chicken combined are the perfect combination. (im getting hungry writing this)
And the best part? It’s both healthy.
Both chicken and rice cakes are healthy but don’t eat too much of them. Don’t forget to try this combination out as it will literally melt in your mouth when making this.
7. Soju
Soju is a must if you’re legal to drink.
Anyone that eats tteokbokki in South Korea at night drinks soju or beer. These types of drinks are a must on the side. Especially when you’re coming home from a long day at work.
In Seoul, you have these Korean street food stalls called “Pojangmacha” (포장마차). These are tents where people sell street food.
Tteokbokki is by far the most popular dish that gets sold here. And anyone that orders this also orders some type of soju or beer on the side.
You can’t eat tteokbokki here without drinking a shot of soju.
8. Mozzarella
Mozerella or any type of cheese goes well with tteokbokki. But what most people do is cook some melted mozzarella or cheese on the side and dip the tteokbokki.
You can also put the cheese right on top of the tteokbokki. Most street vendors in Seoul offer this, and since it’s cheap, easy, and delicious it’s very popular.
Now, don’t pour too much cheese on top of the tteokbokki. It’ll overpower the tteokbokki flavor, and you don’t want to do that.
Make sure to give this a try, it’ll melt in your mouth.
9. Kimbap
Kimbap on the side with tteokbokki?
Yes… kimbap is great as a side with tteokbokki. Because kimbap has a lot of vegetables it’s great to combine it with tteokbokki.
Eating both at the same time isn’t overpowering and it’s also very affordable. You can even make it yourself in less than 10 minutes.
Make sure you don’t add too much rice to the kimbap because tteokbokki is already made from the rice itself.
Also, add some ham to the kimbap to make it even better.
If you don’t like meat, then making vegetarian kimbap is also optional.
10. Dumplings
Dumplings and tteokbokki are mouthwatering…
Eating both at the same time is one of the best combinations I’ve ever tried. Most people don’t know that you can eat dumplings with tteokbokki on the side but trust me.
It’s very delicious. Now, you might be worried that the foods don’t go well together, but let me tell you, it does.
Don’t cook the two foods together, because that’ll ruin the taste of the dumplings. Make sure to eat the foods separately, that’ll blow your mind.
You can always add some soy sauce to the dumplings, which is optional.
If you haven’t tried dumplings with tteokbokki already… you’re missing out big time!
11. Tofu
Lastly, we have tofu on the list.
Tofu is already a very common food that gets served with tteokbokki. But eating it separately is also a great combination.
You can add different types of sauces to the tofu. What I really like is just cooking the tofu and tteokbokki separately.
Then add some black bean sauce to the tofu and then eat some tteokbokki. And yes… I know these types of flavors are very different.
But if you haven’t tried this already, you must.
It’s a recipe that I’ve never seen before, which makes me crave it even more. This is the must-try side with tteokbokki you can’t miss out on.
Avoid Eating Rice with Tteokbokki
Never eat plain rice with tteokbokki. Tteokbokki is already made from rice and eating plain rice with tteokbokki is… bad.
It’s like eating regular cheese and melted cheese at the same time.
That’s not tasty at all and because tteokbokki is basically rice cakes you’re not adding any nutritional value.
So try to avoid eating rice with tteokbokki.
Can You Eat Tteokbokki Every Day?
Eating tteokbokki every day isn’t very healthy. In fact, eating any type of food every single day will get very boring.
If you were to eat tteokbokki every single day it’s important that you count your calories and how much tteokbokki you eat. Generally speaking, you can eat tteokbokki every day as long as you don’t eat too much of it.
Now, that doesn’t mean that you should do that.
Adding different types of Korean foods to your diet is key. Trying out different kinds of foods like salads, meat, or kimchi fried rice is great to complete your nutrition plate.
Wrapping Up
There you have it. These are the 11 sides you can eat with tteokbokki. Make sure to try them out and add additional ingredients to your liking. The most popular side is ramen noodles, even though you don’t see it very often, it’s extremely delicious.
