.png)
Cream Tteokbokki Made Easy: Milk & Bacon Golden Recipe
- MyFreshDash
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
If you’ve never heard of tteokbokki, think of it as Korea’s ultimate comfort food: chewy rice cakes simmered in a flavorful sauce. The traditional version is bold and spicy, made with red chili paste (gochujang), and it’s one of the most popular street foods in Korea.
But today we’re flipping that script with a creamy twist. Instead of spicy red sauce, these rice cakes are cooked in milk with garlic, scallions, and crispy bacon, then finished with butter and black pepper. The result? A cozy, café-style dish that feels like Korean carbonara—rich, savory, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
This isn’t a five-alarm street-food version. It’s cozy, weeknight-friendly, and a hit with anyone who usually says “I can’t handle spicy.” You need one pan, simple pantry staples, and a few small technique wins: soak the rice cake (tteok) so they’re tender; simmer gently so the milk doesn’t scorch; finish with butter for that café-style sheen. The flavor is rich and savory with just a little pepper heat at the end—exactly the kind of dish that makes people hover over the stove with a spoon.
Below you’ll find a quick “why it works,” a neat ingredient list, and step-by-step photos to make each stage a no-brainer. By the time you plate, you’ll have a bowl that looks restaurant-ready and tastes even better.
Why this works
Chewy meets creamy: Soaked wheat (rice cake) tteok hold their bounce while soaking up a milk-based sauce.
Bacon as a flavor base: Rendering bacon with garlic and scallion seasons the entire dish.
Milk + butter finish: Creamy without heavy cream; butter adds gloss and body.
Mild heat control: Black pepper and crushed red pepper let you dial spice up or down.
True weeknight energy: One pan, under an hour (most of it passive soaking).
What is “Cream Tteokbokki”?
Cream teokbokki swaps the usual gochujang sauce for a savory white sauce built with milk, aromatics, and a bit of butter. It’s still very Korean—chewy tteok, green onion, peppery finish—just gentler and extra comforting.
Recipe at a glance
Serves: 2–3
Active time: ~15 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking)
Skill level: Easy
Spice level: Mild, adjustable
Ingredients
300 g wheat rice cake (mil-tteok)
400 ml milk
5 slices bacon, cut into large squares
2 green onions (scallions), sliced into 2 cm pieces
20 g unsalted butter
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp neutral cooking oil
Pinch of salt
0.5 tsp chicken stock powder (optional, for depth)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes), to taste
Step-by-Step
Soak the rice cake (30 min).
Cover the wheat tteok with water until supple and bendy. Drain.
Prep.
Cut bacon into quarters. Split green onion lengthwise and slice into 2 cm pieces.
Sauté.
Heat a deep pan with 1 Tbsp oil. Add 1 Tbsp minced garlic; stir until fragrant. Add bacon and green onion; cook until the bacon edges start to brown.
Pour milk.
Add 400 ml milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add tteok.
Stir in the soaked tteok. Simmer until the cakes are heated through and the sauce begins to thicken.
Enrich & season.
Melt in 20 g butter. Season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and 0.5 tsp chicken stock powder (optional). Keep it at a low bubble so the bacon flavor infuses the sauce.
Finish.
Grind in more black pepper. For a gentle kick, sprinkle crushed red pepper.
Serve.
Spoon into a warm bowl. The sauce should be creamy and glossy, clinging to the tteok.
Tips for success
Soak = chew. Don’t skip the 30-minute soak; it prevents cracking and keeps the centers tender.
Low and gentle. Milk scorches if blasted with heat. Keep it to a simmer and stir.
Timing the butter. Add near the end so it emulsifies and stays shiny.
Salt last. Bacon brings salt—season at the end so you don’t overdo it.
Pan choice. A wide nonstick or enamel pan helps the sauce reduce evenly.
Make it yours (easy swaps)
Protein: Pancetta or ham stand in for bacon; turkey bacon works too.
Extra richness: Finish with a spoon of cream cheese or a handful of shredded mozzarella.
More heat: Add a pinch of gochugaru or a drizzle of chili oil at the table.
Greens: Peas, baby spinach, or sliced snap peas fold in well right at the end.
Serve with
Quick kimchi, pickled radish, or a simple cucumber salad. For a café-style plate, add a fried egg on top and extra black pepper.
Storage & reheating
Store: Airtight, up to 2 days.
Reheat: Add a splash of milk and warm gently over low heat, stirring, until creamy again.
Note: Tteok firm up in the fridge; reheating with liquid brings the chew back.
Troubleshooting
Sauce too thin? Simmer 1–2 minutes more.
Too thick? Whisk in milk a tablespoon at a time.
Sticking or scorching? Lower the heat and keep the sauce moving.
Too salty? Add a splash of milk and a tiny pinch of sugar to balance.
Frequently asked
Can I use rice tteok instead of wheat tteok?
Yes—soak until flexible and simmer gently; you may need a minute or two less.
Is the chicken stock powder required?
No. It adds umami, but the bacon/garlic base is flavorful on its own.
How spicy is this?
Mild by default. The crushed red pepper is your dial—add a little for warmth or skip it entirely.
Recommended from MyFreshDash
• Soupy gochujang tteokbokki (15 minutes) — snack-shop style, slurpable and spicy.
• Jjajang tteokbokki (3-minute sauce hack) — glossy black-bean version, non-spicy comfort.
• Instant comfort foods Korean moms stock — includes rose tteokbokki for an easy creamy option.
Printable recipe card
Comments