Cultural background
Rabokki is a combination of tteokbokki and ramen, enjoyed conveniently at snack bars and on the streets. It is particularly popular among students and is loved as a quick meal when craving something sweet and spicy.
Origin & history
Rabokki is generally seen as a combination that emerged naturally after spicy Tteokbokki became a signature snack-shop dish and instant Ramen became an everyday ingredient. Adding a portion of Ramen noodles to Tteokbokki sauce made the dish bigger and feel more like a meal, which suited the snack shops found near schools.
The name is just as straightforward: it combines ‘라’ (ra, from ‘라면’ [ramyeon, Ramen]) with ‘볶이’ (bokki, from ‘떡볶이’ [tteokbokki, Tteokbokki]). Although it may look like a stir-fry, Rabokki is often made by simmering rice cakes and noodles together in a spicy sauce with broth.
Regional & modern variations
- Cheese Rabokki — Sliced cheese or mozzarella is added just before serving. The heat becomes milder, and the sauce tastes richer.
- Jjajang Rabokki — Rabokki made by mixing jjajang sauce into the Gochujang seasoning, or by using a jjajang-style sauce. Compared with regular Rabokki, it is less spicy and has more sweetness and savory depth.
- Table-Cooked Rabokki — A style eaten while a wide pot boils at the table. In addition to noodles, rice cakes, and fish cakes, diners often add dumplings, eggs, vegetables, and other extras.
How Koreans eat it
With Rabokki, eating it as soon as it arrives matters. The Ramen keeps soaking up the sauce, so over time the broth reduces and the noodles swell. When sharing, many people pick out the noodles before the rice cakes. The remaining thick sauce is sometimes mixed with seaweed flakes and rice.
Taste & how to choose
The sauce is thicker than in regular Tteokbokki, with a stronger starchy quality. Oil from the Ramen and starch from the noodles help the seasoning cling, making the spicy-sweet flavor feel more concentrated. Good Rabokki has noodles that have not gone too soft, rice cakes that are tender all the way through, and a sauce that is not watery.
Similar dishes
Fire Chicken Noodles
불닭볶음면 · bul-dak-bokkeum-myeon
A type of instant ramen stir-fried with spicy sauce, reflecting the spicy flavor of Fire Chicken, a popular instant food in Korea.
Hotteok
호떡 · ho-tteok
A warm street snack made by frying dough filled with brown sugar and nut syrup. It has a crispy exterior and a flowing brown sugar syrup interior, making it a representative winter treat that tastes even better when eaten warm right after it is freshly made.
Tteok-kkochi
떡꼬치 · tteok-kko-chi
Chewy rice cakes skewered and grilled with a spicy-sweet sauce, a Korean street food.
Tteokbokki
떡볶이 · tteok-bokki
This is a spicy and sweet dish made by boiling rice cakes and fish cakes in a gochujang seasoned broth. The chewy rice cakes absorb the spicy and sweet sauce, and fried foods or kimbap are dipped in the broth and enjoyed together. It is a representative snack that is enjoyed cheaply at snack shops and on the streets.
Kongseolgi
콩설기 · kong-seolgi
A steamed rice cake made by mixing rice flour with beans, characterized by its crumbly texture and mild taste. It is mainly enjoyed as a snack or dessert, and is sometimes eaten with tea.
Puffed Rice
뻥튀기 · ppeong-twi-gi
A crispy and light snack made by puffing rice or corn at high temperature.
Goes well with
Ingredients
How it's made
- 1Prepare the garaetteok and eomuk.
- 2Boil water in a pot and add gochujang and gochugaru to make the seasoning sauce.
- 3Add the tteok and eomuk and bring to a boil.
- 4Add the ramen noodles and cook until they are done.
- 5Chop the green onion and add it, then bring it to a boil again.
Nutrition
* Estimated values per serving.
Allergens
Ramen and eomuk may contain animal ingredients, making it unsuitable for vegetarians and halal.
How to order
라볶이 주세요
Ra-bok-ki ju-se-yo
Please give me Rabokki
Customize your order
Traveler tips
How to eat it
Frequently asked questions
- Do people add Ramen seasoning powder to Rabokki?
- It depends on the shop. Snack shops often rely only on Tteokbokki seasoning for flavor, while home cooks sometimes add a little Ramen seasoning powder for extra savoriness.
- Which should I eat first, the rice cakes or the Ramen?
- The Ramen is better to eat first. Noodles swell quickly and absorb a lot of sauce, while rice cakes keep their texture relatively well even if left longer.
- Is Rabokki more filling than Tteokbokki?
- Yes. Adding Ramen noodles to the rice cakes makes it high in carbohydrates. In Korea, people eat it like a snack, but in practice it can easily be enough for a simple meal.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-07