Vegan Korean Rice Cakes with Swiss Chard Sauce
Let’s make a fresh take on vegan Korean rice cakes! These rice cakes are crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy in the middle. They are simply drowned in a silky, pesto-inspired Swiss chard sauce, flavored with lemon and miso. While hardly the authentic way of preparing Korean rice cakes, this recipe really highlights what a versatile ingredient they are, and how much potential there is for creativity. The sauce is vibrant and bright, both in color and in flavor. Simple enough to make on a weeknight, and fancy enough to serve to guests, it’s a delicious way to eat your greens.
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All About Korean Rice Cakes
These are not the pillowy, crunchy, air-filled rice cakes of Quaker Oats fame, Korean rice cakes are something entirely different. In Korean they are called tteok, and most famously used in the street food Tteokbokki and the rice cake soup, tteokguk. Korean rice cakes are made from non-glutenous rice flour, and is sold in several different sizes. The ones I used here, and then ones I most commonly see, are shaped into cylinders, about 2 inches long vbut they can also be bought cut into thin, diagonal slices. They can be made fresh, but I prefer to buy them (these are the ones I got). Before you open the package, they will stay good for a very long time in the fridge. Fresh rice cakes may be cooked right away, but when buying the vacuum-sealed refrigerated ones, you will need to boil them first to soften them.
Looking for Korean Inspired Dishes? Try one of these!
- Southwestern Style Fermented Nopales Kimchi
- Stir-Fried Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)
- Vegan Korean Corn Dogs from Carrots
- Vegan Chili Braised Tofu, Korean-Style
- Spicy Stinging Nettle Kimchi Recipe
- Vegan Spicy Korean Radish Salad
- Black Radish Recipe: Miso Roasted Black Radishes
Got Swiss Chard? Try one of these recipes!
- Rainbow Slaw: Swiss Chard Stem Recipe
- Swiss Chard Recipe: Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems
- Massaged Chard Salad with Flax and Pumpkin Seeds
- Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu
- Lentil, Chestnut Mushrooms and Amaranth Winter Soup
Vegan Korean Rice Cakes in Swiss Chard Sauce Tips and Tricks
- This dish is made more interesting (and reduces waste) by using the chard stems as well as the greens. While the greens will go into making the sauce, the stems are sauteed in for some added crunch and textural variation.
- We made this sauce with Swiss chard, but you can use other greens if you have them- spinach, kale, mustard greens, mizuna, arugula and collard greens are all great options.
- This sauce is very simple, but could be tweaked to your preference. Try subbing the olive oil for sesame oil, or adding some ginger for a bit of spice. Make it taste a bit cheesy with nutritional yeast, or add scallions for more of an onion flavor.
- You don’t need to make the rice cakes crispy- you can boil them (and the chard stems) and add them directly to the sauce. They will be softer, and chewier.
- To make the rice cakes crispy, make sure you have enough oil to make a shallow layer that covers the entirety of your skillet. They don’t change color much as they crisp up, but you can see subtle bubbling on the surface of the rice cakes and it will feel (and sound) crispy.
- Chili flakes are added at the end of the cook time, and are optional. If you don’t like a little heat, leave them out!
Vegan Korean Rice Cakes with Swiss Chard Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Korean Rice cakes
- 1 large bunch swiss chard
- Roughly 30 Thai basil leaves
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- 2 tbsp. miso paste
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Oil for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp. chili flakes (optional, for spice)
Instructions
- Remove the stems from the swiss chard, chop them into small pieces, and set aside. Add the leaves (washed) to your blender, along with the basil, miso paste, garlic, olive oil, and 1/4 cup of water. Blend into a smooth sauce.
- Boil a large pot of water. Add the rice cakes, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender in the middle. Drain.
- Heat a good amount of neutral oil on medium-high or high in a large skillet, and then add your boiled rice cakes. Cook for a couple minutes, and then flip, continuing until the rice cakes are crispy all around. Lower the heat, and add the chopped chard stems and chili flakes. Cook until the chard stems are tender, then remove from the heat and add the chard sauce. Stir to coat all the rice cakes in the sauce, and serve immediately.
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