The $3.99 Trader Joe’s Freezer Find I Buy Every Time I Go

Sometimes, the finds at Trader Joe’s find you. That’s what happened when my partner impulse-bought a bag of tteok bok ki. I’ll be honest: I had no idea what it even was the first time I found it in our freezer, let alone how to pronounce it.

With some help from Google, I discovered that tteok are fat, chewy Korean rice cakes. They have a similar-ish texture to mochi and a mild, rice-like flavor that pairs well with any sauce in your refrigerator door. The Trader Joe’s bag includes a packet of spicy gochujang sauce, so that’s what I use!

I cook the tteok, then stir-fry them with the gochujang and vegetables, and dinner is ready in 10 minutes.

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Tteok Bok Ki

I despise going to the grocery store for last-minute ingredients. Like most people, I don’t want to have to plan and shop for dinner on a Wednesday. I also don’t want to eat a PB&J. I want to spend 15 minutes in the kitchen and end up with a meal that feels like I made an effort, even though I absolutely did not.

Is that too much to ask? Not if you have Trader Joe’s Tteok Bok Ki in your freezer.

The tteok bok ki have a texture that’s different from my usual weeknight staples, like falafel bowls or a quick vegetable curry. The heat and flavor of the spicy gochujang sauce is fun, too. And I love that I can use whatever vegetables I have on hand to make this stir-fry into a well-rounded meal.

How I Cook Store-Bought Tteok Bok Ki

I boil the rice cakes in water, then toss ’em in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil to crisp them up. The last step is to stir in the gochujang sauce and a bunch of vegetables. I use whatever’s starting to wilt in the refrigerator, like broccoli, bell peppers, or snap peas. I can usually find frozen vegetables in the depths of my freezer, and that works, too.

I want the vegetables to be crisp-tender to contrast with the soft, chewy rice cakes, so I only have to stir-fry the whole dish for a couple of minutes.

If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll stir fresh chopped green onions or chives into the tteok bok ki, but otherwise, dinner is ready—served straight from the frying pan, of course!

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