This is my Korean-inspired take on a crunchy spring salad, built around the most addictive ingredient: air-fried tteokbokki. If you’ve only had tteokbokki swimming in spicy red sauce (which is AMAZING), this is going to WOW you too. Air-frying the rice cakes gives them a crackly, chewy crust with a pillowy center. Basically little Korean dumplings of joy. And they’re the perfect base for a crunchy, slaw-style salad. Think tasty slaw coated in a creamy gochujang dressing that hits sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory in every bite. It comes together in 30 minutes and is exactly the kind of bright, textural meal I want on repeat all spring.
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 2
do NOT overcook your tteokbokki: this is the #1 mistake. Tteokbokki goes from pillowy to hockey-puck fast. In the air fryer they won’t brown like fries. You’re looking for a dry, slightly crackly exterior with a tender chew inside. Start checking at 5 minutes and pull them the moment the outside feels firm to the touch. If they’re rock hard when you bite in, they’ve gone too far.
where to find tteokbokki: look for the cylindrical rice cakes (sometimes labeled “tteok” or “garaetteok”) in the refrigerated or frozen section of any Korean or Asian grocery store. H Mart is the easiest if you have one nearby. Many Whole Foods and well-stocked grocery stores now carry them too, often near the tofu and fresh noodles. Fresh is ideal, but frozen works perfectly, just thaw before boiling.
can I make this less spicy? yes! Gochujang varies a lot in heat. Start with 1 tbsp instead of 2, taste the dressing, and add more. A little extra honey or mayo will also mellow it out.
make it GF: ✅ use tamari in place of soy sauce
make it DF: ✅
storing: the crispy tteokbokki are best eaten right away. If you’d like to prep ahead, make the dressing and slice your veggies in advance but assemble and crisp the tteokboki right before serving.
