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

Sometimes a bargain at Trader Joe’s finds you. This is what happened when my partner bought tteokbokki on impulse. To be honest, when I first found it in our freezer, I had no idea what it was, let alone pronounce it.

With the help of Google, I discovered that tteok is a Korean rice cake that is thick and chewy. It has a texture similar to mochi, a mild rice-like flavor, and pairs well with whatever sauce you have at your fridge door. I found some spicy gochujang sauce in my Trader Joe’s bag, so I used that!

Make tteok, stir-fry it with gochujang and vegetables, and dinner is ready in 10 minutes.

Why I love Trader Joe’s Tteokbokki

I hate going to the supermarket to buy last minute ingredients. Like most people, I don’t want to make dinner plans or shop on Wednesdays. I don’t even want to eat 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 didn’t put any effort into it.

Is that too much? Not if you have Trader Joe’s Tteokbokki in your freezer.

Tteokbokki has a different texture than my weeknight staples like falafel bowls or simple vegetable curries. The spiciness and flavor of the spicy gochujang sauce is also enjoyable. I love that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make this stir-fry a balanced meal.

How to make store-bought tteokbokki

Boil the rice cakes in water and fry them in a frying pan with olive oil to make them crispy. The final step is to mix the gochujang sauce and lots of vegetables. Use broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, or anything else that starts to wilt in the fridge. I often have frozen vegetables in the back of my freezer, and that works well too.

You want the vegetables to be crunchy and soft to contrast with the chewy rice cake, so you only need to stir-fry the whole thing for a few minutes.

When I’m feeling up to it, I mix some chopped fresh green onions or chives into the tteokbokki, but otherwise, dinner is ready. Of course, enjoy it directly from the frying pan.

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