Easy Non-Spicy Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki for Potlucks
Sweet, savory, buttery, garlicky, and completely non-spicy
Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
I have a new potluck rule: never assume everyone likes spicy food. 😂
One of my biggest fears when bringing food to a potluck is making something that nobody likes.
And, well… I learned that lesson the hard way.
I brought spicy tteokbokki to a potluck and discovered that ONE person there actually liked spicy food. Needless to say, I basically came home with the whole pot.
So for my next potluck, I decided to make a version that was completely different.
Enter: Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki.
Instead of a spicy red sauce, these chewy Korean rice cakes are coated in buttery sautéed garlic, a little sea salt, and finished with raw honey.
The result is sweet, savory, garlicky, buttery, chewy, and slightly crisp around the edges.
The best part? No spicy sauce required.
What Is Tteokbokki?
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean dish made with chewy rice cakes, traditionally simmered in a spicy, savory sauce often made with gochujang.
It's one of those foods that has endless variations, though, and this recipe takes a completely different approach.
Rather than making a traditional spicy tteokbokki sauce, I cook the rice cakes in garlic-infused butter and finish them with honey.
Think chewy Korean rice cakes + garlic bread energy + a sweet honey finish.
It's simple, comforting, and very snackable.
Why You'll Love This Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
It's completely non-spicy, making it a great option for people who don't enjoy spicy food.
It's quick and easy and doesn't require a complicated sauce.
The garlic and butter combination is incredibly flavorful & good for you!
The raw honey adds just the right amount of sweetness + health benefits
The rice cakes become beautifully chewy while the edges can get golden and crisp.
It's easy to make dairy-free with the substitution below.
It's a fun alternative to traditional spicy tteokbokki for a party or potluck.
Ingredients
Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
1 lb Korean rice cakes (tteokbokki rice cakes), fresh or frozen
12 organic garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons grass-fed butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons raw organic honey (look real honey tested for purity)
For a Dairy-Free Version
Replace the butter with your preferred dairy-free cooking fat.
For my dairy-free version, I use Lineage Provisions tallow when making this for my dairy-free kid.
If you are using a substitute, choose one that works well for sautéing garlic and coating the rice cakes.
How to Make Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
1. Prepare the garlic
Peel and chop the garlic.
If you have time, let the chopped garlic sit for about 10 minutes before cooking.
This is also the perfect time to prepare your other ingredients so everything is ready to go once the pan is hot.
2. Soften the rice cakes
If you're using frozen rice cakes, place them in hot water until they soften. (5 min)
Drain them well before adding them to the pan.
Fresh rice cakes can generally be used without this soaking step, depending on their texture.
The goal is to have rice cakes that are chewy rather than hard in the center.
3. Melt the butter
Add the butter to a pan over medium heat.
Allow it to melt and begin bubbling, but don't let it burn.
4. Add the garlic
Add the chopped garlic to the melted butter.
Cook over medium heat, stirring as needed, until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to sizzle.
Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Burnt garlic can become bitter very quickly.
5. Add the salt
Sprinkle in the sea salt and stir it into the garlic butter.
6. Add the rice cakes
Add the softened rice cakes to the pan.
Use a spatula to toss and turn them so they're coated in the garlic butter.
Keep cooking until the rice cakes are warmed through and covered in the buttery garlic mixture.
7. Get the edges crispy
For the best texture, give the rice cakes some time to sit against the hot pan.
Turn them as needed so different sides can develop golden, slightly crisp edges while the centers stay wonderfully chewy.
This crispy-chewy contrast is one of my favorite parts of the recipe.
8. Finish with honey
Remove the pan from the heat.
Drizzle the raw honey generously over the rice cakes while they're still hot.
Toss gently so the honey coats the rice cakes and mixes with the garlic butter remaining in the pan.
I recommend adding the honey at the end rather than cooking it over high heat.
9. Serve
Serve immediately while the rice cakes are warm, glossy, chewy, and coated in that sweet and savory garlic butter sauce.
My Tips for the Best Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
Don't burn the garlic.
Garlic is the star of this recipe, so you want it fragrant and golden rather than dark brown or burnt.
Keep the heat around medium and pay attention once the garlic hits the butter.
Give the rice cakes time to crisp.
You don't have to constantly stir them.
Letting them sit against the hot pan for a little while helps create those delicious golden edges.
Add the raw honey at the end.
The honey is the finishing ingredient here. You don’t want to overheat it as it does destroy the enzymes.
Once the rice cakes are cooked and coated in garlic butter, remove the pan from the heat and drizzle the honey over everything.
Use good honey.
Because this recipe has so few ingredients, the flavor of the honey really comes through.
I like using raw, organic honey that I trust and that has been tested for purity & confirmed glyphosate free.
My raw honey is from Lineage Provisions.
Use code MUMWITHABUN for savings.
Frozen rice cakes work!
Don't worry if your rice cakes came straight from the freezer.
Just soak them in hot water first for about 5 minutes and make sure they're softened before adding them to the pan.
Dairy-Free Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki
If you need this recipe to be dairy-free, simply replace the butter with a dairy-free cooking fat.
I use Lineage Provisions tallow for my dairy-free version & amazing gut/skin benefits.
The garlic, honey, salt, and rice cakes still provide plenty of flavor, so you don't need to sacrifice the sweet-and-savory combination.
What Does Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki Taste Like?
If you've only had traditional spicy tteokbokki, this version is a completely different experience.
The rice cakes are chewy and savory, while the garlic becomes rich and fragrant in the butter.
The salt balances the sweetness, and the honey adds a glossy, lightly sweet finish.
When you let the rice cakes develop golden edges in the pan, you also get a delicious contrast between the crispy exterior and chewy center.
It's basically the cozy, non-spicy version of tteokbokki that you didn't know you needed.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
This dish is best served immediately because the rice cakes have the best texture when they're freshly cooked.
If you're making it for a potluck, you can prepare your ingredients ahead of time and cook the rice cakes shortly before serving. These did hold up beautifully for about 1 hour at room temp (driving + wait time before serving).
If you do need to refrigerate leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat them gently.
Rice cakes can become firmer after refrigeration, so adding a small amount of water while reheating can help loosen them back up.
Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Rice Cakes?
Yes.
Fresh rice cakes can be cooked directly depending on their texture.
Frozen rice cakes should be softened in hot water first (5 minutes of a hot water bath should do).
The most important thing is that the rice cakes are soft enough to cook evenly and absorb the garlic butter.
Is Tteokbokki Always Spicy?
No!
While traditional tteokbokki is often associated with a spicy red sauce made with gochujang, there are many different ways to prepare Korean rice cakes. Especially with the littles in mind.
This honey butter garlic version is intentionally non-spicy, making it a great choice for children, guests who don't enjoy heat, or anyone looking for a different take on tteokbokki.
Can I Make This for a Potluck?
Absolutely.
In fact, that's exactly why I created this version.
If you're bringing food to a gathering where you don't know everyone's spice tolerance, a sweet and savory rice cake dish can be a much more approachable option than a very spicy tteokbokki.
Just remember that rice cakes have the best chewy texture when they're served warm.
Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 20–25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 lb rice cakes
12 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp grass-fed butter
½ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp raw organic honey
Instructions
Chop the garlic and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
If using frozen rice cakes, soak them in hot water until softened. Drain well.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
Add the chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant and sizzling.
Add the sea salt.
Add the rice cakes and toss until they're warmed through and thoroughly coated in the garlic butter.
Continue cooking, turning the rice cakes as needed, until some of the edges become golden and crisp.
Remove from heat.
Drizzle the raw honey generously over the rice cakes.
Toss gently to coat.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Final Thoughts
After bringing an overly spicy tteokbokki to a potluck and discovering that basically nobody wanted the heat, I think I've officially found my crowd-friendly version.
So many people told me they enjoyed this one!
This Honey Butter Garlic Tteokbokki is sweet without being dessert-sweet, savory without being heavy, and completely non-spicy.
And that combination of chewy rice cakes, golden garlic butter, crispy edges, and raw honey?
It's dangerously good.
Save this recipe for your next potluck, family dinner, or whenever you're craving something sweet, savory, garlicky, and chewy. 🤍
Recipe Notes at a Glance
Dietary: Can be made dairy-free
Spice level: Non-spicy
Best served: Warm and immediately after cooking
Main ingredients: Korean rice cakes, garlic, butter, honey, sea salt
Best for: Potlucks, appetizers, snacks, family dinners, kid-friendly meals
