8 Must Try Korean Street Food Recipes (2024)

Explore the wonders of delicious Korean street food! Here I share eight of the best Korean street food recipes you can try in your own home. They are easy to follow and fun and delicious to make! You will feel like you’re in themidst of a food street in Korea!

8 Must Try Korean Street Food Recipes (1)

If you’ve been to Korea before, you will know that Korea is famous for it’s street food (길거리 음식)!

When I was young, I could easily spot a street vendor selling snacks in a plastic tent. They were anywhere and everywhere – near my home or near my school. Anywhere there’s a reasonable amount of human traffic, the cart was up.

Though I believe those good old days have now long gone and you won’t see as many street vendors unless you’re in a designated area. Myeong-dong (명동) in Seoul is a good example for this.

Myeong-dong is a popular Korean street food destination to the locals as well as to international visitors.

The list of food ranges from savory to sweets and covers light meals to dessert and drinks. You can easily fill your stomach up with many varieties of food! It’s a food heaven!

As food trends change, there is always something new you can try out. (There are many that I haven’t tried yet, so I’m very much looking forward to my next visit to Korea!)

Here I list 8 must try Korean street foods and a link to a recipe so that you can try them out at home! What’s more, many of these foods have been around for decades, not just for a few months! So you know that they are a steady seller!

Whether you just got back from Korea recently or you just wish one day you will visit there to try these food, wait no longer! You can ease your pain and satisfy your tastebuds while making these street foods at home! Hope you enjoy trying them out!

How to Make Korean Street Food At Home

1. Spicy Rice Cake (Tteokbokki, 떡볶이)

Tteokbokki are cylinder shaped Korean rice cakes cooked in spicy (& maybe sweet) Korean sauce. It’s addictive and quite moreish. And, this recipe will show youthe easiest way to make it at home in 15 mins!

Get the recipe for Tteokbokki

2. Korean Fish Cake Soup (Odeng-guk, 오뎅국 / Eomuk-guk, 어묵국)

Odeng-guk is a popular fish cake soup, particularly during the winter months. It’s warm, tasty and comforting! This fish cake soup goes very well with spicy rice cakes (tteokbokki), just like bread and butter go well together. So if you’re making tteokbokki, you should make this one too!

What you will notice is that the homemade one is tastier, healthier and more refreshing than the street version!

Get the recipe for Fish cake soup

3. Korean Fish Shaped Pastry (Bungeoppang, 붕어빵)

Bungeoppang is a Korean name for Japanese taiyaki, a fish shaped pastry that is particularly popular on the winter streets of Korea.

The fish shaped pastry are often filled with sweetened red bean paste but you can add other filling options such as custard cream or Nutella etc. My daughter loves the Nutella version!

Get the recipe for Bungeoppang

4. Korean Popcorn Chicken (Dakgangjeong, 닭강정)

Dakgangjeong are deep fried boneless chicken nuggets that are coated with Korea’s special sticky, spicy, and sweet sauce. It’s super moreish, crunchy and makes a perfect finger food! Many of my readers already raved about this recipe. So you should give this a go!

Get the recipe for Popcorn chicken

5. Korean Egg Bread (Gyeran-bbang, 계란빵)

Gyerangbbang is a popular winter street food along with sweet pancakes (hotteok). It has a somewhat similar taste to corn muffin with egg and has a slight sweet and salty taste at once.

This egg bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch or as an afternoon snack!

Get the recipe for Korean egg bread

6. Korean Mochi Doughnut Holes (Chapssal Donuts, 찹쌀도넛)

Chapssal donuts are deep fried donuts that are made with sweet rice flour. The outside is crunchy but the inside is soft and chewy like mochi rice cakes. It’s an addictive Korean snack filled with sweetened red bean paste!

But if you like, you can also try nutella mochi donut holes instead. These are essentially the same thing except for the fillings inside! Super ooey gooey yummy!

Get the recipe for Chapssal donut

7. Sweet Pancake (Hotteok, 호떡)

Hotteok is probably the most popular Korean winter street food. It’s crispy outside and the inside is filled with sweet gooey sugar jam indulgence! It also gives a nice warm cinnamon smell!

If you feel lazy, you can even buy a premix versionsthen assemble. If not, try my recipe! It’s not difficult!

Get the recipe for Hotteok

8. Rice Cake Skewers (Tteokkochi, 떡꼬치)

Tteokkkochi is made with cylinder shaped Korean rice cakes (the same kind used in tteokbokki) and it’s deep fried (or lightly pan fried) then coated with addictive, sweet, tangy and spicy sauce on both sides of the rice cakes.

It’s crunchy outside and soft inside and it’s delicious and addictive ! My daughter loves this one too!

Get the recipe for Tteokkochi

8 Must Try Korean Street Food Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most eaten Korean food? ›

Bulgogi is probably the most popular Korean dish, with thinly sliced meat that has a smoky-sweet flavor. You can enjoy it broiled, grilled, or stir-fried. The beef is usually accompanied with lettuce wraps and gochujang (spicy red pepper paste) for wrapping and spicing up the meat.

What is the most important single dish that defines Korean cuisine is it eaten at every meal? ›

Kimchi is one of the most important staples of Korean cuisine. The Korean term "Kimchi" refers to fermented vegetables, and encompasses salt and seasoned vegetables. It is mainly served as a side dish with every meal, but also can be served as a main dish.

What is Korean junk food? ›

Korean street foods such as tteokbokki, dakgangjeong, hotteok, fish cake, bungeoppang, rice cake skewers, and global foods such as churros, crepes, and takoyaki are located.

What is Korea top fast food? ›

some popular fast food chains in South Korea include McDonald's, KFC, and Lotteria. It is worth noting that fast food chains in South Korea often have menu items that are unique to the country, such as bulgogi burgers or shrimp burgers.

What is Korea's national dish? ›

"Kimchi is our soul food in Korea, our national dish, and there is never a meal in our family when kimchi is not on the table," she said. "I would go as far as to say that if there was no kimchi with the meal, I do not think I would be able to eat."

What type of meat do Koreans eat? ›

Beef is the most prized of all, with the cattle holding an important cultural role in the Korean home. Beef is prepared in numerous ways today, including roasting, grilling (gui) or boiling in soups. Beef can also be dried into yukpo, a type of po, as with seafood, called eopo.

Which Korean food is tasty? ›

Bibimbap translates to "mixed rice," and it's a visually stunning and delicious dish. It typically consists of a bowl of steamed rice topped with an array of colorful and flavorful ingredients such as sauteed vegetables, meat or tofu, and a fried or poached egg.

What meat is eaten most in Korea? ›

Pork (30.1 kilograms) accounted for half of all meat consumption per capita last year, followed by chicken (15.7 kilograms) and beef (14.8 kilograms). This is likely due to the fact that pork is relatively inexpensive and is used in a variety of dishes, including grilled, stewed, dumplings, soup, and bulgogi.

What is the hottest Korean dish? ›

Some of the hottest dishes include: Buldak (aka 'fire chicken', heavily spiced BBQ chicken) Onnuriye donkatsu (pork cutlet) Galbi jjim (braised short-ribs)

What do Koreans eat daily? ›

Eating Habits in Korea

A bowl of steamed white rice, a soybean-paste vegetable soup and a dish of kimchi — with side dishes (panch'an) such as steamed or seasoned vegetables, fish, meats, and other foods — make up the basic everyday meal.

What is the most popular drink in Korea? ›

Soju, a clear, slightly-sweet distilled spirit, is the most popular Korean liquor. It is known as "a friend of life" and "the common people's drink." Soju is made from grains (such as rice, barley, and wheat) or starches, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and tapioca.

What do Korean eat for breakfast? ›

A traditional Korean breakfast typically consists of a complete set of dishes. Alongside simple soups, such as seaweed egg soup, you'll find grilled mackerel fish and various meats. These are accompanied by banchan, including the iconic kimchi, which adds a burst of flavor to the meal.

Where is the famous street food in Korea? ›

Myeongdong Street Food Alley

Myeongdong might be one of Seoul's most popular shopping districts, but it's also a go-to for foodies looking to try the most unique and innovative street food in Seoul. Here, throngs of tourists crowd around countless carts to gorge on a wide variety of sweets and treats.

What is the number one snack in Korea? ›

Everyone will agree that Nongshim Shrimp Crackers is the most famous snack in Korea. These delectable chips are created by parching shrimp-flavored chips over salt, creating a flavor that appeals to everyone, regardless of age or gender.

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