Rice cakes are among the best snacks I’ve had growing up. The ones I grew up with were sweet, sticky, and so delicious – they’re addicting!
Rice cakes, as the name implies, are made from rice molded into different forms and flavors. Different cultures have various rice cake shapes and tastes.
You’re very likely to have had at least one rice cake before. But if you haven’t, you’re missing out!
But don’t worry. I’ve compiled some easy-to-make rice cake snack ideas for you to try so you can experience the delicious delight that rice cakes give.
1. Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cake)
If you’re an avid Korean fan, you know that no Korean food session is complete without a taste of tteokbokki. It is also a familiar side dish to many samgyeopsal or Korean barbecue experiences.
Tteokbokki is a delicious Korean rice cake known for its spicy and sweet taste and chewy texture. It means “stir-fried” rice cake and has many other names, like ddeokbokki or topokki.
Most Korean stores sell ready-made tteokbokki. This makes it easy to make as you only have to prepare it with the spicy hot sauce, and voila! You’re down for a spicy Korean treat.
2. Nian Gao (Chinese Rice Cake)
Asians love their rice so much that they have various versions of rice cakes. One beloved kind is the Chinese rice cake or chǎo niángāo, or simply nian gao.
Nian Gao has a chewy texture, like tteokbokki. It’s also usually cut into unique oval shapes. Depending on the type, it may have a sweet or savory taste.
For this recipe, you’ll have a savory and delicious nian gao. Cook it with meat, vegetables, and Asian condiments for a hearty meal.
You won’t have to worry about making nian gao from scratch. Most Asian stores have them ready-made or frozen.
3. Biko (Filipino Rice Cake)
No visit to a Filipino province is complete without biko.
Biko is a sweet and sticky rice cake with a rich, deep brown color. To make it even tastier, you can also top it with a sweet syrup made from coco milk and sugar.
Biko is a go-to recipe for snacks, parties, and Christmas – basically, any occasion. It’s effortless to make because you only need four ingredients. These are glutinous or sticky rice, coconut milk, water, and brown sugar.
4. Puffed Rice Cakes
When you picture a rice cake, I bet your first thought is that of a puffy one. Puffed rice cakes are an iconic and staple afternoon snack for many kids.
Treat the sugar and nostalgia craving with these easy rice cake snacks. In a few minutes, you can get a hold of that sweet crunch that brings you back to the good old days.
You only need rice, water, eggs, some flour, and flavoring to make your puffed rice cakes. You can have honey, chocolate, cheesy, sweet, or savory puffed cakes.
5. Rice Cakes with Avocados
Most rice cakes taste bland and come in circular forms. While that may seem sad, that presents you with a lot of opportunities for creativity.
For instance, you can hop on the avocado toast trend using rice cakes as the base. You can have salmon and cottage cheese with your avocado to make it taste better.
Besides salmon, you can also pair avocado with chicken breast. Both salmon and chicken are good protein sources.
For other variations, you can also pair avocado with cream cheese or sea salt.
6. Brown Rice Cakes
There are various kinds of rice: white rice, black rice, and more. Each rice type has a unique nutrient and flavor profile.
You might prefer brown over white rice. It’s packed with more nutrients and has a distinct nutty flavor that you may love. Now imagine a rice cake with all those.
I love this dish because it’s also a delicious and creative way to use cooked or leftover rice.
You can also tweak it to your preferences. For instance, add some toppings, like cream cheese or sesame seeds.
7. Mochi (Japanese Rice Cake)
You can’t miss the taste of mochi when you go to Japan. It’s a well-loved treat by locals and tourists alike.
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake with an iconic chewy and sticky texture. It may be sweet or savory.
These Japanese rice cake snacks are famous for having different fillings and toppings. You can fill it with ice cream or bean paste. The toppings and fillings complement the mochi.
You don’t have to book a ticket to Japan to experience the chewy mochi goodness. You only need a stand mixer and a few ingredients.
8. Puto (Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes)
Rice is an essential feature of Filipino food culture. Thus, you’ll find that Filipinos have several kinds of rice cakes, like biko and puto.
Puto is a steamed rice cake traditionally made from fermented rice. But, most modern versions use rice flour.
On its own, puto makes for great rice cake snacks already. But, it also pairs well with cheese or other dishes, like dinuguan or pork blood stew.
9. Peanut Butter Banana Rice Cakes
Plain rice cakes may not be appealing to kids. But you can turn them around by adding peanut butter and banana toppings.
But, don’t think peanut butter and banana rice cakes are for children only. This combination is delicious for people of all ages.
You can also make it better by adding chocolate chips or honey to the mix.
Other peanut butter rice cake recipe ideas include peanut butter with cottage cheese combination.
10. Salsa Avocado Topped Rice Cake
The last of our rice cake snack ideas is salsa avocado topped rice cake. Salsa and avocado toppings transform rice cakes into a fresh and savory delight.
Making a salsa-topped rice cake is simple, especially if you have pre-made salsa. But, you can also make the salsa from scratch. To do so, you’d need chilis, tomatoes, red onion, and other ingredients.
10 Rice Cake Recipe Ideas
Here is a short list of all the recipes mentioned above.
Ingredients
Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cake)
Nian Gao (Chinese Rice Cake)
Biko (Filipino Rice Cake)
Puffed Rice Cakes
Rice Cakes with Avocados
Brown Rice Cakes
Rice Cakes with Avocados
Mochi (Japanese Rice Cake)
Puto (Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes)
Peanut Butter Banana Rice Cakes
Salsa Avocado Topped Rice Cake
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a rice cake in 30 minutes or less!