8 Korean Convenience Store Food Recipes You Can Try At Home Other Than Parasite’s Ramdon

Korean convenience store recipes

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If there’s one recipe other than Dalgona coffee that has taken over the internet over the past few months, it has got to be ramdon, also known as jjapaguri. It’s a common dish to have amongst Koreans, but made known internationally by the Oscar-winning film Parasite. While the version in the movie includes beef, ramdon is actually just a simple fusion of two types of instant noodles, jjapaghetti (instant black bean noodles) and Neoguri instant udon. If you’ve already tried your hand at making ramdon, here are 8 other Korean convenience store recipes for you to easily whip up a meal in no time. 

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1. Mark set

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Image credit: @igyyyy_y

If there’s a viral Korean convenience food hack you need to try, it has got to be this. It’s known as the Mark set because a fan of GOT7’s Mark invented it, and Mark himself also recreated it on the variety show Weekly Idol.

Image credit: @igyyyy_y

This recipe only requires 4 ingredients that can be easily found in the convenience store and all it takes for you to put this dish together is a microwave. So there’s no need to worry about cleaning up the mess you would’ve usually made while whipping up a meal in the kitchen. 

The original recipe uses the instant version of hot and spicy tteokbokki, but for those who like an extra kick, use the Samyang’s instant tteokbokki instead. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x instant hot and spicy tteokbokki
• 1 x instant spaghetti ramen
• 1 x pre-packed sausages
• 1 x string cheese or mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1. Microwave the instant tteokbokki according to the instructions on the packaging. But instead of putting it in the microwave for the entire duration, take it out when it’s ⅔ done.
2. While that goes into the microwave, cook the instant spaghetti.
3. Remove the tteokbokki from the microwave and add the spaghetti into the bowl. Mix well.
4. Add cut up sausages and shredded cheese on the top.
5. Microwave for the remaining ⅓ duration.

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2. Banzz Set

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Image credit: @mooko_mooko__ni

The Banzz set is named after a Korean Youtuber who invented it. We all know how convenient it is to reach out for a frozen pizza in the freezer to microwave on a movie night, but with this combo, there’s no longer a need to settle for a normal Hawaiian pizza that comes with a few slices of pineapple and ham when you can have it beefed up with more ingredients in no time.

All you have to do is ladle a generous amount of shredded smoked chicken, tteokbokki, and string cheese onto the pizza before popping it into the microwave as directed. And when the timer goes off, there you have it – a hearty pizza sure to satisfy your late-night hunger pangs.

Ingredients:

• 1 x slice of microwavable pizza (any you find in the convenience store)
• 1 x smoked chicken
• 1 x instant tteokbokki (flavour of your choice)
• 1 x string cheese or mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1. Microwave the smoked chicken for 2 minutes before tearing it up into smaller pieces
2. Microwave the instant tteokbokki according to the directions given
3. Spread on the pizza with some shredded cheese before putting on the smoked chicken and tteokbokki. Finally top it off with some more cheese.
4. Microwave the pizza as directed.
5. Once done, add some ketchup or mayonnaise to your liking

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3. Fire rice (buldak-bokkeum-bap)

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Ever reached out for a triangular gimbap in the convenience store and wonder how it’s going to be enough to sate your bottomless tummy? Well, this fire rice recipe will give you a satisfying meal to keep you going for an entire day.

Even though you might have your reservations about combining the ever-famous Samyang fire noodles with rice, it’s actually an addictive and savoury combination – think sesame oil from the gimbap with flavourful Samyang spicy sauce. Plus, every spoonful comes with a thick layer of melted cheese, giving every bite added creaminess. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x Samyang fire noodles (in cup)
• 1 x tuna mayo gimbap (or any flavour of your choice)
• 1 x string cheese

Steps 

1. Cook the fire noodles as instructed on the package.
2. Once cooked, add in the gimbap, and mix well.
3. Top off with string cheese and microwave for a minute or until the cheese is melted.

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4. Grilled intestine rice noodles with pho soup

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Image credit: @c.miiiiiii106

As if the convenience stores in Seoul haven’t impressed us enough by the sheer amount of food options they put up on their racks – from pre-cooked mains such as bibimbap (rice bowl) to snacks on-the-go such as corn dogs and gimbap – now you can even conveniently get anju dishes (food best paired with alcohol) off the shelves. 

Read our article here to check out other local favourite anju dishes.

Image credit: @euiggong

While you can have grilled intestines on their own after heating up the portable pack, locals have recently come up with a grilled intestine rice noodles with pho soup recipe that incorporates Vietnamese rice noodles to cut through the grease of the fatty intestines. 

On top of this, this Korean convenience store recipe also gives you a bowl of soup at the side to complete your meal – definitely more value for those on a tight budget.

Ingredients:

• 1 x instant Vietnamese rice noodle
• 1 x instant grilled intestine

Steps:

1. Cooked the instant noodles as instructed.
2. Microwave the grilled intestine for 2.5 minutes.
3. Separate the rice noodles from the soup and mix it in with the sauce from the grilled intestines.

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5. Mashed potatoes

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Mashed potatoes are not exactly the hardest dish to make, but this recipe takes easy to a whole new level. It turns two simple ingredients into a comforting side snack in two simple steps – a piece of cake even if you’re not the best cook. 

Simply mix a desired amount of Orion potato chips with the leftover pho soup from the previous recipe, and mash them up till you get a creamy and smooth texture. 

These specific chips come in different flavours such as original, onion, and cheese. So take your pick, or go crazy with the flavours and create a mix-and-match combination.

Here’s another tip – if you’re hankering for a snack and can’t finish a bowl of pho, replace the soup in this recipe with hot water. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x pho soup
• 1 x Orion potato chips (flavour of your choice)

Steps:

1. Heat up the soup in a microwave or over a stovetop till it’s hot.
2. Add potato chips into the soup and mash them up with a potato masher. Add more or fewer chips if you would prefer a thicker or thinner consistency.

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6. Cheese fries

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Image credit: @mini_9939

This plate of cheese fries looks exactly like the ones served in restaurants, but it’s actually put together in the comfort of home. While typically made with fresh-cut potato fries, all you need here is a bag of Orion potato snack fries along with these three cheeses: string cheese, cheddar, and mozzarella. 

But don’t worry if you can’t get your hands on any one of these cheeses because this recipe is totally customisable. You can choose to have all three types of cheeses or even just one. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x string cheese
• A few slices of cheddar cheese
• 1 x packet of mozzarella cheese
• 1 x Orion brand potato snack fries

Steps:

1. Pour a layer of potato snack fries in a microwave safe bowl/pan
2. Top it off with cheese in this sequence: string cheese, cheddar slices and finally, mozzarella cheese
3. Microwave for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted

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7. Corn cheese kimchi fried rice

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Image adapted from: @jmt_zero

Kimchi fried rice is a quintessential dish for most locals as they can simply toss any leftover meat and vegetables into the pan, and stir-fry them with the main ingredients: rice and kimchi. 

Image adapted from: @jmt_zero

And this kimchi fried rice recipe is sure to blow your mind with the addition of corn cheese gratin and tteokbokki. What’s even better is that it’s instant and you won’t have to lift the pan or even wash the dishes thereafter. 

It also makes for a good sharing dish – be it if you’re throwing a mini get-together with your friends or just a home-cooked meal with your family. Simply get more packets of each item and repeat steps 1 and 2. Once done, assemble everything onto a baking dish and spread the cream cheese on top before popping it into the oven. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x corn cheese gratin
• 1 x Spam kimchi fried rice bar
• 1 x instant hot and spicy tteokbokki

Steps:

1. Add the Spam kimchi fried rice bar into the bowl of instant tteokbokki and mix well
2. Microwave the mix according to the instructions found on the tteokbokki packaging.
3. Add a generous amount of corn cheese cream on top and microwave for another 1.5 minutes.

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8. Tteokbokki cheese baked rice

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Image credit: @k_sky1108

Come prepared with an empty stomach before you embark on this baked rice recipe, which comes with tteokbokki that adds a chewy texture to the bowl that’s already bursting with flavours. 

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to put together this meal and honestly, if you were to plate it in a baking dish with some parsley as a finishing touch, no one would know that it’s actually entirely made up of instant food. 

Image adapted from: @jmt_zero

While only 3 ingredients are needed to create this dish, you can tweak the Korean convenience store recipe to your liking by tossing in other toppings to elevate the flavour. We’d suggest adding meat such as ham and sausages to complete the meal. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x instant tteokbokki
• 1 x gimbap of your choice
• 1 x string cheese

Steps:

1. Microwave the instant tteokbokki till you’re left with a minute.
2. Add in the gimbap and mix the rice in well before topping off with string cheese.
3. Microwave the bowl for the remaining minute.

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Quick and easy Korean convenience store recipes

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Whipping up a meal doesn’t have to be difficult especially when convenience stores are found almost everywhere. While you’re not encouraged to have pre-cooked or instant food daily, on days when your stomach is growling and you’re just lazy to lift a saucer pan, these Korean convenience store recipes will definitely come in handy. 

Check out these articles:

• 10 Family-friendly activities in Seoul
• Gangneung area guide
• 10 Ice cream shops in Seoul
• 8 Things to do in Seoul at night
• 8 Korean drinking games

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Cover image adapted from (clockwise from left): @k_sky1108, @igyyyy_y and @mini_9939