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Bibimbap bowl ready to be mixed at the table.

Bibimbap Recipe

Leftover veggies? This Bibimbap turns them into a cosy, colourful warm bowl with crisp vegetables and savoury sauce, perfect for relaxed weeknight meals.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Korean
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 3 to 4
Author: Recipe adapted from Testado, Provado & Aprovado

Ingredients

Vegetables

  • ½ cup mung bean sprouts
  • ½ cup spinach leaves
  • ½ cup carrots – julienned
  • ½ cup zucchini – julienned
  • ½ cup mushrooms – sliced (I used shiitake)
  • ½ cup green onions – sliced

Meat

  • 75 g – about ½ cup beef – pork, or chicken, ground or cut into fine strips (I used pork mince)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves – minced
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper

Gochujang Sauce

  • 3 tbsp Korean red pepper paste (gochujang)
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 garlic clove – minced

Korean-Style Steamed Rice

  • 220 g – 1 cup Korean short-grain rice – the same type used for sushi
  • 300 ml – 1¼ cups water

Assembling

  • prepared Korean-style steamed rice
  • sesame oil
  • eggs – 1 per serving
  • dried seaweed gim – 김, cut into thin strips using kitchen scissors

Instructions

Korean-Style Steamed Rice

  1. Measure the rice and place it in a bowl. Fill the bowl with water and gently swirl the rice with your hand, without scrubbing. Strain the water and repeat this process three more times. The final water will not be crystal clear, and that is normal. Strain the rice well and immediately return it to the bowl.
  2. Measure the water used for cooking and pour it over the rice. Let the rice soak for 30 minutes.
  3. After soaking, transfer the rice and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover and simmer gently until all the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Watch closely.
  4. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for an additional 15 minutes to finish cooking.
  5. Gently stir the rice so the moisture is evenly distributed.

Meat and Vegetables

  1. Marinate the meat by mixing it with all the marinade ingredients. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
  2. Wilt the mung bean sprouts, strain them, and immediately immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking. Strain again, then season with a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Use the same process for the spinach.
  3. Sauté the remaining vegetables very briefly, one at a time, in a pan lightly greased with sesame oil over medium-high heat. The vegetables should remain crunchy. Season each with a pinch of salt and set aside separately.
  4. Using the same pan, sauté the meat over high heat until fully cooked.

Gochujang Sauce

  1. Combine all the ingredients and set aside. Serve the sauce separately so each person can adjust it to taste.

Assembling

  1. Make a bed of steamed rice in each bowl, using about ½ to 1 cup per serving.
  2. Arrange the warm vegetables on top of the rice, placing them side by side around the bowl as shown in the pictures. For a more traditional presentation, arrange similar colours opposite each other. Place the meat either in the centre or alongside the vegetables.
  3. Carefully place the fried egg, or raw egg yolk if using, in the centre so the yolk does not break.
  4. For Dolsot Bibimbap, brush the bottom of a stone pot or skillet with sesame oil. Add the rice and arrange all the other ingredients as above.
  5. Place a raw egg yolk in the centre of the dish.

  6. Heat the pot on the stovetop over medium heat without a lid. After about 5 minutes, it will begin to sizzle.

    Note: Total cooking time for Dolsot Bibimbap is approximately 10 minutes, depending on your stove. Watch closely so the rice at the bottom forms a thin, crunchy layer without burning.

  7. When you mix everything together at the table, the heat of the pot will cook the egg yolk through.
  8. Bibimbap is traditionally eaten with a spoon. Add some sauce to the bowl, mix everything together thoroughly, and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

  • Vegetables can be swapped based on seasonal availability or personal preference. Raw lettuce and cucumber also work well. Using a colourful mix of vegetables improves both the appearance and nutritional balance of the dish.
  • Vegetarians can leave out the meat or replace it with grilled tofu.