Dolsot bibimbap in a hot stone bowl with egg yolk, carrots, spinach, bean sprouts and beef

Bibimbap

Written by on in Dinner & Lunch

Bibimbap, which means “mixed rice” in Korean, is a colorful bowl of warm rice topped with seasoned vegetables, savory marinated beef and a runny fried egg. Everything gets stirred together at the table with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. It’s a balanced, satisfying meal, and a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 55 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the beef:

  • 8 oz (225 g) ground beef or thinly sliced ribeye
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

For the vegetables:

  • 2 cups (200 g) bean sprouts
  • 6 oz (170 g) fresh spinach
  • 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 small zucchini, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Neutral oil, toasted sesame oil, salt and toasted sesame seeds

For the gochujang sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

To serve:

  • 4 cups cooked short-grain rice, warm
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions

  1. Mix the beef with the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic and let it marinate while you prepare the vegetables. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and toss with a pinch of salt and a few drops of sesame oil.
  3. Blanch the spinach in the same water for 30 seconds, rinse under cold water, squeeze out the excess water and season the same way.
  4. Heat a little neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the carrot, zucchini and mushrooms one at a time, with a pinch of salt each, for 2–3 minutes, until just tender. Set each aside separately.
  5. Add the beef to the same skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through.
  6. Fry the eggs sunny-side up in a little oil, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
  7. Divide the rice among 4 bowls. Arrange the vegetables, cucumber and beef in sections on top, place a fried egg in the center and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  8. Serve with the gochujang sauce. Add as much as you like, then mix everything together before eating.

Tips for the Best Bibimbap

  • Get a crispy bottom: for dolsot bibimbap, brush a cast-iron or stone bowl with sesame oil, add the rice and heat it until it sizzles and crisps before adding the toppings.
  • Cook the vegetables separately. It keeps their colors bright and their flavors distinct.
  • Make it vegetarian: swap the beef for pan-fried tofu marinated in the same sauce.
  • Meal prep: the vegetables and beef keep for 3 days in the fridge, so you can assemble bowls in minutes.
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