Bibimbap (Rice Bowl with Toppings)

by Cuisine Cradle in
Preparation Time: 25 minutesCooking Time: 20 minutes

The Korean dish called bibimbap is a steaming rice with marinated beef, sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, and fiery gochujang. To get the intense flavor, the ingredients are individually cooked and later mixed before eating. It can be modified and, for texture, is sometimes served in a hot stone bowl.

The classic Korean meal called Bibimbap (Rice Bowl with Toppings) means “mixed rice.” Bibimbap starts with a base of warm rice, then adds savory meat, a fried egg, colorful vegetables, and finally, tops it with spicy gochujang sauce. It offers the perfect balance of taste, texture, and nutrients when paired together just prior to eating.

Bibimbap: Korean rice bowl with veggies, meat, egg, sauce

Bibimbap is a balanced and nutritious Korean rice bowl that celebrates both flavor and presentation. Prepare each topping spinach, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and more—separately to preserve its unique taste and texture

Combined with savory beef, a runny egg, and bold gochujang, it becomes a harmony of spicy, sweet, salty, and umami flavors. Thoroughly mixing Bibimbap before eating creates a satisfying and wholesome meal. Moreover, it’s fully customizable and widely enjoyed around the world.

Here is recipe for Bibimbap (Rice Bowl with Toppings):

The beginning of preparing bibimbap is to cook and reserve the short-grain rice. Cook spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms separately using sesame oil, garlic, and salt

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar with the meat, then stir-fry it until fully cooked. Scramble eggs with sun facing upwards. Mix gochujang, water, sugar or honey, sesame oil, and garlic to prepare the sauce.

Place the beef and vegetables over a scoop of rice in a bowl, followed by the egg in the center. Sprinkle sesame seeds over it and drizzle sesame oil over it.

Mix everything thoroughly with the sauce to enjoy the full flavor and texture of Bibimbap.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked white rice (short-grain preferred)
  • 100g (3.5 oz.) beef (sirloin or ground), thinly sliced
  • 1 small carrot, julienned
  • 1 zucchini, julienned
  • 1 cup Bean sprouts
  • 1 cup Spinach
  • 4-5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 eggs
  • Sesame oil (for cooking and drizzling)
  • Garlic clove, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sesame seeds (for garnish)
  • Seaweed (optional, shredded)
  • Soy sauce
  • Sesame oil
  • Sugar or honey
  • Water
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

Instructions

  1. Combine sliced beef with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic, and let it marinate for 15–20 minutes.
  2. Blanch spinach, squeeze out the excess water, and season with a little salt, garlic, and sesame oil.
  3. Blanch bean sprouts and season similarly to the spinach.
  4. Sauté zucchini and carrot separately in a pan with a bit of sesame oil and salt until tender.
  5. Sauté mushrooms until golden and cooked through.
  6. Stir-fry the marinated beef in a hot pan until fully cooked and slightly caramelized.
  7. Fry the eggs sunny-side up so the yolks stay runny.
  8. Mix all the gochujang sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
  9. Place warm rice in a bowl. Arrange the vegetables and beef neatly on top, add the fried egg in the center, and drizzle with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Serve with the gochujang sauce on the side or on top.