Korea

Korean Bibimbap Rice Bowls

Name: Korean Bibimbap Rice Bowls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korea
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked short-grain rice, warm; Beef: 12 oz flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 garlic clove, grated; 2 cups fresh spinach; 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks; 1 cup bean sprouts; 1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks; 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced; Toasted sesame oil, salt and sesame seeds for seasoning; 4 large eggs; Sauce: 3 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp sugar or honey, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Warm rice topped with seasoned vegetables, savory beef and a fried egg, mixed at the table with sweet-spicy gochujang sauce.

Prep30 min

Cook25 min

Serves4

HeatGentle warmth

Equipment: Large skillet, small saucepan

Jump to recipe

Korea🌶

About this dish

Bibimbap literally means 'mixed rice.' Each topping is seasoned separately, arranged over rice, then stirred together with gochujang sauce just before eating. It's a great way to use up vegetables, and every element can be prepared ahead.

Instructions

Toss the beef with the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic and set aside for 15 minutes. Stir the sauce ingredients together.
Blanch the spinach and bean sprouts separately in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, drain, rinse with cold water and squeeze dry. Season each with a few drops of sesame oil, a pinch of salt and sesame seeds.
In a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the carrot, zucchini and mushrooms one at a time for 2–3 minutes each, seasoning each with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Cook the beef in the hot skillet for 2–3 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Fry the eggs sunny-side up, or until the yolks reach your preferred doneness.
Divide the rice among bowls, arrange the vegetables and beef in sections on top, add an egg and serve with the sauce to stir in at the table.

Local knowledge

Korea has many regional versions, and dolsot bibimbap is served in a sizzling stone bowl that turns the bottom layer of rice crisp and golden. At home, a hot cast-iron skillet can create a similar crust.

Swaps & variations

Use ground beef, tofu or skip the meat entirely.
Any quick-cooking vegetables work: cucumber, kale, bell pepper or kimchi.

Serving & storing

Serve with kimchi and a simple seaweed soup.
Store toppings separately; reheat rice and beef, and eat vegetables cold or warm.

Safety & allergens: Runny egg yolks carry a risk of foodborne illness, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems — cook eggs until yolks are firm or use pasteurized eggs. Contains soy, wheat (most gochujang and soy sauce), sesame and egg. Always read ingredient labels. See our disclaimer.

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