Easy Ground Beef Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)

Make bibimbap at home with warm short-grain rice, savory ground beef, and colorful seasoned vegetables. This easy Korean rice bowl comes together in under an hour and tastes like the kind of bibimbap you get in a good Korean home, often better than what you’ll find at restaurants.

Bibimbap (비빔밥) is one of the Korean dishes I’ve made the most in my life. Growing up, we had some version of it almost every week—sometimes with leftover banchan, sometimes with bulgogi, and often with whatever vegetables needed to be used up.

This ground beef version was our go-to when we wanted bibimbap fast. It’s simple, colorful, and comes together with ingredients you probably already have.

Warm rice, seasoned vegetables, a savory ground beef topping, and a spoonful of gochujang… it’s the kind of Korean comfort bowl that hits the spot without much effort.

Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding a crowd, this bibimbap stays easy, flexible, and ready in under an hour.

What You Need to Make Bibimbap

Rice

Bibimbap always starts with warm Korean short-grain rice. Its naturally sticky and glossy texture helps everything mix together the way it should. I often cook my rice on the stovetop for a shinier, slightly chewier base, but leftover rice works too—just break up any clumps before reheating.

Meat

Most bibimbap is made with thinly sliced classic beef bulgogi, but at home we often reached for ground beef bulgogi because it cooks fast, seasons evenly, and mixes beautifully into the rice. This version gives you that same savory bulgogi-style flavor without the marinating time—perfect for busy nights.

Prefer a meatless bowl? Tofu or extra mushrooms work well and still give great texture.

Vegetables (Namul)

The seasoned vegetables in bibimbap are called namul (나물), and Korean home cooks use whatever they have on hand. Aim for a mix of colors and textures—soft, crunchy, fresh, and sautéed—to keep each bite balanced.

Great options include:

• Spinach or watercress
• Soybean sprouts
• Zucchini
• Carrots
• Mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, or button)
• Radish or cucumber (lightly pickled or sautéed)

Tip: Cook each vegetable separately and season lightly. It keeps the flavors clean and gives the final bowl that classic layered taste.

Gochujang Sauce

This simple red sauce is what brings bibimbap to life. Every Korean family mixes it a little differently, but the base is always the same—gochujang, a splash of sesame oil, and a touch of sweetness to balance the heat.

If you keep a basic Korean pantry, you can whisk the sauce together in a minute and adjust the spice or sweetness to your taste.

How to make bibimbap

Making bibimbap at home might seem complex, but it’s really about prepping each component, then assembling them into one colorful, delicious bowl. Here’s how to do it step by step.

1. Prepare the rice. Cook short-grain rice so it’s ready by the time the toppings are done. The slightly sticky texture helps everything mix together the way bibimbap should.

2. Cook the Beef and Make the Sauce. Sauté the ground beef until browned and well-seasoned. In a separate bowl, stir together the gochujang sauce so it’s ready for serving. Having both components prepped keeps assembly quick and easy.

3. Prepare the vegetables. Blanch or sauté each vegetable on its own and season lightly. This keeps the flavors clean and gives the final bowl that layered taste bibimbap is known for.

Tip: Start with the light-colored vegetables (like radish or zucchini) and finish with deeper-colored ones such as mushrooms or spinach. This way, you can cook everything in the same skillet without the darker veggies staining the lighter ones—plus it keeps cleanup easy.

4. Assemble. Scoop the warm rice into a large bowl, arrange the beef and vegetables on top, and finish with a sunny-side-up egg. Add a spoonful of gochujang sauce, or serve it on the side so everyone can adjust the heat to their liking.

5. Serve. To eat bibimbap the traditional way, drizzle a spoonful of the sauce over the top, then mix everything together—rice, vegetables, egg, and beef—until all the flavors blend. I find it’s easiest to start mixing with chopsticks to break up the toppings, then switch to a spoon to finish so every bite is well combined and perfectly seasoned.

Enjoy your hard-earned bowl — you just made the epitome of Korean rice dishes. Seriously… if you can make bibimbap, the rest of the Korean rice world feels easy.

Dolsot-Style Bibimbap (Optional)

If you want that crispy rice layer you get in restaurant dolsot bibimbap, you can recreate it at home without a stone bowl. Heat a small cast-iron or heavy skillet with a little sesame oil, press in warm rice, and cook until the bottom turns golden and crisp. Add the toppings, mix at the table, and enjoy the crunchy bits.

Want to see how everything comes together? Watch the full bibimbap video inside the recipe card.

If you enjoy bibimbap variations, I share a modern version in my cookbook Korean Cooking Favorites — made with seared beef steak, avocado, and a soy-sauce based dressing. It’s simple, colorful, and one of my family’s go-to bowls.

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