Authentic Bibimbap Under 1 Hour

Learn to make authentic Korean bibimbap at home with this detailed guide. It features rice, sautéed veggies, ground beef bulgogi, a fried egg, and a homemade red bibimbap sauce. Get tips, tool recommendations, and recipe variations to make this dish in under an hour.

Bibimbap is a unique Korean dish that has gained popularity in many households, even if you’ve never been to Korea. Similar to bulgogi, japchae, and Korean fried chicken, you can easily find this traditional meal on the menu of local Korean restaurants in your neighborhood.

Once you try bibimbap, you’ll be hooked! Fortunately, you can make this wholesome and healthy dish at home with a simple recipe that takes less than an hour to prepare. You can even increase the amounts of each ingredient to feed a larger group of people.

What is bibimbap?

The literal translation means mixed rice–“bibim” means to mix, and “bap” means cooked rice. You can pronounce as it says; Bi-Bim-Bap.

It is, perhaps, the most well known dish among Korean rice dishes. A bowl of rice is arranged with all sorts of seasoned vegetables and meat (typically beef), and topped with a sunny side up fried egg.

You can enjoy the rich flavor and the crisp texture of each ingredient in every bite. This Korean rice dish is served with a sweet and spicy bibimbap sauce made with gochujang–Korean chili paste.

The homemade gochujang sauce has become super popular in recent years. It is used to dress up many dishes in Korean and other cuisines. My cookbook, Korean cooking favorites, also shares another delicious recipe.

Dolsot Bibimbap

Bibimbap comes in two variations: regular and dolsot.

The regular version is typically served at room temperature in a large bowl made of stainless steel or porcelain. In contrast, dolsot bibimbap should be served hot in a heated stone pot.

For that reason, the dolsot version of this dish is often preferred during colder weather, as it retains its heat and warmth for longer.

To serve it, the stone pot can be placed directly on a heat source, ensuring that the rice and toppings stay piping hot until the very last bite.

Bibimbap Vegetables

While the options for the vegetables are endless and you can use any number of them. The vegetables used in bibimbap recipe are collectively called namul (나물).

On their own, they are Korean vegetable side dishes. When you consider what vegetables to use, always strive for a color contrast to make it look more appetizing.

Most commonly used vegetables are:

• Soybean sprouts or mung bean sprouts – These add a crunchy texture to the dish. For detailed instructions on how to prepare them, check out my bean sprout side dish recipe.
• Spinach – This leafy green vegetable is a classic ingredient. Try my Korean spinach side dish recipe to prepare it.
• Watercress – If you prefer a milder flavor than spinach, watercress is a great alternative. The best part is you can skip the blanching process.
• Carrot – adds a nice crunch texture and color contrast.
• Zucchini (fresh or dried) – A common ingredient in bibimbap. You can use fresh or dried zucchini.
• Swiss chard – A nutritious addition to the dish.
• Radish – The mellow taste of Koran radish balances out the other flavors. I love the addition of white color it adds.
• Eggplant – This soft and tender vegetable adds a great texture to the dish.
• Bracken (gosari) – Needs some work to prep beforehand (see my Yukgaejang recipe for the idea)
• Mushroom – Although not one of the traditional “namul” vegetables, but mushrooms are always included in bibimbap. Shiitake mushrooms are the most common, but other types are fine as well.

Pro Tip: To ensure that each vegetable retains its natural color, it’s best to start by cooking the lightest-colored vegetable (such as radish) first and then progress to the darker-colored vegetables. This method also allows you to use just one skillet, making cleanup easier.

Meat

Beef is a common protein addition, but it’s entirely optional. If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan version of the dish, you can omit the beef altogether or replace it with another plant-based protein of your choice.

Many recipes use traditional marinated beef bulgogi, which requires several hours or even a day of preparation in advance.

An easy alternative is to use ground beef (see my ground beef bulgogi recipe) instead. It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and is just as tasty as the marinated beef version. Plus, ground beef is easier to mix with the rice and vegetables than larger chunks of beef.

For a variety of flavors, other meat toppings can be used, such as chicken bulgogi, pork bulgogi or spicy squid stir-fry. These options make it easy to customize your bibimbap to your liking.

Bibimbap Sauce

While vegetables and meat are important component, the red bibimbap sauce is essential for creating the dish’s signature flavor. Here’s an easy recipe to make your own sauce:

• Gochujang (Korean chili paste): This spicy, savory paste is a staple in Korean cuisine and adds heat and depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Korean plum extract (optional, but recommended): This sweet and tangy extract adds a unique twist to the sauce and complements the spicy gochujang.
• Corn syrup or sugar: These sweeteners balance out the spiciness of the gochujang and add a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
• Sesame oil: Aromatic oil adds a nutty flavor to the sauce and helps to bring all the ingredients together.
• Toasted sesame seeds: Add texture and flavor to the sauce.

If you want to take your bibimbap sauce to the next level, try my ultimate homemade gochujang sauce recipe.

How to make bibimbap

Step 1. Soy bean sprouts

• Blanch sprouts in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.
• Season with a a mixture of minced garlic, Korean soup soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and finely chopped green onions. Toss well.

Step 2. Radish

• Slice radish into thin matchsticks. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add radish slices and a couple pinches of salt, and toss well. Cover with a lid and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
• Drizzle a little sesame oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Step 3. Zucchini

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, zucchini slices, and salt. Stir fry until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add sesame oil and sesame seeds. Toss well

Step 4. Watercress

• Stir-fry watercress in hot oil with minced garlic; cook for 1 minute.
• Drizzle Korean soup soy sauce and cook until wilted.

Step 5. Mushrooms

• Add 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet, add the minced garlic and the mushrooms; stir fry for 1 minute. Drizzle Korean soup soy sauce and cook until soft.
• Sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds at the end and toss.

Step 6. Carrots

• Stir-fry carrot in hot oil with salt and cook together for 30 seconds. Pour in 2 tablespoons water to create steam and cover with a lid immediately. Cook for 1-2 minutes until soft.
• Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds at the end and toss.

Assembling vegetables

• Put a desired amount of rice on the bottom of a large serving bowl.
• Arrange the vegetables on top of the rice in alternating colors for a good visual presentation. Put bulgogi meat (bulgogi ground beef) in the center.
• Place a fried sunny side-up egg on top.
• You can either drizzle the bibimbap sauce (about 2 tablespoon) directly over the rice bowl, or you can put the sauce in a small sauce bowl on the side next to the bibimbap so that your guest can add the sauce directly to the bowl in their desired amount.

Serving Tips

It’s common to top this traditional Korean mixed rice bowl with a fried egg. You can choose to make a sunny-side-up (see my gyeran bap recipe) or over-easy egg, which allows the runny yolk to mix with the rice and create a delicious flavor combination.

Eating bibimbap is a fun and interactive experience. Here’s how to enjoy it:

Mixing:

Your bibimbap may look almost too beautiful to eat, but mixing everything together is essential for maximum flavor. While you can use a spoon to mix it, the easiest and most common method is to use chopsticks.

• First, use the chopsticks to break up the egg yolk and white in a cross pattern.
• Then, hold both chopsticks in one hand and toss the rice and vegetables together to mix in the sauce.
• Finally, use a spoon to coat everything evenly. Check out my tutorial video for a visual guide.

Serving:

Once you mix everything together, take a big spoonful and savor the combination of rice, meat, and vegetables coated in a savory gochujang sauce.

• Since bibimbap already has a variety of vegetables mixed in, you don’t need any additional side dishes besides kimchi. To round out the meal, you can serve a light soup made with soybean paste or kimchi soup.

More rice dishes

If you are looking for other Korean rice dishes, you will love these simple rice bowl recipes:

• Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
• Simple Egg Fried Rice
• Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Roll)
• Korean Egg Rice (Gyeran Bap)
• Rice Balls
• Quick Spam Fried Rice

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