Make easy bibimbap with ground beef. This Korean mixed rice bowl recipe includes all the authentic elements with ground beef bulgogi and a homemade bibimbap sauceā€”all in under 1 hour.

A bowl of Korean bibimbap on a wooden tray served with gochujang sauce on the side.

Bibimbap is one of the most well-known Korean dishes in Korean cuisine. This hearty Korean rice bowl is very satisfying and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Making traditional beef bibimbap from scratch can take some time. However, you can simplify it by making ground beef bibimbap. This easy recipe lets you enjoy authentic flavors in under an hour from start to finish. Give it a try and share it with your loved ones!

A bibimbap vegetables and ground beef arranged in a serving bowl.

What is bibimbap?

Bibimbap literally means “mixed rice”ā€”ā€œbibimā€ means to mix, and ā€œbapā€ means cooked rice. You can pronounce it as Bi-Bim-Bap.

This Korean rice bowl features warm rice topped with seasoned vegetables, meat (usually beef), and a sunny side-up fried egg. These elements add color and texture, making it a unique and delicious dish.

Bibimbap is served with a sweet and spicy red sauce made with gochujang (Korean chili paste). The fun part is mixing the rice, veggies, meat, and sauce in the bowl with chopsticks or a spoon before eating. It’s so tasty that once you try it, you’ll be hooked!

Bibimbap Components

Ingredients for making bibimbap.

Meat

Many Korean beef bibimbap recipes use marinated beef bulgogi, but preparing it takes hours. An easier option is using ground beef bulgogi, which takes less than 15 minutes and is just as tasty. Plus, ground beef mixes better with rice and vegetables than chunks of beef bulgogi.

For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit the beef or use a plant-based protein such as tofu or more mushrooms.

Vegetables

While the options for vegetables are endless and you can use any number of them, the vegetables used in bibimbap are collectively called namul (ė‚˜ė¬¼). On their own, they are Korean vegetable side dishes.

When choosing vegetables, strive for a color contrast to make the dish look more appetizing. Most commonly used vegetables are; soybean sprouts, spinach, watercress, carrot, zucchini, radish, eggplant, and etc.

Bibimbap Sauce

Ingredients for making bibimbap sauce.

While meat and vegetables are important components, the red bibimbap sauce is essential for creating the dish’s signature flavor. If you have basic Korean condiments, making the sauce is very simple and easy.

Youā€™ll need gochujang (Korean chili paste), gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), sugar, sesame oil, and a bit of corn syrup for added shine. Korean plum extract is optional but adds a nice boost of flavor.

Top view of Korean rice bowl mixed with a spoon.

How to make bibimbap

Make the sauce and ground beef bulgogi

Bibimbap sauce is made with gochujang in a small bowl
Ground beef and bulgogi sauce simmering in a skillet.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate to chill. Cook the ground beef as directed in the recipe, then set it aside.

Prepare the vegetables

Cooked soybean sprouts are dressed with seasonings
Korean radish is cooked to be soft and tender in a skillet
Zucchini slices are cooked to be tender and soft in a skillet
Green watercress are stir-fried in a skillet
Sliced shiitake mushroom are cooking in a skillet
Shredded carrots are cooked soft in a skillet

Cook each vegetable separately with the necessary seasonings listed in the recipe.

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.

Assemble Bibimbap Bowl

Colorful Korean vegetables, beef, and bibimbap sauce are ready to assemble.

Place warm rice in a serving bowl and arrange the vegetables on top, alternating colors for a nice presentation, with the ground bulgogi in the center. Top with a sunny side-up egg.

Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of sauce over the bowl, or serve the sauce on the side for guests to add as they like.

A bowl of Korean bibimbap drizzled with red sauce.

Serving Tips

Eating Korean mixed rice with vegetables is fun and interactive. Break the egg, mix everything with chopsticks, then use a spoon to coat evenly. Check out my tutorial video for a visual guide.

Take a big spoonful and savor the mix of rice, meat, and vegetables in savory gochujang sauce. This Korean rice bowl is hearty on its own, but kimchi and a light soup, like doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) or kimchi soup , make great additions.

Dolsot Bibimbap vs Bibimbap

Bibimbap has two variations: regular, served at room temperature, and dolsot, served hot in a heated stone pot. To create the crispy rice crust of dolsot bibimbap, use a heated cast iron or carbon steel skillet. Hereā€™s how to make it:

Dolsot bibimbap made in a skillet.
A spoonful of crispy dolsot bibimbap with rice crust.

The skillet method offers better control and easy ingredient customization. Enjoy this delicious meal year-roundā€”itā€™s sure to become a favorite! Watch my recipe video below (at 4:09) to see how itā€™s done in a skillet.

Watch bibimbap recipe video

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A bowl of Korean bibimbap is on a wooden tray with gochujang sauce on the side

Easy Ground Beef Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)

Servings: 6 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Make easy bibimbap with ground beef. This Korean mixed rice bowl recipe includes all the authentic elements with ground beef bulgogi and a homemade bibimbap sauceā€”all in under 1 hour.
5 from 7 ratings
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Recipe Video

Ingredients

Bibimbap sauce

For bibimbap

  • 6 cup freshly cooked white rice
  • 6 egg
  • 1 lb ground beef bulgogi, see not below for vegetarian or vegan option

Bibimbap vegetables

  • 1 lb soybean sprouts
  • 1 lb Korean radish, sliced into very thin matchsticks
  • 2 small zucchini, sliced
  • 1 bunch watercress, sliced
  • 6 oz shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks (see note)

Vegetable seasonings

Instructions 

To make bibimbap sauce

  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well; set aside.

To make bibimbap vegetables

  • For the soybean sprouts, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain. Season with a a mixture of 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons Korean soup soy sauce, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions. Toss well.
  • For the radish, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 teaspoons of 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 2 teaspoon of sesame oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • For zucchini, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons garlic, zucchini slices, and salt. Stir fry until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Toss well.
  • For watercress, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and watercress; stir fry for 1 minute. Drizzle 2 teaspoon Korean soup soy sauce and cook until wilted.
  • For mushrooms, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the 2 teaspoons minced garlic and the mushrooms; stir fry for 1 minute. Drizzle 2 teaspoon Korean soup soy sauce and cook until soft. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds at the end and toss.
  • For carrots, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add carrot and salt and toss 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 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds at the end and toss.

For ground beef and egg

  • Cook ground beef bulgogi according to the recipe direction.
  • For eggs, fry eggs to sunny-side up or over easy in hot oil.

Assembling Bibimbap

  • 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 in the center. Place an 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.

Notes

For carrot: I use package pre-shreded carrot matchsticks. It’s a time savor and makes prep time shorter.
For vegetarian or vegan bibimbap: You can either omit the beef and egg, or replace with tofu and other plant based protein.
For ultimate bibimbap sauce: try my all-purpose homemade gochujang sauce to replace the easy bibimbap sauce.
Cuisine: Korean
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Rice Dishes
Author: Holly Ford
Web Story: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/web-stories/bibimbap/
Calories: 659kcal, Carbohydrates: 71g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 217mg, Sodium: 1278mg, Potassium: 1049mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 3956IU, Vitamin C: 46mg, Calcium: 166mg, Iron: 5mg
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