Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a bowl of warm rice topped with seasoned vegetables, beef, a fried egg and spicy gochujang sauce. You mix everything together just before eating.

Bibimbap

Dolsot-bibimbap: Sous Chef, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

The name means 'mixed rice', and it is a colorful everyday meal as well as a showpiece of Korean cooking. The version from Jeonju is especially well known.

Explore the cuisine of South Korea.

Recipe

Make Bibimbap at home

Serves 4Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked short-grain rice
  • 8 oz beef, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 carrots, julienned
  • 2 zucchini, julienned
  • 8 oz spinach
  • 8 oz bean sprouts
  • 4 eggs
  • Gochujang, to serve

How it's made

  1. Marinate the beef with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, garlic and a pinch of sugar.
  2. Blanch spinach and bean sprouts separately, squeeze dry and season each with sesame oil and salt.
  3. Saute carrots and zucchini each briefly in a little oil with a pinch of salt.
  4. Stir-fry the beef until cooked through.
  5. Fry the eggs sunny side up.
  6. Divide rice among bowls, arrange toppings in sections, top with an egg and gochujang, and mix well.

Variations

  • Dolsot bibimbap: served in a sizzling stone bowl with crisp rice
  • Vegetarian bibimbap with mushrooms and tofu
  • Yukhoe bibimbap with raw beef (restaurant style)

Cook’s tip: Press the rice against the hot bowl for a minute to get a crunchy bottom layer.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit
  • Dolsot-bibimbap: Sous Chef, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)