Bibimbap, The ultimate comfort food!
Bibimbap (비빔밥) is probably one of the most well-known and beloved Korean dishes to many people. Even if people don’t know anything about Korea, it’s not too difficult to find people who had Bibimbap sometime in their lives.
What is Bibimbap?
Bibimbap simply translates to “mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables“. You can make endless variations to this dish depending on your preference and dietary requirements (e.g. Saessak (micro leaves) Bibimbap) and also based on the dish/bowl it is served in (e.g. Dolsot Bibimbap and Yangpun Bibimbap).
More traditional and authentic versions of Bibimbap are served with raw beef and raw egg yolk along with other vegetables but I prefer making it with cooked ingredients.
As I was growing up, my mum used make Bibimbap to get rid of vegetable side dishes (banchan) that are getting a few days old (less fresh) or when she didn’t want to put much effort into a meal, she would just take out a few sautéed and seasoned vegetables and Kimchi from the fridge, add a sprinkle of seasoned seaweed strips (Gim) and made vegetarian Bibimbap.
So I don’t recall having much nicely presented Bibimbap, like the top picture above at home, yet regardless of the presentation her Bibimbap was always tasty! Anyway, how do you make your Bibimbap? Any secret ingredients to share with us?
How to make Bibimbap (video tutorial)
Ingredients for 3 to 4 servings
(Prep time: 35 mins, Cooking time: 55 mins )
Meat and meat sauce
- 100g (3.5 ounces) beef mince
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar – I used brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
Vegetables and other
- 250g (0.6 pounds) mildly seasoned spinach
- 350g (0.8 pounds) mildly seasoned bean sprouts – (You don’t have to use them up if you think it’s too much but I love having lots of vegetables on my Bibimbap!)
- 100g (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushroom
- 120g (4.2 ounces) carrots (1 small)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (1/4 tsp each will be used when cooking shiitake mushroom and carrots)
- 3 to 4 serving portions of steamed rice
- 3 or 4 eggs (depending on the serving portion)
- Some cooking oil to cook the meat, mushroom, carrots and eggs – I used rice bran oil.
- Korean seasoned seaweed, shredded (long thin cut)
Bibimbap sauce – The below sauce might be only enough for 3 servings if you like eating it spicy.
- 2 Tbsp gochujang
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar – I used raw sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp vinegar – I used apple vinegar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp = 15ml
** If you want to learn more about Korean cooking ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
Directions
1. Prepare and cook ingredients as below.
– For meat, mix the beef mince with the meat sauce listed above. Marinate the meat for about 30 mins while you are working on other ingredients to enhance the flavour. Add some cooking oil into a wok and cook the meat on medium high to high heat. It takes about 3 to 5 mins to thoroughly cook it.
– Mix the Bibimbap sauce ingredients in a bowl.
– Spinach and bean sprouts per linked recipe.
– Rinse, peel and julienne the carrots. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook the carrots on medium high to high heat for 2 to 3 mins.
-Clean/rinse the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook the mushrooms on medium high to high heat until they are all cooked. (It takes 2 to 3 mins.)
– Make fried eggs. (While sunny side up is common, you can make them per your preference.)
2. Put the rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, seasoned seaweed, Bibimbap sauce and the egg on top of the rice. Serve it.
3. Mix the ingredients well in the bowl and enjoy!
- 100 g beef mince (3.5 ounces)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar - I used brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
- 250 g spinach (mildly seasoned) (0.6 pounds)
- 350 g bean sprouts – (mildly seasoned) 0.8 pounds, You don’t have to use them up if you think it’s too much but I love having lots of vegetables on my Bibimbap!
- 100 g shiitake mushroom (3.5 ounces)
- 120 g carrots (4.2 ounces, 1 small)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (1/4 tsp each will be used when cooking shiitake mushroom and carrots)
- 3 cups steamed rice (3 to 4 serving portions )
- 3 eggs (3 or 4 depending on the serving portion)
- Some cooking oil (to cook the meat, mushroom, carrots and eggs – I used rice bran oil.)
- Some Korean seasoned seaweed shredded (long thin cut)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar - I used raw sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp vinegar - I used apple vinegar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Prepare and cook ingredients as below.
- For meat, mix the beef mince with the meat sauce listed above. Marinate the meat for about 30 mins while you are working on other ingredients to enhance the flavour. Add some cooking oil into a wok and cook the meat on medium high to high heat. It takes about 3 to 5 mins to thoroughly cook it.
- Mix the Bibimbap sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Spinach and bean sprouts per linked recipe.
- Rinse, peel and julienne the carrots. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook the carrots on medium high to high heat for 2 to 3 mins.
- Clean/rinse the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook the mushrooms on medium high to high heat until they are all cooked. (It takes 2 to 3 mins.)
- Make fried eggs. (While sunny side up is common, you can make them per your preference.)
- Put the rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, seasoned seaweed, Bibimbap sauce and the egg on top of the rice. Serve it.
- Mix the ingredients well in the bowl and enjoy!
* 1 Tbsp = 15ml
I am so glad I came upon this recipe! Love to eat it for breakfast. I just eliminate the beef and use an extra egg. I use whatever is at hand, usually kale, broccoli slaw, onions, bean sprouts, mushrooms, kimchee, and minced habaneros or Thai peppers (I like it hot). Also substitute quinoa if I don’t have left over rice, since it’s quick to prepare and is a good source of protein.
Thanks again for a great recipe…the sauce is awesome. Can’t wait to check out and try your other recipes.
Hi Diana, Your breakfast sounds so good and healthy! Yes, I also do think the sauce is the key. The rest is use whatever you have in your pantry and fridge. 🙂 Glad to hear you enjoyed my recipe!
Hello, I have long been a lover of Korean cuisine but am now recently undertaking to attempt to make things myself. I really look forward to making your recipe. My question is, what surface do you use to cook? I have a wok but I wondered if what I saw in the video recipe was one of the small portable gas burners that I have seen in stores and Korean TV shows. Or, please inform me if it is something else.
감사합니다! 맛있게 먹겠습니다.
Hi Severin, Normally I cook on the induction cooktop. But for video shooting, I use a portable gas burner because of the angle and lighting issue. Other than that, I use a portable gas burner for hot pot cooking and Korean BBQ where you eat food as you cook. So it’s worth having it at home. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi, I would like to try the recipe but is it possible to use beef sirlion in place of the beef mince
Of course, Rhoda! Some people even use pork or chicken. FYI. Enjoy! 🙂
I’m excited to try this. My husband hates spicy food — do you have a suggestion for a milder but flavorful sauce?
Perhaps you can reduce the gochujang and add a bit of soy sauce instead. 🙂
This recipe is amazing I have had it so many times since I found it and everyone that tries it LOVES it. Also, the best part is I don’t have to pay to eat at a restaurant anymore! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Great to hear you’re enjoying my bibimbap recipe! Saving money is added bonus! 🙂
I preferred the taste of this meal over bibimbap i’ve gotten at Korean restaurants around me. It’s a lot of work but so worth it. Thanks!
Thanks, Carrie! You can reduce the types of vegetable ingredients that goes into to make it quicker. Nonetheless, glad to hear you enjoyed it!!