Bibimbap

PIn it

Introduction

Bibimbap is a Korean rice bowl where seasoned vegetable namuls, beef, a fried egg, and gochujang come together in one dish—you mix it all at the table, letting the egg cook into the warm rice. The recipe takes about 45 minutes start to finish and works equally well as a weeknight dinner or a showpiece meal for guests.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 3

Ingredients

Carrot namul

• 2 small carrots
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp ground sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp grated garlic
• 1-2 pinches salt

Spinach namul

• 10 oz fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp ground sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp grated garlic

Bean sprout namul

• 8 oz bean sprouts, with beans attached
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ground sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp grated garlic
• 1 pinch salt

Beef soboro

• 1 tbsp olive or other oil
• 1 lb steak
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp grated garlic

Assembly

• ¾-1 ½ cup white rice, steamed
• 3 eggs, cooked over easy
• ¾ cup kimchi
• 1 cucumber, cut into strips
• Gochujang
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Carrot namul

1. Cut the carrots into matchsticks.
2. Boil matchsticks in a covered pot of salted water for a few minutes. Drain.
3. Rinse carrots with cold water until cool. Drain again, then put in a bowl.
4. Add the sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, grated garlic, and salt. Toss together with your fingers.

Spinach namul

1. Put the spinach in a large covered pot with 1 inch of water.
2. Bring to a boil and cook as usual. Stir occasionally to keep the spinach from sticking to the pot. The spinach is done when it’s dark green and reduced to a small fraction of its original volume.
3. Drain the cooked spinach. Cool by adding cold water to the pot and drain again. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to remove the water.
4. Slice the cooked spinach into 1-inch pieces.
5. Put the cooked spinach in a bowl with the sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, and grated garlic. Mix with your fingers.

Bean sprout namul

1. Blanch the bean sprouts in a pot of salted water until they become clear.
2. Drain the cooked sprouts, and transfer to a bowl.
3. Toss with sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, grated garlic, and salt.

Beef soboro

1. Slice the steak thinly, but not paper-thin.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the beef. Stir-fry.
3. While the beef is cooking, add the sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, and grated garlic. Cook until the meat is well browned.
4. Add the soy sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid has boiled off.

Simple variation

1. Place rice in each bowl.
2. Arrange the prepared namuls, beef soboro, cucumbers, and egg on top of the rice. They should be arranged separately and attractively. The egg sits in the middle. Gochujang, kimchi, and any other root or leafy vegetable is served on the side in small individual bowls for the table to help themselves.

Dolsot bibimbap Variation

1. Rub the inside of the dolsots with sesame oil.
2. Spread the cooked rice evenly over the bottom of the dolsots and part way up the sides. Place the namurus and the beef soboro on top of the rice, each in its own area.
3. Cover the dolsots and cook over medium-high heat. Watch carefully near the end to avoid burning the rice on the bottom. To test, use a spoon to scrape the rice from the side. Remember that the bottom cooks more than the sides and that the rice keeps cooking after you remove it from the heat. Do not preheat the dolsots.
4. Add an uncooked egg to the middle of each dolsot.
5. Serve dolsots on small pieces of wood to keep the heat from damaging the table.

Serving

1. To eat, start by scraping the rice from the bottom and stirring the ingredients together with a metal spoon. The egg will cook as it breaks up. The rice on the bottom will be crunchy and sometimes hard to remove unless you continue stirring as you eat.

Variations

• Vegetarian bibimbap: Skip the beef soboro and double the mushroom or bean sprout namul. The sesame oil and soy sauce in the vegetables provide enough savory depth.
• Add shiitake mushrooms: Slice and cook 6 oz mushrooms in sesame oil with garlic and soy sauce until browned, then place on the bowl alongside the other namuls for extra umami.
• Use the dolsot method for crisped rice: If you have stone bowls, follow the dolsot variation to get a crunchy, slightly charred rice layer that adds texture contrast.
• Include cooked zucchini or eggplant: Slice and lightly pan-fry either vegetable with sesame oil and garlic, then add to the namul lineup for variety.
• Substitute gochujang with sriracha or chili oil: If you prefer a different heat level or flavor profile, either condiment works at the table.

Tips for Success

• Cook the namuls ahead of time: All three vegetable sides hold well in the fridge for up to 2 days, so you can prep them the morning of or the night before. This cuts your final assembly time to just cooking the rice, beef, and eggs.
• Don’t squeeze out all the water from the spinach: Remove excess water, but leave it slightly moist so the sesame oil coats it evenly without drying it out completely.
• Slice the beef thinly for even cooking: Paper-thin slices cook too fast and can toughen; aim for roughly ⅛-inch thickness so the pieces brown and cook through in 3–4 minutes.
• Let the soy sauce reduce completely: After adding soy sauce to the beef, wait until the pan is nearly dry before plating. This concentrates the flavor and prevents a wet, soggy bowl.
• Fry the eggs over easy with a runny yolk: The warm runny yolk mixes into the hot rice and acts as a sauce, binding all the components together as you stir.

Storage and Reheating

To reheat, warm the rice, namuls, and beef separately in a microwave (1–2 minutes each, stirred halfway through) or in a covered skillet over medium heat (3–4 minutes). Fry a fresh egg for each serving. Assemble and serve immediately.

FAQ

Can I prep the vegetables the night before?

Yes. Blanch and season all three namuls up to 24 hours ahead, then store them in separate containers. They actually taste better a few hours after seasoning, as the flavors meld.

What if I don’t have a dolsot?

Use a regular wide, shallow bowl or plate. You’ll skip the crisped rice layer, but the flavors and textures remain the same. The simple bowl variation is easier for weeknight cooking.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Ground beef or thinly sliced ribeye, sirloin, or flank steak all work. Avoid very lean cuts, which can dry out. Cook ground beef by breaking it into small crumbles instead of stir-frying slices.

How much gochujang should I use per serving?

Start with 1 tsp per bowl and adjust to taste. Gochujang is spicy and salty, so a little goes far. Serve it on the side so each person can control the heat level.