Bibimbap simply means “mixed rice” in Korean – and that is exactly what the dish is all about. A bowl of warm rice is topped with colorful vegetables, a fried egg with a runny yolk, often a little meat or tofu, and a spoonful of punchy gochujang sauce. Just before you eat, you stir everything together so the flavors melt into each other. Simple, filling and impressively colorful on the table.
If you have been to a Korean restaurant, you may have had bibimbap served in a piping hot stone bowl. That version is called dolsot bibimbap, and the hot bowl gives the rice a crispy, golden crust at the bottom. You can easily mimic it at home – more on that further down.
Ingredients for four servings
- 4 servings of cooked rice – preferably Korean or Japanese short-grain rice from our range of rice
- 1 carrot in thin strips
- 1 zucchini in strips
- 200 g spinach
- 150 g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 4 eggs
- Neutral oil for frying
- Sesame seeds for topping
- Optional: 300 g sliced beef, chicken or tofu
For the bibimbap sauce:
- 4 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
- 1–2 tsp rice vinegar or water to adjust the consistency
You will find all the Korean essentials in our collection of Korean groceries – gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce and the right rice.
How to make bibimbap – step by step
- Cook the rice. Rinse short-grain rice well in cold water until the water runs almost clear, and cook it according to the package instructions. The rice should be sticky enough to hold onto the sauce.
- Stir together the sauce. Mix gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and a little rice vinegar into a smooth, glossy sauce. Taste it – it should be sweet, salty and just spicy enough.
- Fry the vegetables separately. This is the most important trick: Fry the carrot, zucchini and mushrooms in separate batches in a little oil with a pinch of salt. That way the colors stay fresh, and each vegetable keeps its own flavor and texture. It takes a few extra minutes, but it is the difference between a good and a fantastic bibimbap.
- Prepare the spinach. Blanch the spinach quickly in boiling water, cool it down and squeeze out the water. Mix with a little sesame oil, garlic and a pinch of salt.
- Fry the meat, if using. If you are using beef or chicken, marinate the strips in soy sauce, sesame oil, a little sugar and garlic for 15 minutes before frying them quickly over high heat.
- Fry the eggs. Fry them with a runny yolk – the yolk acts as an extra sauce when everything is mixed.
- Assemble the bowl. Place warm rice at the bottom of each bowl and arrange the vegetables and meat in neat sections around it. Top with the egg in the middle, a spoonful of sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
The bibimbap sauce – the key to the dish
The vegetables can be varied endlessly, but the sauce is what makes bibimbap bibimbap. The base is gochujang, the fermented Korean chili paste that is sweet, salty and umami-rich all at once. Stirred together with sesame oil, sugar and garlic, it becomes round and glossy, and ties the whole bowl together.
Start with one tablespoon of sauce per serving and taste your way forward – the heat varies from brand to brand. Not sure what gochujang actually is and which one to choose? We have written a dedicated guide: What is gochujang?
How to eat bibimbap
Bibimbap is meant to be mixed – the name says it all. Take your spoon and stir the egg, rice, sauce and vegetables thoroughly together before digging in. It can feel a little wrong to stir apart the beautiful bowl, but it is precisely the mixing that makes the dish so good.
If you want the crispy rice crust called nurungji, press the rice down into a hot frying pan or stone bowl with a little oil and let it sizzle for a couple of minutes before adding the toppings. For many, that crunchy bottom is the very best part of the dish – and the secret behind the dolsot version.
Variations
Vegetarian: Skip the meat and use fried tofu instead – toss the tofu in a little soy sauce and sesame oil toward the end of frying. With egg, spinach, mushrooms and sauce, you are not missing a thing.
Chicken: Sliced chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, garlic and a little honey make a milder bowl that children often love. Serve the sauce on the side so everyone can control the heat themselves.
Beef bulgogi-style: Thin slices of sirloin or flank steak marinated in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and grated pear are the classic. Fry the meat quickly over very high heat so it caramelizes at the edges.
With kimchi: A small pile of kimchi on top adds acidity and freshness that lifts the whole bowl. You can buy it ready-made – or make kimchi yourself with our recipe.
Frequently asked questions
What does bibimbap mean?
Bibimbap is Korean and means “mixed rice” – “bibim” means to mix and “bap” means rice. The name describes how the dish is eaten: Everything in the bowl is stirred together just before you take the first spoonful.
Is bibimbap healthy?
Yes, bibimbap is considered one of the healthier everyday dishes. A bowl contains plenty of vegetables, protein from the egg and any meat or tofu, and carbohydrates from the rice. You control the amount of oil, sugar and salt yourself, and with lean meat or tofu it becomes a balanced meal.
Can I make bibimbap without gochujang?
You can, but you lose much of the characteristic flavor. In a pinch, you can mix sriracha or another chili sauce with a little miso, sugar and sesame oil to mimic the depth. Our recommendation is still to keep a tub of gochujang in the fridge – it keeps for months and is used in many Korean dishes.
What kind of rice do you use in bibimbap?
Traditionally, short-grain, slightly sticky rice of the same type used for sushi is used – in Korea it is often simply called “bap” rice. It holds onto the sauce and mixes without turning mushy. Jasmine rice works in a pinch, but short-grain rice gives the proper result.
Shop the ingredients at FUDI
At FUDI you will find everything you need for an authentic bibimbap: gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, Korean rice and sesame seeds. Visit us at Holmen in Asker or Røa in Oslo, or order online with free shipping on orders over NOK 799. Bibimbap is the perfect dish when you want to use up the vegetables in the drawer – and still serve something that looks impressive.
