What is Bibimbap Made of?
Bibimbap is a mixed vegetable and rice dish, served in a hot stone pot.
Everyone knows how tasty and tongue-tingling Korean cuisine can be. We all love going out for delicious bbq kalbi ribs or a bowl of jap chae and dipping into the myriad of little plates of banchan and kimchi that make up the landscape of the table.
A collection of these side dishes attractively arrange atop a mound of rice sizzling from the heat captured in the stone. We use what the cook might have at home – a cast iron pan, but a Teflon skillet will work as well.
This bibimbap recipe looks long, but is really many recipes in one. You place the tasty toppings on the rice like the spokes of a colorful bicycle wheel, and top it with a sunny-side up egg and a dollop of spicy red pepper paste (gochujang). Mix it all together just before you eat – but not before everyone admires your culinary art project!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bibimbap served cold?
While there are exists a bibimbap that is room temperature, this bibimbap recipe (dolsot bibimbap) is served hot. The ingredients for bibimbap can be prepared two days in advance if refrigerated.
How many calories?
One serving is 616 calories.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
This dish is best served as an entree. For a wholesome Korean meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Pairs well with:
Bibimbap Recipe
Bibimbap - Korean rice dish topped with vegetables in this delicious and easy bibimbap recipe that covers everything from making the rice to the toppings.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil plus extra for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons Tangy Red Pepper Dressing
- 1 fried egg, sunny-side up
The Toppings (Use 1 cup of each of the vegetable toppings for the rice.)
Seasoned Bean Sprouts (About 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 12 oz soybean sprouts
- 4 tablespoons minced green onion, scallions
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
Seasoned Carrot Salad (About 1 cup)
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchstick strips
- 1/２ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
Spicy Cucumber Salad (About 1 cup)
- 4 Armenian or mini cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber, sliced in 1/4 – inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Tangy Red Pepper Dressing
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Seasoned Spinach Salad (Makes 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound spinach, rinsed carefully (500 g)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Seasoned Beef
- 2 oz rib eye cut into strips or ground beef
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Tangy Red Pepper Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste, available at Korean grocery
- 1 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple juice or water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Directions
Seasoned Bean Sprouts
-
1In a medium-size saucepan, with a lid, combine the water, salt and soybean sprouts. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover with a lid, and steam the sprouts for 5 minutes.
-
2Strain the sprouts and transfer to a mixing bowl.
-
3Mix the sprouts with the green onion, toasted sesame seeds
-
4and sesame oil.
Seasoned Carrot Salad
-
1In a medium size skillet heat the sesame oil on medium heat. Add the carrots and salt.
-
2Stir-fry the carrots for 2 minutes.
Spicy Cucumber Salad
-
1In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze the liquid from the cucumbers. Transfer to a serving bowl.
-
2Combine the Tangy Red Pepper Dressing and cucumbers. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds.
Seasoned Spinach Salad
-
1Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
-
2Strain the spinach into a colander and rinse with cold water. Take one handful of spinach at a time, and squeeze the water from the spinach. Lay the spinach on a cutting board and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
-
3Transfer the spinach to a bowl and add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, and salt. Mix well.
Seasoned Beef
-
1In a small bowl, mix together the beef, soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
-
2Heat a small skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Tangy Red Pepper Dressing
-
1In a medium bowl whisk the ingredients together
To Assemble:
-
1Have the seasoned salads and beef prepared in individual bowls.
-
2Place a cast iron skillet or pot on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil.
-
3Heat the oil for 1 minute. Add the rice and spread it around the bottom of the pot to form an even layer. Cook the rice for several minutes or until the rice begins to brown on the bottom. You will hear the rice sizzle.
-
4Carefully arrange each of the seasoned salads on top of the rice grouping each one like the spoke of a wheel. Place the beef in the center. Continue heating for 2 minutes.
-
5Transfer the casserole to a heatproof pad. Set one fried egg in the center on top of the beef.
-
6To serve: fold together the egg, vegetables, rice and 2 tablespoons of the Tangy Red Pepper Sauce. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to distribute that crunchy crust throughout the dish.
-
7Serve in individual bowls with a drizzle of sesame oil and extra Tangy Red Pepper Dressing.
-
8*You can make one fried egg per person to mix into individual servings.
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Debra Samuels, The Korean Table
Pip
Is this recipe correct when it says 2 oz beef? I’m quite puzzled when the dish serves 4 people.
Irene
I cannot find any info about the rice in your recipe. What am I missing? What type of rice and how much?
Thanks
Rasa Malaysia
Click on the red GET RECIPE.
Robert Fesperman
Hazelnuts are produced in commercial quantities in Turkey, Italy, Greece, Georgia, in south of the Spanish region of Catalonia, in the UK county of Kent and in the American states of Oregon and Washington. Turkey is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world with approximately 75% of worldwide production..
Most recently released posting on our own blog
<http://www.caramoan.ph/
www.eikeollech.com
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment
didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again.
Anyway, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
Annaxor
Bibimbap—-just saying the word makes my mouth water…here in Puerto Rico we just have 1 place to get this delicious dish. I go there at least twice a month- just to have bibimbap with galbi. The flavors are so amazing and yes! it is a very healthy food! I am going to try cooking this recipe. I make kimchi at home, too- I can’t have enough of it! Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa
Thank You!!!! I recently transplanted to Wyoming where the wildness beautiful but there’s no Chinatown for days. I’ve been craving Bipimbap for a month at least but was afraid it’d be too hard to make didn’t have the nerve to try. I found your recipe yesterday and made it today, ah-maz-ing. Thank you so much.
Lisa
Dee
I love bipimbap and I am so excited to make this at home but I had a few questions. I know where to buy Korean red pepper paste but you refer to a tangy red pepper dressing. How do you make tangy red pepper dressing? Or can you buy it?
KwekKwek
Your recipe is fabulous ! (: thanks for that (:
Maninas
Hello, do you know any Korean bloggers? Thanks!
KY
Is the Tangy Red Pepper Dressing the usual thing to go with bibimbap? The ones in Korean restaurants which they serve (in squeez bottles) with the bibimbap are not tangy but mildly spicy. Are those red pepper paste straight from the tub or are they a variation of your dressing?
ROOSHOPCO
It’s very good.
I want to eat “DOLSOT BIBIMBAB”.
I’m in Korea .
Sean
Deb, I’m so glad you mentioned how Korean mom/grandmas don’t have measurements for anything. It frustrates me to no end when I’m trying to bum off a recipe from my mother.
At home, we usually throw in whatever banchans we have left unless we’re expecting company. No stress needed!
Juhanah of Brunei
I love korean food especially bibimbap but here in Brunei there’s no such korean supermarket to get some of korean ingredients. But wt ur help maybe i might learn some
Jung Me
i didnt know that there was an actual recipe for bibimbap lol
im korean, and since i was little, we just put whatever vegetables and stuff into it and mix it all in the rice pot and eat it with kimchi.
now that i think about it…. we eat everything with kimchi! lol
Janice
This is my all time favorite Korean dish, it’s deliciousness in a hot bowl
momgateway
I love the recipes I’ve tested from the Korean Table and my favorite is Bibimbap and kimchi!
Debra Samuels
Hi,
I am so glad that you are enjoying using our book. What recipes have you tried.
Debbie
John W
I bought the cookbook and really want to make Kimchi but I’m having a major problem finding Korean Red Pepper Flakes in the U.S. One of the ingredients “resources” in the book, Kgrocer.com now only goes to a clothing website and the other resource, koamart.com does not carry it. Anyone find a place in the U.S. to get these flakes?
Debra Samuels
John,
You absolutely can get red pepper flakes. Where are you located?
KOA certainly carried it when I put the list together. Go to www.hmart.com
It is a mega store and they absolutely have it. Do you live near any Asian markets? If you are still having a problem I will send them to you!
Please contact me directly and let me know how it goes.
Debra Samuels
my email is [email protected]
pity
i love korean food, itsful of flavour and colour, so good for you! cheers from london
Su-yin
Oh my, that looks amazing. Especially that perfectly fried egg topping the whole dish! I always order this when having Korean food, and am really craving for some right now. :P
Ivy Manning
One of my all time faves! Still haven’t sprung for the dol sot bowls, but man I love this stuff!
Debra Samuels
Hi Ivy,
You don’t need a stone pot — find a cast iron one or even a non-stick. The important point is to get the pan hot and put in the cooked rice. Keep it cooking long enough to get the crispy crunchy bottom!
Cheers,
Debbie
Alta
I love, love, love bibimbap! So delicious! I’m only just now starting to understand Korean food, so this is a wonderfully timely recipe. And what a tempting book! I’m totally adding it to my Amazon wish list. (I have to ration myself how many books I get to purchase, or I’d be so broke!)
Thuy Cobb
I am so glad that you are posting Korean recipes. I just recently discovered Korean food and it is amazingly good stuff. Have you ever tried Galbi (or Kalbi) JJim? Its really really tasty. I am very lucky I liev close to a Korean supermarket as they have the best short ribs in town.
cindy
bibimbap may be my ultimate comfort food. i especially love the crunchy rice bits along the bowl. i never cook korean food at home, i’m spoiled since my mom is korean :) this looks amazing, i have to stop being so lame and actually cook the food of my people…ha.
Debra Samuels
Hi It’s funny that you write that. Many people who are happy with our recipes are daughters and sons of Korean moms who can’t get measurements for anything!
Taekyung, my coauthor, is a cooking teacher like myself, and we know how important it is for people who are new to a cuisine or just have mom’s and granny’s recipes! Even when Taekyung and I were doing these recipes together, I had to push for meaurements. Some people use recipes as suggestions and guides others as the Gospel! We have to be there for both.
You make your mom happy!
Cheers,
Debbie
dolsotbibimbap.com
Dolsot Bibimbap is one of my favorite food.
restaurantgroupie
I find Korean food extremely complicated to prepare – it’s not hard but there are soooo many ingredients – but you look you’ve done a fantastic job! It looks delicious!!
Debra Samuels
Thanks, We worked hard to make this accessible to home cooks and to find ingredients that retains the integrity of the dish without a lot of difficult to find ingredients. You can choose just a few things to put on top of the rice if you like. These little namul (seasoned vegetables) are also great scattered over fresh greens to make a delicious salad that won’t need any dressing. I suggest trying this with the bean sprout dish.
Cheers,
Deb
lotsofcravings
the perfect carb dish to have!
Hanna
Yay, I love seeing Korean recipes popping up online, so thank you!