Bibimbap is both delicious and literal: in Korean, bibim translates to 'mixed' and bap means 'cooked rice.' While it translates to mixed cooked rice, it's so much more than that. A blend of garlic and ginger complements the beef, egg, and rice mixture, while baby spinach, carrots, and mushrooms are sprinkled throughout the dish.
While most of the ingredients in this bibimbap rice recipe are basics, you might not recognize gochujang. This red chili paste is a popular condiment in Korean cooking, It's thick and spicy, and it adds incredible depth of flavor to any meal it's added to. Alongside the chili paste, it also contains glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, salt, and sometimes sweeteners. Make sure you check the heat levels on the packaging before you buy, as they can vary by brand.
Our bibimbap recipe leaves it up to you whether you add additional toppings like matchstick carrots, sliced green onions, black pepper, and fried eggs. But for the record, fried eggs are a bibimbap staple and if you've got them on hand, it won't hurt to try them out and taste the full range of this traditional Korean dish.
Tips for Making Bibimbap Rice
Bibimbap isn't difficult to make, especially when you follow these tips to make it taste its best.
- Add a raw egg at the end. Normally, bibimbap is topped with either fried eggs or a raw egg. However, if you prefer cooked eggs, it's best to make a fried egg that is sunny-side up. When the yoke breaks, it will prevent the rice from tasting too dry and will add a delicious creaminess to the dish.
- Slice your toppings properly. If you buy whole carrots instead of matchstick carrots, then make sure you cut them into small enough strips. Simply split them lengthwise, then slice them thin. Do the same with your cucumbers if you choose to add them to this recipe. For the best taste, these cucumbers should be seasoned and marinated to add a flavorful crunch to the meal.
- Don't hesitate to swap out ingredients. If you want to substitute your spinach, then replace it with bok choy or kangkong. If you want to substitute your mushrooms, try using tofu cubes to keep the dish filling.
Ingredients
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1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
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2 cups sliced shiitake or cremini mushrooms
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3 Tbsp. minced garlic
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2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
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1¾ to 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
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1 cup uncooked short grain brown rice, rinsed and drained
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¼ tsp. salt
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2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
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1 pound ground beef
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2 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
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2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
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1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
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1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
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1 Tbsp. sugar
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Toppings, such as sliced green onions, black pepper, matchstick carrots, and/or fried eggs (optional)
Directions
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In a 3-qt. pot heat vegetable oil over medium-high. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and the juices have released, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Stir in the rice and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and fluff rice with a fork. Gently toss in spinach. Cover; let stand 2 minutes. Divide rice mixture among four bowls. Cover with foil to keep warm.
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In same pot cook and stir the ground beef over medium heat until browned; drain off any fat. In a small bowl combine the next five ingredients (through sugar). Stir gochujang mixture into cooked beef.
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Serve the beef mixture over the rice with toppings (if using) and, if you like, additional gochujang.