All too often, comfort food and healthy don't go together, but this vegetarian bibimbap is an exception. It's a delicious bowl of goodness, packed with a rainbow of vegetables and here made with brown rice.
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I've been meaning to make bibimbap for such a long time, and I'm not really sure why it has taken me so long. Especially after I got a bit of a taste for Korean food when I made hoedeopbap, Korean sashimi rice bowl, but somehow it still took a while.
But now I've made this vegetarian bibimbap, I know I need to make a meat version soon, as well as this again.
What is bibimbap?
Bibimbap is a Korean dish that means 'mixed rice' as it is literally rice with lots of things mixed in. You can vary the additions to taste, but they usually include a few different vegetables, and meat and/or egg in many cases, and some spicy sauce to bring it all together.
Even the sauce comes in more than one form, but typically it is a sauce made with gochujang, a spicy red pepper paste.
The first time I came across bibimbap was in London years ago when Korean food was fairly new there, so it was a bit of a novelty. I remember we found it strange that it was translated as 'hot pot' since a hot pot is something quite different in the UK - a kind of stew with a layer of potatoes as a crust which I must share some time.
Bibimbap was something completely different but definitely delicious. To make my own, I've drawn on a few versions I have had and recipes, including this one from My Korean Kitchen.
Different ways to serve vegetarian bibimbap
As well as having different ingredients, there are also variations on how you serve bibimbap. The simpler version, which is what I imagine many people do at home to use up leftover bits of food for a quick meal, is a bowl of rice with everything on top (as above), that you can then mix in.
If you want to expand this idea for example for entertaining, you can even make a 'bibimbap bar' and let people serve themselves.
The other way is to make it more of a dolsot bibimbap. Dolsot is a stone dish that's heated up and the rice is cooked in it so that it gets a wonderful slightly crisp edge to it. The toppings are piled on top, along with a raw egg. You then mix it all together at the table just before you eat it and the egg cooks with the heat of the stone and everything else.
Of course, not everyone has a dolsot at home, but you can achieve a similar effect with a cast iron skillet (as I did, above). Personally I think I prefer the dolsot for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, there's something fun about eating out of a pan (not that you have to, of course), and I like how you can get the rice a little crispy. But the other part is you can make a larger batch and then just reheat in the pan when you are ready to eat in mere minutes.
How to make vegetarian bibimbap
It can take a little bit of time to make this if you are starting from scratch, as there are a few components to it, but each is pretty quick and easy.
- Set the rice to cook while you prepare the toppings.
- Blanch the beansprouts and wilt the spinach then dress both with sesame oil, garlic powder, salt and toasted sesame seeds.
- Cut the cucumber and carrots in julienne strips. Trim mushrooms and slice.
- Toss the cucumber with salt, leave a few minutes then squeeze lightly to remove excess liquid.
- Fry the carrots and mushrooms separately in a little oil to soften.
- Put together the bowl and serve.
You can easily make more for another time too, as I say, either making just enough rice each time to have a simple bowl, or reheat extra rice for a dolsot version.
I've used brown rice here, both as it's a little healthier and I like the slight nuttiness with everything else, but you can also use white rice if you prefer.
This vegetarian bibimbap might seem to take a little bit of time, but it's perfect for meal prepping or feeding a crowd, if you make more. It's a wonderfully comforting and tasty bowl, that just happens to be good for you too. You can hardly get better.
Try these other tasty bowls:
- Korean sashimi rice bowl (hoedeopbap)
- Salmon poke bowl
- Cuban quinoa bowl with grilled sweet potato, plantain and avocado-mango salsa
Plus get more vegetarian meals and Korean recipes in the archives, like favorites japchae (a noodle stir fry) and hotteok (sweet stuffed pancakes).
Vegetarian bibimbap
Ingredients
For the beansprouts
- 4 oz beansprouts
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
For the spinach
- 4 oz spinach
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
For the cucumber
- 2 ½ oz cucumber
- ¼ teaspoon salt approx
For rest of bowl
- 2 oz carrots
- 2 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil approx
- ½ cup brown rice or white, cooked per packet instructions
- 2 eggs (optional)
- 1 pinch seaweed to top
- 2 tbsp gochujang sauce approx (either ready prepared or make your own - note this is sauce using gochujang paste, not just the paste)
Instructions
- Set the rice to cook while you prepare the vegetables (or you can prepare it ahead, depending how serving - see above). Set aside once ready.
- Bring a small-medium pot of water to a boil and add the beansprouts. Simmer for a couple minutes until they are going slightly translucent but still have a crunch to them.
- Drain the beansprouts from the pot, saving the water, then either pour the hot water over the spinach in a bowl, or put the spinach in the pot. Either way, wilt the spinach (it will just take a minute) then drain the spinach. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, dress the beansprouts with the sesame oil, garlic powder and salt and top with the sesame seeds.
- Once the spinach has cooled enough to handle, squeeze it well to remove excess water then thinly shred it. Dress with the sesame oil, garlic powder and salt and top with the sesame seeds.
- Cut the cucumber into thin half-slices or battons (julienne), toss with salt then after a couple minutes, squeeze any excess water from it.
- Cut the carrots in thin battons (julienne), remove the stems from the mushrooms and slice them. Warm the oil in a small skillet and cook the carrots a minute or two to soften. Set aside then cook the mushrooms a minute or two until gently softened.
- If serving as dolsot version, warm a little oil in two small-medium skillets/frying pans (ideally cast iron), then add half the cooked rice to each. Warm a few minutes then top with piles of the different vegetables (apart from cucumber), dividing each evenly between the two. Add an egg on top of each, add the cucumber, some gochujang sauce and top with some seaweed. Serve in the pan, mixing the egg through with everything else so the egg cooks in the heat of the pan. Note for this version, all components can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge.
- If you prefer a more 'normal' bowl, add the warm rice to two bowls, top each with half of each of the vegetables (all warm, apart from cucumber), some gochujang sauce and seaweed. Optionally top with a fried egg.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
Other rice bowl recipes to try:
- Asian Cauliflower Rice and Shrimp Bowls by Jersey Girl Cooks
- Chicken Fajita Quinoa Bowl by Pies and Plots
- Cuban Style Pork Taco Bowl by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Taco Rice Bowl by Life Tastes Good
- Teriyaki Shrimp Rice Bowl with Bok Choy by The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Thai Vegetable Quinoa Bowl by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Laura Dembowski says
I have always wanted to try bibimbap and this looks amazing and pretty easy to make.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Laura, it is indeed easy - the vegetables take a little time since there are a few different things, but you can easily make them ahead or do bigger batches and have a few times. Hope you'll give it a try!
Barrie Mooney says
I love the idea of making it in the pan to get a crust on it- look delicious!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Barrie, it adds that extra comfort factor to an already tasty dish!
Christie says
Looks so hearty and delicious. I've never had bibimbap, but it looks so easy and delicious.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Christie, it's a great combination of being filling enough but not heavy. And yes, both easy and delicious. Do give it a try!
Liz says
I love everything about this biimbap! Time to hunt down some gochugang sauce and make your version at home!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Liz, I hope you enjoy as much as we did. If you don't find gochujang sauce, sweet chili sauce would be a pretty good alternative.
Cindy says
I never tried bibimbap this sounds like a great way to start!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Cindy, definitely give it a try!
Denise Wright says
All love that you showed different ways to make this dish but I think I'll try it just the way you made it. Looks delicious!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Denise, it was an instant hit here, I will definitely be enjoying it again soon!