I’ve always had an affinity for Asian cuisine, and among the heavy-weight contenders one that doesn’t get enough attention is Korean food. From crispy Korean fried chicken to chewy rice cakes, all the classic dishes showcase a variety of textures and flavor and always, always feature a delicious sauce. Bibimbap is no exception. I fell in love with this dish at a tiny shack in the Soho neighborhood of London, and developed my own at-home version to capture the essence of this Korean classic.

Bibimbap is an iconic Korean dish known for its colorful and flavorful presentation. Literally translating to ‘mixed rice’, as the name implies it is a melange of vegetables served over rice, often also featuring meat and egg. The origins date back as far as the 1300s when this dish was enjoyed by both the upper class during feasts as well as buddhist monks, who made their preparations with local vegetables and grains. Over time, the dish became popular worldwide for its colorful presentation, healthful qualities, and distinct flavor.

There are several different regional varieties of bibimbap, and having never been to Korea I’m not going to pretend to be a expert on the intricacies of pan-Korean cuisine. What I can speak to is my personal favorite variety, Dolsot Bibimbap, which is served in a hot stone bowl. When fluffy rice is pack into the piping hot dolsot bowl the bottom develops a crispy rice crust, which adds another dimension of texture to the dish. It is also often served with a raw egg instead of a fried egg, that cooks when you mix your ingredients together in the hot stone bowl forming a delicious, fried rice-esque meal.

My first introduction to bibimbap was in the Soho neighborhood of London, at a small Korean restaurant called Assa located just off of the iconic Chinatown road Shaftesburg Ave. As I walked into the intimate dining room the first two things I noticed were the K-pop music blaring through the speakers and the simmering hot-pots sat beside most tables. Not really knowing what to order, I opted for the dolsot bibimbap and some gyoza on the side.

When the food arrived it looked beautiful, with all the ingredients arranges in neat, colorful piles. I covered the whole bowl with their bibimbap sauce and gave it a stir, mixing all the veggies together and picking up crispy bits of rice from the bottom. Each bite was a delightful blend of silky egg, fresh vegetables, and crispy rice. The bibimbap sauce was a spicy and sweet gochujang sauce that took it to the next level. This delicious experience made me fall in love with bibimbap. I left a happy camper that day and would return to Assa again not only during that same spring, but also made a point to stop by during trips to London in 2021 and 2023.

The meat I was served in my Assa bibimbap was pork, but for my at home version I incorporate another iconic Korean staple, bulgogi. Bulgogi, translating to ‘fire meat’, is a marinated meat that has a sweet and savory taste, thinly sliced so that each strip can get a flavorful char. A staple at Korean bbq restaurants, these slices of beef cut into bite sized pieces make a great addition to a hot bowl of bibimbap. A key here is grating an asian pear into the marinade along with your other savory ingredients, which is thought to help by adding a bit of sweet flavor and tender texture of the finished product.

When strategizing how to make this dish at home, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to simulate the dolsot experience without buying a set of stone bowls to shove into my already pack kitchen cabinets. I tried a handful of things including eating a dish of bibimbap right out of a hot stainless steel pan, which proved to not be sustainable (burnt my pinky ☹️). The best tactic I came up with is to pack some rice into a hot pan, with some butter or milk for extra browning, and cook until crisp. I then slide the whole slab of rice directly into my pre-warmed bowl. This creates the crispy texture we are after without the risk of burns, and warming the bowl beforehand help the dish to stay hot. I also opt for an undercooked sunny side egg here instead of a raw one, which wouldn’t be able to cook in my ceramic bowl.

Another crucial element to a phenomenal bibimbap is the sauce. The non-negotiable here is gojuchang, a spicy and savory red chili paste made from fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, and red chili pepper flakes. It has a rich and complex flavor with spicy undertones, and is delicious on a variety of dishes. We complement that with some added sweetness, additional salty umami flavor, and smooth sesame oil to make an amazing sauce that is meant to be enjoyed in excess.

Bibimbap looks as good on your table as it tastes in your belly. It’s highly customizable and can be made with a variety of ingredients that you probably already have in the house, and can also make a great vegetarian dish. Its quick and healthy enough to to be a weeknight staple and tasty enough that you will look forward to it all day at work. I hope you’ll give your own version of this tasty Korean classic a try.

Bugolgi Bibimbap

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Ingredients
[for two servings]

Bulgolgi
-8oz beef (I like top sirloin or skirt for a flavorful and lean final product, you can also go with a fattier cut like ribeye, pork/chicken works fine here too)
-1/4 onion
-1 Spring Onion
-4 Cloves Garlic
-1 Asian Pear
-1’’ Piece Ginger
-2 T Sesame Oil
-2 T Olive Oil
-2 T Soy Sauce
-1 t Honey

Bibimbap
*a note to start, use whatever vegetables you like. This is my go-to combination based on what I usually have in the house and what I’ve enjoyed in Korean restaurants but is by no means a strict list.
-2 Large Carrots
-1/2 c Cooked Spinach
-1 c Mung Bean Sprouts
-8-10 Shiitake Mushrooms
-1/2 Large Cucumber
-2 Eggs
-1.5 c Cooked* Rice {+ 1 T Milk or Butter (optional)}
—*I’m not going to get into how to cook rice here, as cold rice works just as well for this dish. If you are lost follow the package instructions.
-sesame oil, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, and soy sauce to taste if you would like to season your veggies
-Lots of Bibimbap sauce

Bibimbap Sauce
-4 T Gochujang paste
-2 T Sesame Oil
-2 T Rice or Red Wine Vinegar
-1 T Kewpie Mayo
-1 T Honey
-1 T Soy Sauce
-1 t Garlic powder

Method

1. Marinade the bulgolgi. Whisk together sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, and honey. Grate in the Asian pear, garlic, and ginger. Thinly slice the onions and toss into the mixture.

2. Slice the beef as thinly as you possibly can. Add to your marinade and toss to combine. Let marinade at least 4 and up to 24 hours.

3. Prepare the veggies. We want to cut everything into bite sized pieces here. Cut carrots into matchsticks, julienne cucumbers, thinly slice mushrooms, rough chop your spinach.

4. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. You’re going to blanch all of our veggies here except for the cucumbers. Carrots 2-3 minutes, mushrooms 2 minutes, spinach 3-4 minutes, and bean sprouts 2-3 minutes. I usually drop everything in with a slotted spoon then simply scoop it out when its done. You can to keep everything separated here for that picture-perfect final presentation.

5. Salt the cucumbers and toss with some sesame oil. Add a little sesame oil and soy sauce to the bean sprouts and toss. Feel free to season up your veggies any way you want, but done overdo it since we have a lot of flavors going on in our bowl and can always add more sauce at the end.

6. Make bibimbap sauce. Throw all ingredients in a bowl, whisk to combine. Taste and adjust as necessary. I like to throw this into a squirt bottle after for easy application.

7. Grill bulgogi. Get a nonstick or cast iron ripping hot, and lay down the strips of bulgogi. Sear 2-3 minutes per side and remove from pan. I like to also sear the mushrooms here in the residual beef juice for a little extra flavor. Chop the cooked bulgogi up into more bite sized pieces.

8. Make crispy rice. Get a stainless steel or cast iron pan hot and add a little oil and butter. Pack a layer of rice into the pan and add a tablespoon of milk if using. Be patient and let it get crispy, this will take 5-10 minutes. The milk will evaporate and all that will be left are crispy bits on the bottom of the pan.

9. Shake the pan to let the rice loose, and slide into a pre-warmed bowl. In that same pan, crack an egg and cook to your liking. I like to keep this a little undercooked so it mixes and continues to cook in the bowl.

10. Assemble bibimbap. Take your bowl of rice and neatly arrange your vegetables in piles around the outside. Drop your beef into the center, and slide your fried egg on top. Cover the whole bowl with bibimbap sauce.

11. Break the yolk and give things a mix, doing your best to get all the flavors in each bite. Dive down to the bottom of the bowl and scoop up some crispy rice bits. Add more sauce as needed, and savor all the flavors together.