This easy bibimbap combines seasoned rice, fresh vegetables, and a homemade gochujang sauce in one customizable bowl. It's naturally gluten-free, requires only 10 ingredients, and the sauce can be made ahead for quick weeknight meals.
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Optional: If soaking rice, rinse, drain, and add to a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Soak for 12 hours or overnight. For a quicker soak, cover in hot water for 1 hour. Then rinse and drain.
To a medium saucepan, add cooking water (if you soaked your rice, start with 1 ¼ cups water as recipe is written), rinsed rice, and salt. Heat over high heat and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender and fluffy. Soaked rice generally takes less time to cook. Unsoaked rice can take up to 30 minutes or more. Keep covered and set aside.
In the meantime, prepare Gochujang sauce. Skip if using store-bought.
While the rice finishes cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat (stainless steel or cast iron are best). Once hot, add 1 tsp of sesame oil or enough to just coat the pan.
Once the oil is hot, add vegetables one type at a time and cook in batches until lightly browned (1-2 minutes), seasoning each with a little minced garlic and a dash of coconut aminos, tamari, or sea salt. Cooking in batches allows you to arrange vegetables separately over the rice for visual effect. We cooked the zucchini first, then carrots, green onion, bean sprouts, and spinach. Add more oil to the pan as needed between vegetables.
Arrange cooked vegetables in individual piles on a serving plate and cover gently to keep warm until serving.
To cook eggs (if vegan, see notes for options!), heat the same pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a little more oil (sesame or otherwise), and carefully crack eggs. For sunny-side up (our preference), cover briefly with a lid to steam for 1 minute, then remove lid and continue cooking until whites are cooked but yolks are still runny. Turn off heat and set aside (uncovered).
To serve, divide desired amount of rice between serving bowls (see notes for traditional dolsot recommendations and crispy rice hacks!) and top with portions of cooked veggies and egg.
Serve with 1-2 Tbsp Gochujang, kimchi (optional), and a dash of sesame seeds (optional). Bibimbap means “mixed rice,” so once your egg and Gochujang sauce are added, use a spoon or your chopsticks to stir everything together and mix the flavors. Then enjoy!
This dish is best fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days and be reheated on the stovetop over medium heat as a stir fry. Not freezer-friendly.
Store assembled bowl covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a microwave or on stovetop and add a fresh fried egg before serving.
Yes, the sauce can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, making future preparations faster.
Finely shredded carrots, thinly sliced zucchini, and spinach are ideal, but you can customize based on season and availability. Bean sprouts are traditional but mixed vegetables can substitute if unavailable.
Yes, when using tamari or coconut aminos instead of regular soy sauce (which contains gluten), this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Yes, soaking rice for 12-24 hours speeds cooking time. If soaked, reduce water by about 1/4 cup (60 ml) as written.
Rice is done when all water is absorbed and grains are tender. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until liquid is gone, approximately 15-20 minutes for unsoaked rice.
