This hearty Korean-style beef rice bowl is a colourful, flavour-packed meal that blends the sweet and savoury notes of bulgogi beef with the bold kick of gochugaru. It’s a flexible, family-friendly dish that’s just as satisfying for weeknight dinners as it is for special weekend feasts. Inspired by bibimbap but simplified for everyday cooking, it brings together everything you love about Korean cuisine in one bowl.
Instead of traditional vegetables like spinach or mushrooms, this version features a vibrant mix of onion, carrot, peas, capsicum, and bean sprouts — adding crunch, colour, and freshness to balance the rich, marinated minced beef. The addition of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) infuses just the right amount of heat, making each bite pop with warmth and depth. It’s versatile enough to suit whatever veggies you have on hand, and easy to customise further.
Top it off with a sunny-side-up egg if you like — it’s optional but adds a luscious richness when the yolk breaks into the rice. A drizzle of sweet-spicy gochujang sauce pulls it all together, delivering that iconic Korean flavour hit. Served warm over fluffy short-grain rice, this dish is a comforting celebration of spice, texture, and balance.
Ingredients
For the beef
- 500 gram minced beef
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon seasame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 pinch black pepper
For the vegetables
- 1 carrot (julienned)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 100 gram bean sprouts
- 1 capsicum (sliced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 cup peas
- 100 gram shiitake mushrooms (optional)
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoon gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 splash water (if needed)
Other options
- 4 eggs (fryed, 1 egg per serve)
- toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
- sliced green onions (for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (korean chili powder)
- kimchi
Instructions
Marinate and cook the beef
- In a bowl, combine the minced beef, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper. Mix well to ensure the beef is evenly coated. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Brown the minced beef.
Cook the Veg
- Add the sliced onion and julienned carrot first. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.
- Add the sliced capsicum and cook for another 2 minutes, until it's tender-crisp.
- Add the peas (fresh or thawed from frozen) and stir-fry for 1 minute just to heat through.
- Add the bean sprouts last. Stir-fry everything together for another 1–2 minutes until the sprouts are just softened but still slightly crunchy.
- In a separate non-stick frying pan, fry the eggs sunny-side up or to your desired doneness. A runny yolk is traditional for bibimbap. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or sugar, and minced garlic. Add a tiny splash of water if the sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust sweetness or spiciness as desired. Mix the sauce through the beef and veg for 1 to 2 mins.
Serving
- Arrange the cooked minced beef and the various prepared vegetables attractively on top of the rice in each bowl, keeping them separate.
- add 1.2 cup cooked jasmin rice to each of the serving bowls, Arrange the cooked minced beef and the vegetables attractively on top of the rice in each bowl. Sprinkle with gochugaru powder.
- Carefully place a fried egg on top of the vegetables in each bowl. (if using)
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. You can also add kimchi to the side of the bowl.
Nutritional Information
- Per serving
- Energy: 480 kcal / 2006 kJ
- Fat: 18 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Carbs: 55 g
