If you’re at all familiar with Korean food there’s a good chance you’ve been introduced to bibimbap. It’s essentially a rice bowl with a bunch of toppings, often topped with an egg, and always served with a funky-spicy-sweet sauce called gochujang. I liken it to a spicy version of miso–it’s a total flavor bomb, lasts forever in the refrigerator and, is irreplaceable in this dish. Lots of restaurants serve bibimbap in a hot stone bowl so the edges of the rice gets crisp–which is amazing but also kind of scary for the home cook. According to my mom, it’s often just served in a regular bowl (especially at home), which makes thing much less intimidating with the juggling of burning hot stone bowls out of the mix. I often make bibimbap for dinner with just whatever vegetables I have around and a runny egg on top, but this version includes fresh pink salmon and a bunch of thinly sliced cucumber, plus the obligatory gochujang sauce. It’s easy and fast, plus you get some omega-3’s and all that goodness.
Let me note that my mother does not condone calling this dish a bibimbap. I mean, technically, bibimbap just means “mixed rice” and we’re mixing rice with stuff here, so it is a bibimbap. But, my mom does not approve because there’s not enough other stuff going on (and there isn’t an egg, gasp!), but sometimes I have to keep it simple and that’s just my life (sorry mom!).
The pink salmon I used in this dish was given to me by one of my favorite, local grocers, New Seasons Market. You can learn more about the 5 varieties of salmon they carry and their seafood department here. I was not compensated for this post. As always, all opinions and writing are my own.
- for the salmon:
- 1 salmon filet
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- salt and pepper
- for the gochujang sauce:
- ¼ cup gochujang (fermented Korean chile paste)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 scallion, sliced
- ½ of a cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 cup cooked rice for serving
- sesame seeds for garnish
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Cook on each side about 3 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through (I like it a little pink in the center, but cook it to your liking).
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the gochujang sauce ingredients.
- Place the rice in a bowl with the salmon on top. Add the cucumber, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and sauce. Mix up all of the ingredients and enjoy!
Sonja @ Ginger & Toasted Sesame
I love this, Cindy! It might not be what many consider bibimbap, but I had many “rice bowls” just like this in Korea. After all it just means, “mixed rice” so it’s totally up to what the eater prefers! I love the salmon on this and that sauce looks delicious.
cindy
thank you! I’m glad I’m not the only person that goes ultra simple with my rice bowls.
My Dish is Bomb
Bibimbap kind of reminds me of poke bowls in Hawaii (with an egg of course). The first time I had Bibimbap was at a local Korean restaurant about a year ago and I fell in love. Haven’t ventured into making it at home (they do it better!) but this one looks so simple and approachable! Pinned.
cindy
Korean restaurants (and my mom) usually do Korean food better than me, too, but this is easy…promise!
thenik
HEART EYE EMOJII. Or like 10 of them really.
I’m going to surprise the husb with this for upcoming birthday. Bibimbap is his most favorite dish from childhood and I can’t wait to impress the pants right off of him. 😉
cindy
Yay! This makes me happy. It’s one of my favorite childhood dishes, too!
Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits
Haha, mothers get too technical about these things. My mom would totally have a fit if I told her that I tried making fried rice in the microwave. That gochujang sauce looks sooo good!
Amy | Club Narwhal
Omg, you are killing me here! I didn’t know how desperately I wanted to eat this very thing until right now 🙂 even if your mama doesn’t think it’s bibimbap, I just want it in my belly!
Minsoo
This looks super delicious as a rice bowl – but I wouldn’t call it a bibimbap. The different components that make up bibimbap are there for a reason, mostly symbolically, not because someone randomly threw ingredients together and it stuck as a traditional dish. So it’s a little irritating when people stick “bibimbap” to describe a bowl of rice with anything and sticking a fried egg on top.
This isn’t supposed to sound mean but just a heads up! The rice bowl does look fantastic though!
cindy
Thank you!