Korean · main
Vegetable Bibimbap
Vegetable Bibimbap reads umami 5.3, sweetness 5.1 and nutty 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 6.1 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 3.1 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 5.3 · Sweetness 5.1 · Nutty 5.1 · Salinity 5.0 · Richness 4.6 · Funk & Ferment 3.5 · Allium 3.4 · Heat 3.3 · Sourness 3.0 · Earthy 2.5 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 0.8 · Floral 0.5
What's in it (16)
- short-grain white rice — 266 g
- salt — 7 g
- baby spinach — 227 g
- carrots — 120 g
- zucchini — 100 g
- cremini mushrooms — 227 g
- mung beans — 227 g
- garlic — 12 g
- dark sesame oil — 54 g
- vegetable oil — 54 g
- eggs — 400 g
- gochujang — 79 g
- soy sauce — 30 g
- rice wine vinegar — 11 g
- granulated sugar — 13 g
- ground toasted sesame seeds — 30 g
Time & effort: about 45 min (35 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 213 kcal, 7.9 g protein, 9.4 g fat, 24.3 g carbs
Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (11 steps)
- Combine the rinsed rice with 2 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, 15-18 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, and 1 clove of the minced garlic in a small bowl until smooth; set aside as the bibimbap sauce.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and squeeze dry, then toss with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil, a pinch of the salt, and 1 clove of the garlic.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrots until tender-crisp and lightly browned at the edges, 2-3 minutes; season with a pinch of salt and transfer to a plate.
- Wipe out the skillet, heat another 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, and sauté the zucchini until just tender and translucent at the edges, 2-3 minutes; season with a pinch of salt and transfer to the plate with the carrots.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and sauté the mushrooms with the remaining 2 cloves of garlic until deeply browned and any released liquid has evaporated, 5-6 minutes; season with a pinch of salt and transfer to the plate.
- Bring a small pot of water back to a boil and blanch the bean sprouts until just crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes. Drain and toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
- Wipe out the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium heat, and fry the eggs two at a time until the whites are fully set but the yolks are still runny, 2-3 minutes; season with a pinch of salt.
- Divide the rice among four bowls. Arrange the carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, and bean sprouts in separate mounds over the rice, then top each bowl with a fried egg.
- Drizzle each bowl with the remaining sesame oil and a sprinkle of the sesame seeds, and serve with the gochujang sauce alongside, stirring everything together at the table before eating.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Kung Pao Cauliflower — Chinese-American
- Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken — Chinese-American
- Spicy Sichuan Eggplant — Chinese · Sichuan
- Dakgalbi (닭갈비) — Korean
- Bibimbap (비빔밥) — Korean
Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, nutty mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.