Sautéed Korean Bibimbap Vegetables with Gochujang Sauce

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-26 · Updated 2026-07-26

An assortment of colorful vegetables lightly sautéed and served over rice with a spicy, tangy gochujang sauce for a vegetarian Korean classic. This korean-inspired vegetarian ready in about 35 minutes blends spinach leaves, shiitake mushrooms, sliced, medium carrot, julienned into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach leaves
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 medium zucchini, julienned
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 cups cooked short grain rice

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Step 2: Add 4 cups spinach leaves and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until wilted. Transfer spinach to a bowl and season with 1 tbsp soy sauce.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, heat another 1 tbsp sesame oil and add 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until tender and beginning to brown. Set aside.
4. Step 4: Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to the skillet, then add 1 medium julienned carrot and 1 medium julienned zucchini. Cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender but still crisp. Remove and set aside.
5. Step 5: Quickly blanch 1 cup bean sprouts in boiling water for 1 minute, drain thoroughly.
6. Step 6: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp soy sauce to create the sauce.
7. Step 7: To serve, spoon 4 cups cooked short grain rice into bowls. Arrange the sautéed spinach, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and blanched bean sprouts on top in sections.
8. Step 8: Drizzle the gochujang sauce over the vegetables and rice, then sprinkle 1 tbsp sesame seeds over everything. Mix well before eating.