Seoul-Style Bibimbap with Quick Pickled Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

A vibrant bowl of warm rice topped with sautéed vegetables, marinated beef, and a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce, balanced by crisp quick-pickled cucumbers and carrots. This Korean recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs short-grain white rice, ground beef, soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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

• 2 cups short-grain white rice
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium cucumber
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 4 large fried egg
• 2 stalks green onions
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook 2 cups of short-grain white rice according to package instructions and keep warm.
2. Step 2: Julienne 1 medium carrot and 1 medium cucumber into thin matchsticks. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar, then toss in the carrot and cucumber. Let them pickle for 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
3. Step 3: Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 8 ounces ground beef, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 5-6 minutes until beef is browned and fragrant.
4. Step 4: In separate pans, sauté 2 cups spinach and 1 cup bean sprouts each with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt until wilted and tender, about 2-3 minutes each.
5. Step 5: Fry 4 large eggs sunny side up in a nonstick pan with 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat until whites are set but yolks remain runny.
6. Step 6: To assemble, divide the rice into 4 bowls, arrange the cooked beef, sautéed spinach, bean sprouts, and quick pickled vegetables on top. Place one fried egg in the center of each bowl.
7. Step 7: Garnish with sliced green parts of 2 green onions, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, and 3 tablespoons of gochujang on the side for mixing before eating.