Vegetarian Bibimbap!

{Vegetarian Bibimbap}

Bibimbap is a Korean dish made using rice, protein and an assortment of vegetables that is absolutely delicious! ‘Bibim’ means mixing and ‘bap’ means rice in Korean. I first had the pleasure of tasting it when one of my Korean friends took me to Carrollton, Texas – a quick 20 minute drive from Dallas – to try some and I’ve been hooked on it ever since! The presentation is really fun, with the Bibimbap usually being served in a hot volcanic bowl and the waiter assembling everything for you table side. Something about the crispy rice, tons of veggies, and the great combination of unique flavors keeps me coming back for more.

Since we’re headed into Summer, I thought I would lighten things up and make a vegetarian style bibimbap of my own. Just so you know, the most traditional version is served with bulgogi beef and a fried egg on top.

This recipe doesn’t take too long to make and half of the ingredients are common things you might already have in your fridge. You can even use left over rice that you crisp on the bottom and then all you have to do is saute up your proteins and/or vegetables and assemble the dish. Bonus, it looks pretty too!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup Sprouts Soy Sauce
• 1/2 bag shredded carrots
• 1 container of Shiitake mushrooms
• 1 container butternut squash
• 3/4 bag of baby spinach
• 2 eggs

Instructions

{Crisping Rice & Assembly}

1. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the brown rice; using a wooden spoon create an even layer. Crisping the bottom, rotating skillet to keep the bottom even, this takes around 5-10 minutes.
2. Make the roasted butternut squash (recipe below)
3. In the meantime, start making the garlic sesame spinach (recipe below)
4. Next, heat 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until cooked through about 3 minutes. Now add in the bibimbap sauce (recipe below) and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
5. Sauce your carrots to your liking. I just used a splash of avocado oil and little bit of salt, pepper and a dash of turmeric.
6. Fry your eggs.
7. Divide rice among bowls. Top with sauteed mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, garlic and sesame spinach, sauteed carrots, and fried egg.
8. Drizzle more bibimbap sauce on top (optional). Another option is to add some garlic chili sauce if you like it extra spicy.

{BiBimBap Sauce}

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gochujang (seasoned red chili pepper paste)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp minced ginger
• dash of turmeric (for it’s anti-inflammatory health benefits)

Instructions

1. Put all of the above ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. I added this zesty sauce to the end of the sauteing process with the shiitake mushrooms. You can also drizzle some over the top of your Bibimbap bowl. Yum!

{Roasted Butternut Squash with Ginger and Sesame Marinade}

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Braggs Ginger and Sesame Marinade
• 1 container of roasted butternut squash from Sprouts
• season with salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F.
2. On a baking sheet evenly distribute the squash in a single layer.
3. Add the Braggs Ginger and Sesame Marinade and toss with a spoon.
4. Add the salt and pepper.
5. Roast for 20-25 minutes until fragrant and slightly caramelized.

{Garlic & Sesame Spinach}

Ingredients

• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 3/4 bag of organic baby spinach
• 1 tbsp Sprouts Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine the avocado oil and sesame oil in a skillet and heat on medium.
2. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
3. Then add in the spinach and saute for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in your soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and saute for 1 more minute.
5. Turn off the heat, transfer to a bowl or plate and top with toasted sesame seeds.

{Additional ideas for mix-ins}

• Kimchi
• Korean style seaweed
• Bean Sprouts
• Scallions
• Sautéed Zucchini
• Wakame
• Shallots or onions
• Radishes
• Cucumbers
• Corn

Cooking and eating Bibimbap is a fun activity to do with friends. Why not set up a BiBimBar and throw a make your own Bibimbap party!?! We hope you give this a try! Let us know if you’re loving Bibimbap as much as we are, along with your favorite recipes and/or places to eat it in the comments below-

Cheers!

Emily & Barbara

This post was sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are our own.