Hot Stone Bibimbap Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Rinse 2 cups short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear to remove excess starch. Drain. Combine rinsed rice and 2 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker or pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

While rice rests, lightly brush inside of each hot stone bowl or skillet with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon for later). This helps form the crisp rice layer.

Season and cook beef

In a bowl, combine 12 oz ground beef, 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix until evenly seasoned. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add beef in a single layer and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Prepare vegetables

Pat vegetables dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Sauté 1 cup zucchini (julienned) with a pinch of salt for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove and keep separate. Add another 1 tsp oil and sauté 1 cup carrot matchsticks for 2–3 minutes until just softened; remove.

Add 1 tsp oil and sauté 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms with 1 tsp minced garlic and a pinch of salt until mushrooms release their liquid and become browned, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and keep separate.

Blanch or quickly sauté 1 cup bean sprouts for 1–2 minutes with a pinch of salt, then drain. In the same pan, wilt 2 cups baby spinach with a pinch of salt for about 1 minute; squeeze out excess liquid and keep separate.

Toss each vegetable portion (zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, bean sprouts, spinach) with a light drizzle (about 1/2 tsp) of sesame oil if desired and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Keep vegetables separated for plating.

Make the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp water until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or vinegar to balance heat and salt.

Heat the bowls and assemble

If using dolsot or oven-safe cast-iron bowls, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the oiled bowls in the oven for 10–12 minutes to get very hot. If using stovetop-safe bowls, heat them dry over a medium burner for 5–8 minutes until smoking hot (use caution and oven mitts).

Divide the cooked rice evenly among the 4 hot bowls (about 1 cup cooked rice per bowl). Press rice gently to line the bowl sides to encourage a crisp rice crust. Arrange portions of the prepared vegetables and the cooked seasoned beef in sections over the rice to create a colorful pattern. Sprinkle 1/4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and 1/2 tbsp sliced scallions per bowl.

Cook the eggs

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Crack eggs and fry sunny-side up until whites are set but yolks are runny, about 2–3 minutes. Alternatively, place raw eggs on top of rice in the hot bowls—residual heat will cook them partially; for a fully set white, briefly return bowls to the oven for 1–2 minutes. Place one fried egg on top of each assembled bowl.

Drizzle about 3/4 tbsp gochujang sauce over each bowl (or serve sauce on the side). To serve, mix everything together in the hot bowl so the rice scrapes the sides and forms a crispy crust. Serve immediately with extra gochujang on the side.