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Fall Inspired Vegetarian Bibimbap

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Korean, Vegetarian
Keyword: asianfood, bibimbap, comfort food, koreanfood, vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed*
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

For the Korean vegetable toppings:

  • 4 to 5 cups kale leaves only; rough chopped
  • 1 large zucchini cut into 2-inch matchstick strips
  • 8 to 16 oz. shiitake mushrooms sliced thin
  • 4 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch matchstick strips
  • sesame oil
  • low sodium soy sauce optional
  • salt
  • minced garlic
  • roasted sesame seeds

For the Bibimbap:

  • 3 to 5 tablespoons Gochujang, Korean hot pepper paste depending on how hot you want it
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
  • Cooked brown or white rice
  • 4 fried eggs
  • Dried seaweed; gim crushed over the top; optional
  • Roasted sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a lined baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until nicely browned on the outside.

For the vegetable toppings:

  • Note: Cooking all of the vegetables separately may seem overwhelming but it really does not take much time at all. You can also use the same pan for each vegetable if you prefer. Simply wipe out and use.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, add the chopped kale and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes only. Remove from pot (drain water), squeeze kale a few times to release all the water and season with a big dash or two of sesame oil, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of soy sauce (optional) and some minced garlic. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, mix and set aside.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the zucchini and sauté for a couple minutes. Season with salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Season with salt, a splash or 2 of soy sauce if desired. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked and tender.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the carrots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes only. The carrots don’t need any seasoning as they are already slightly sweet and will be mixed in with everything else in the bibimbap. Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble and serve your Bibimbap:

  • To prepare the gochujang sauce mixture: Mix the hot pepper paste, honey, sesame oil and brown rice vinegar together and set aside. Taste and adjust any ingredients as needed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
  • To serve the bibimbap: Place some rice in each serving bowl and place each vegetable topping around the edge of the bowl. Top with a fried egg and garnish with the gim and sprinkle on some roasted sesame seeds. Serve with the gochujang sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Serve the gochujang sauce on the side, and let your guests pour on themselves to control the level of heat!
*Alternatively, you can leave the skins on. Up to you!