Vegetarian Bibimbap With Tofu Easy Korean Recipe Wellplated Com

Anyone who feels healthy food can’t look beautiful clearly has never set eyes on a delicious Korean vegetarian bibimbap bowl (or Cabbage Stir Fry). Steamy, fluffy rice studded with tender-crisp veggies, fragrant sesame oil, and spicy Korean chili goodness, bibimbap is a layered masterpiece of color, flavor, and aroma. If you’re not familiar with bibimbap (which translates to “mixed rice”), it is a traditional Korean dish of hot rice served with an array of mixed veggies, chili pepper paste, and (sometimes) a fried egg. While thinly shaved beef is a common accompaniment, today’s recipe is my version of a vegetarian bibimbap bowl. (Don’t worry, I have a Teriyaki Salmon Bowl recipe for the meat-eaters at your dinner table too.) My healthy bibimbap recipe takes all the great colors and flavors of traditional Korean bibimbap and transforms them into a vegetarian delight.

Swaps tender beef for super-flavored chunks of crunchy on the outside, meaty on the inside Crispy Tofu. Opts for protein and fiber-rich quinoa instead of traditional steamed rice.Loads up on superfood veggies such as sassy shiitake mushrooms, vitamin A-packed carrots, green-power kale, and enigmatic bean sprouts.

Traditional Korean dishes such as bibimbap (or this Korean Beef Bowl) are so inspiring. They’re a wonderful way to step outside your comfort zone and learn how to prepare a dish that marries unfamiliar flavors and traditions from across the globe with familiar ingredients from your own kitchen.

How to Make Vegetarian Bibimbap

Short on calories but not on flavor, this healthy vegetarian bibimbap bowl recipe is a wholesome collage of color, texture, and flavor.

The Ingredients

Tofu. Crispy, yet tender tofu is the BEST way to enjoy vegetarian bibimbap. This Air Fryer Tofu would also work well in this recipe.Kale. Packed with calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and more, kale boosts this bibimbap into a power bowl of nutrition. (It’s also one of my favorite additions to Healthy Fried Rice.)Carrots. Vibrant crisp-tender carrots offer added crunch and a daily dose of vitamin A.Bean Sprouts. Earthy, crisp, with a mild grass-like flavor I love the texture and flavor bean sprouts lend a bibimbap bowl.Shiitake Mushrooms. These mild-tasting mushrooms hail from East Asia. They’re common in stir fries and ramen dishes (and delish in Mushroom Tacos) and are a fantastic addition to vegetarian bibimbap.

Garlic + Green Onions. For a little zip and additional aromatic flavor. Quinoa. My healthy swap for rice that adds fiber and additional plant-based protein into this healthy Korean rice bowl (as well as this Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl with Quinoa and Avocado).

Egg. A fried sunny-side-up egg may be optional for some but for me, it’s an obligatory topping that cannot be skipped.Honey. Contrasts the spicy chili paste and adds just the right amount of sweetness.Gochujang. A spicy fermented chili paste found in countless Korean recipes. Feel free to adjust the amount in the recipe to suit your tolerance for spice. From a tbsp gochujang to 3 tbsps!

Sesame Oil. The amount of tantalizing aroma just a few drops of this fragrant oil will never cease to amaze me. You’ll love it too!Soy Sauce. Counters the sweet honey and spicy gochujang with awesome umami flavor that gets absorbed by the tofu and veggies.Sesame Seeds. For a final flourish of edible “glitter” to bespeckle the top of these sensational bibimbap veggie bowls

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Leftover bibimbap veggies and tofu may be stored for up to two days in the fridge. Top with a fresh fried egg right before serving.To Reheat. Warm veggies and tofu in a wok over medium heat until heated through. Serve with a freshly fried egg, if desired. Alternatively, you may warm in the microwave. Note that the veggies and tofu will lose some of their crunch when reheated.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Large Pot. A deep stockpot is perfect for blanching the kale and beansprouts until tender.Skillet. This quality Le Creuset cast iron skillet is worth the investment if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen.Serving Bowls. This set is perfect for lining up your toppings so you can assemble your bibimbap bowls with ease.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…or the bibimbap!

AsparagusCucumberBaby SpinachZucchini

If you are having trouble tracking it down, you could swap for sriracha in a pinch. Just know the bibimbap will not have quite the same authentic flavor though.