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    Home » Main Dish

    Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    Published 10/04/2015. Updated 04/09/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    You can make this vegan bibimbap without a trip to a Korean market. This simple bibimbap recipe uses vegetables you can find in your local grocery stores.

    DSC 2293 e1548226295705 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    One of the nice things about bibimbap is its versatility. It can be made in many different ways with any combination of vegetables and proteins. As such, you can use leftover side dishes from previous meals or quickly cut up and blanch or sauté whatever ingredients you have in the fridge. You will always end up with a whole satisfying meal!

    I previously posted two bibimbap recipes on the blog – traditional bibimbap and tuna bibimbap. Here, I created a simple vegan bibimbap recipe with tofu as the protein choice.

    DSC 2302 e1548227443122 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    Vegetable options for vegan bibimbap

    The vegetables I used in this bibimbap recipe can easily be found in your local grocery stores, so you can make bibimbap without a trip to a Korean market! You all have gochujang, right?

    For Korean bibimbap, the vegetable choices are endless: zucchini, baby kale, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, spinach, watercress, turnip greens, Swiss chard, broccoli slaw, orange or red color bell peppers, red cabbages, dried seaweed sheet (gim), etc. You only need 3 or 4 of these vegetables to make a delicious Korean rice bowl.

    In this recipe, I also pan-fried some tofu cubes to enhance the nutty flavor of the tofu and to give it a nice chewy texture.

    How to make bibimbap sauce

    To make the bibimbap sauce, I used a little bit of apple cider to thin gochujang while adding a fruity sweetness. Korean plum extract will be great as well if you have it, or you can simply use sugar and thin it with water. See my other bibimbap sauce.

    How to serve bibimbap

    As shown in my traditional bibimbap recipe, you can make this tofu version in a dolsot (stone/earthenware). If you don’t own one of those, try it with a cast iron pan or a casserole dish.

    DSC 2306 e1578457444141 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    Who says bibimbap has to be served in a huge bowl? I recently attended a Korean event where bibimbap was served in small clear plastic cups. What a cute idea for a large group (also for your children)! Your picky eater might even eat a cup of bibimbap full of vegetables.

    DSC 0931 e1443927060785 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    For more Korean cooking inspiration, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 2284 350x350 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)

    Tofu Bibimbap

    5 from 20 votes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 4 servings cooked rice
    • 1 medium zucchini
    • 5 ounces baby kale or spinach or watercress
    • 2 medium carrots or 1 orange bell pepper
    • 10 mushroom caps crimini, white, or shiitake
    • 8 ounces tofu
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • sesame oil
    • cooking oil

    Gochujang sauce (or see bibimbap sauce here: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/bibimbap/

    • 2 tablespoons gochujang
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider or 1 tablespoon Korean plum extract, maesilcheong and 1 tablespoon water

    Instructions

    • Cook the rice in a rice cooker or following package directions, using a little less water than called for. Rice for bibimbap should be slightly drier than usual for best results.
    • Cut the zucchini into match sticks. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid. Heat a pan with a little bit of oil. Add the zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Sauté for 2 - 3 minutes over medium high heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
      DSC 0932 e1443930582556 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)
    • Blanch the baby kale briefly in salted boiling water. Drain quickly, and shock in cold water. Drain again, and squeeze out the water. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
      DSC 09461 e1443930745737 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)
    • Cut the carrots into match sticks. Heat the pan again with a little bit of oil. Sauté the carrots for 1 - 2 minutes over medium high heat until slightly softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
      Bibimbap7 e1443931398509 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)
    • Remove the stems off the mushrooms and cut into 1/4-inch thin slices. Sauté in the lightly oiled pan for 2 - 3 minutes over medium high heat.
      DSC 0876 e1443930912236 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)
    • Cut the tofu into about 3/4-inch cubes, and lightly sprinkle with salt. Heat the pan with a tablespoon of oil, and pan-fry the tofu until all sides are lightly golden.
      DSC 0943 e1443931076709 - Tofu Bibimbap (Vegan Bibimbap)
    • Place a serving of rice in a bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable over the rice and top with a few tofu pieces. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Serve with the red pepper paste sauce.

    Notes

    See the other bibimbap recipe if you want to add cucumber, or other vegetables. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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