Bibimbap Recipe 2 - Jeonju Bibimbap, Royal Court Cuisine Style
전주 비빔밥
Jeonju bibimbap was a royal cuisine and it was known as one of the 3 best dishes in the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). It is the most elaborate bibimbap you could ever imagine. The classic bibimbap so many Koreans enjoy, and which is also most known in North America, is derived from this bibimbap. There are more than 30 toppings that can be used in Jeonju bibimbap. Ingredient choice varies depending on the season. But, there are 3 ingredients that are key which are soy bean sprouts, hwang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly) and yook-whey (Korean style beef tartare). Another unique thing about Jeonju bibimbap is the rice is made with beef bone broth.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of toppings though. You can just pick and choose a few of your favorite toppings for your own bibimbap. Another great way to enjoy this recipe is to throw a potluck party. If you are having a gathering of 10 people, each person can bring one type of topping for 10 people. Then everyone can enjoy amazing bibimbap with 10 toppings.
Buy bibimbap ingredients online here.
Jeonju bibimbap was a royal cuisine and it was known as one of the 3 best dishes in the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). It is the most elaborate bibimbap you could ever imagine. The classic bibimbap so many Koreans enjoy, and which is also most known in North America, is derived from this bibimbap. There are more than 30 toppings that can be used in Jeonju bibimbap. Ingredient choice varies depending on the season. But, there are 3 ingredients that are key which are soy bean sprouts, hwang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly) and yook-whey (Korean style beef tartare). Another unique thing about Jeonju bibimbap is the rice is made with beef bone broth.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of toppings though. You can just pick and choose a few of your favorite toppings for your own bibimbap. Another great way to enjoy this recipe is to throw a potluck party. If you are having a gathering of 10 people, each person can bring one type of topping for 10 people. Then everyone can enjoy amazing bibimbap with 10 toppings.
Buy bibimbap ingredients online here.
INGREDIENTS
shop these ingredients online »special rice (optional, can use regular white rice) | ||
3 cups | Rice, white short grain 쌀 | |
3 cups | Beef Bone Broth 사골육수 | |
2 tbs | Soy Sauce (regular) 왜간장 | |
2 tbs | Sesame Oil 참기름 | |
main ingredients | ||
5 oz | Beef, flank 양지 (or rump or any other lean part) | |
2 oz | Shiitake mushroom (dried) 표고버섯 (4-5 mushrooms) | |
1 oz | Fernbrake or Bracken, Gosari 고사리 (dried) | |
1 oz | Doraji, Bellflower Root 도라지 (dried) | |
4 oz | Soybean Sprouts 콩나물 | |
1 oz | Chwinamul (or Chuinamul), Aster Scaber 취나물 (dried) | |
4 oz | Spinach 시금치 (without roots) | |
¼ | Cucumber 오이 (about 100g, 2" length) | |
½ | Zucchini, Korean (Grey Squash) 애호박 (about 100g, 2" length) | |
7 oz | Korean Radish 무 | |
4 oz | Carrot (large Korean carrot) 당근 (about ⅓, 2" length) | |
2 oz | Hwang-po-muk, Yellow Mung Bean Jelly 황포묵 (or regular mung bean jelly) | |
for blanching and seasoning | ||
3 tbs | Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) 고추장 (optional if you don't like spicy food) | |
1 tbs | Coarse Sea Salt 굵은 소금 (to clean doraji, platycodon) | |
1 tbs | Salt 소금 (amount may vary depending on the brand) | |
2 tbs | Soy Sauce for Soup (Gukganjang) 국간장 (optional, use regular soy sauce instead) | |
1 tbs | Soy Sauce (regular) 왜간장 | |
2 tbs | Sugar 설탕 | |
1⅔ tbs | Garlic (minced) 다진 마늘 | |
4½ tbs | Sesame Oil 참기름 | |
⅔ tsp | Black Pepper 후추 | |
3 tbs | Chopped Green Onion 다진파 | |
1⅔ tbs | Sesame Seeds 깨 | |
⅛ | Korean Pear 배 (ground, optional, can use bosc pear) | |
1 tsp | Cheongju, Korean Rice Wine 청주 (optional, can use white wine) | |
½ oz | Pine nut 잣 (optional) | |
1½ tbs | Mul Yeot / Malt (Maltose) Syrup 물엿 (or sugar or honey) | |
2½ tsp | Vinegar 식초 | |
1 tsp | Gochugaru, Korean Hot Pepper Flakes 고추가루 | |
for garnishes (optional) | ||
8 | Egg 계란 (4 for cooked egg topping, 4 for raw egg yolk garnish) | |
2 tsp | Vegetable Oil 식용유 | |
¼ tsp | Salt 소금 | |
2 head(s) | Jujube or Red Date (Dried) 대추 | |
½ oz | Pine nut 잣 | |
2 tbs | Walnut 호두 | |
12 | Ginkgo Nut 은행 |

The following is the summary of seasoning ingredients for each topping. You can also find these amounts in the cooking directions below but we thought this chart may help you see everything at once. Please note that these amounts are for the default serving of 4.
The amount of salt may vary depending on the type of salt you use.
Salt | Guk ganjang | Soy Sauce | Sugar | Garlic | Sesame Oil | Black Pepper | Green Onion | Sesame Seeds | Other | |
150g Beef |
1½ tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | pinch | 1 tsp ground pear, 1 tsp cheongju, 1 tsp ground pine nuts | ||||
50g Shiitake Mushroom | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp | pinch | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | |||
35 g Gosari | 1 tbs | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | pinch | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ||||
35 g Doraji | 1 tbs | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | pinch | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ||||
100g Soybean Sprout | ¼-½ tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | pinch | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ||||
30g Chuinamul | ⅛-¼ tsp | 1/4 tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ||||
100g Spinach | ⅛-¼ tsp | 1/4 tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp | pinch | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | |||
100g Cucumber | ⅛-¼ tsp | ¼ tsp | 1 tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | |||||
100g Zucchini | ⅛-¼ tsp | ¼ tsp | 1 tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | |||||
200g Korean Radish | ¾-1 tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | 1 tsp gochugaru, 2 tsp vinegar | ||||
80g Carrot | ⅛-¼ tsp | 1 tsp | ||||||||
50g Mung Bean Jelly | 1 tsp | ½ tsp | ⅛ tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp vinegar | ||||
3 tbs Gochujang | 1 tsp | 1½ tbs | 1 tsp | 1½ tbs mulyeot or honey |
Don’t be overwhelmed! You can choose a few toppings you like.
Even for traditional jeonju bibimbap, ingredients vary depending on the season. You can substitute in and out with a variety of toppings. Check our our classic bibimbap recipe for a simpler version.
If you want to stay true to the traditional jeonju bibimbap, make sure to include soy bean sprouts, whang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly), yookwhey (seasoned raw beef) and rice cooked in beef broth along with other vegetables and greens of your choice.
When choosing toppings, consider balance in taste, texture and color.
Taste: For pleasant bitterness add toppings like doraji (platycodon root) namul, bom namul, chui namul and san namul.
For sweetness, add carrots or zucchini.
Texture: If you like a bit of a mushy texture you can add zucchini and mushrooms, whereas things like platycodon are more crunchy.
Color: You want to use a variety of colors to create a beautiful and contrasting array. (For example, if you have spinach perhaps you don't need to use two other greens. You want different colors like red, white, brown, etc.) When you arrange the ingredients, try to put contrasting colors next to each other, and similar colors as far apart as possible.
Traditionally Korean believed that bibimbap should include the 5 colors: red, blue (or green), brown, white and yellow, which symbolize the harmony of the 5 elements: fire, water, tree, metal and earth. They believed that this creates a balanced meal which is good for health.
You can buy Korean dried vegetables online here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I blanch everything at once?
There are three reasons why we blanching things separately. First, it allows you to create a killer presentation. If you mix everything up, it won't look as pretty. Secondly, ingredients get cooked at different speeds. So, you may end up with some things undercooked or others overcooked. Thirdly, when you cook things together, the flavors can be infused to create a different flavor than the intended one. However, I am not going to discourage you from experimenting and adapting the recipe to your liking. After all, cooking is a creative process!
Not all the toppings are hot after following this recipe. Is that normal?
Traditionally, the veggies (na-mul) on bibimbap are not supposed to be hot. Na-muls are room temperature side dishes that you can also use in bibimbap. If you prefer everything to be hot, add all the topping when you pre-heat the bowl and rice and leave the whole thing on the stove on low heat for awhile, with a cover or a lid. One of our viewers suggested putting the whole thing in the oven for awhile.
Do I have to use a stone bowl for bibimbap?
No, bibimbap can be served in a regular bowl. But, it's definitely a step up in terms of taste and presentation.
What is a stone bowl and where can I buy one?
“Stone Bowl” is the common North American name for the sizzling bibimbap bowl, directly translated from “Dol Sot” bibimbap. Natural stone bowls are mostly used in restaurants for the unique look, but many Koreans use ceramic stoneware at home for its ease of use and sanitary benefit. In terms of function, it performs just like natural stone. One primary example is its sizzling effect. Buy stone bowls here
Why are stone bowls so big and how many people can I serve with one stone bowl?
Stone bowls are traditionally for individual servings (meaning one bowl is for one person), though they are big. But, that doesn't mean you have to fill up the bowl to the top if you are not a big eater. Big bowls are used because it's easy to mix things up without making a mess. But then again, I could see the fully filled dolsot feeding 2-3 small eaters if people want to use it as a communal bowl.
Why can't I get the crust at the bottom?
There could be two reasons for this. ONE, you may be using the wrong type of rice. For all Korean cooking, use short grain rice. (It's also called sticky rice. Koreans and Japanese eat this type of rice). Other types of rice may not be sticky enough. Also, your rice can be cooked too dry. TWO, you may just need to leave your bowl on the stove for a longer time. It takes awhile to pre-heat the dolsot, so you probably want to leave the rice in the bowl for 10-20 min after pre-heating it. You can try to put it on medium after pre-heating, but you will have to check it frequently to prevent burning.
More questions? Please leave your questions below in the comment section. We will do our best to answer as soon as we can.
instructions |
photos |
summary |
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Ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions are for the default serving size. |
Click to enlarge photos. |
Ingredient amounts in the recipe summary are for the default serving size. |
1. Make beef bone broth(OPTIONAL) Make beef bone broth the day before. See how to make beef bone broth here. Beef bone broth will be used to make rice. |
1
Make beef bone broth | |
2. Make hwang-po-muk(OPTIONAL) Make hwang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly) the day before. See how to make hwang-po-muk here. You can also make or buy cheong-po-muk (regular mung bean jelly) in a Korean market. |
2
Make hwang-po-muk | |
3. Pre-soak vegetablesSoak 35g of dried gosari (fernbrake), 35g of dried doraji (platycodon), 30g of dried chuinamul in cold water separately for at least 3 hours. Overnight is ideal. |
3
Soak in water
| |
4. Cook riceWash 3 cups of white short grain rice twice and drain completely. Add 3 cups of beef bone soup and cook in a rice cooker. See how to cook rice in pot here. This will yield about 6 cups of cooked rice (1½ cups of cooked rice for each serving.) |
4
Wash
Drain Add
Cook | |
5. Wash dorajiDrain pre-soaked doraji (platycodon). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt all over doraji and rub them for a min. Wash thoroughly and squeeze water out by hand. |
5
Sprinkle doraji with
Rub Wash thoroughly Squeeze water out | |
6. Wash gosari & chuinamulWash pre-soaked gosari and chuinamul twice in cold water. Squeeze water out by hand. |
6
Wash twice
Squeeze water out | |
7. Blanch gosari and chuinamulBlanch gosari (fernbrake) and chuinamul (aster scaber) separately in boiling water with a pinch of salt (gosari: until soft, 10-20 min depending on how long you soaked, chuinamul: 10-20 min depending on how long you soaked). Rinse in cold water and squeeze all the water out with your hands. Blanching time may vary depending on how soaked your vegetables are. As a rule of thumb, blanch until they just become soft. Don’t over cook. |
7
Blanch in boiling water with ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Rinse in cold water Squeeze water out | |
8. Blanch spinachWash 100g of spinach thoroughly and drain. Blanch spinach in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about 1 min. Rinse in cold water and squeeze all the water out with your hands. |
8
Wash & drain
Blanch in boiling water with ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Rinse in cold water Squeeze water out | |
9. Soak and wash mushroomsSoak dried 4-5 shiitake mushrooms in sugar water (1 tablespoon sugar + 2 cups water) for 30 min or until they become soft. Then, wash throughly and squeeze all the water out. If you have fresh Shiitake mushrooms, just wash them in cold water. |
9
Soak in cold water
Wash Squeeze water out | |
10. Julienne mushroomsJulienne shiitake mushrooms |
10
Julienne
| |
11. Prepare soybean sproutsRemove tails from 100g of soybean sprouts. Remove any rotten (brown) heads. Rinse thoroughly in water and drain. |
11
Remove tail Rinse thoroughly Drain | |
12. Blanch soybean sproutsBlanch soy bean sprouts in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about 5 min or until soft. Ensure the lid is closed. Otherwise, it could have unpleasant smell later. Drain water out in a strainer (don’t squeeze). |
12
Blanch soybean sprouts in boiling water
Drain in strainer | |
13. Prepare cucumberWash and peel ¼ english cucumber (about 2” length), leaving some skin for color. Then, cut out the flesh into thin sheets by cutting and rotating the cucumber at the same time. Don’t use the middle part containing seeds. *Use regular julienne method if you are not comfortable with your knife skills. |
13
Wash & peel
Cut into thin sheets | |
14. Julienne cucumberJulienne cucumber by cutting the long sheet into thin strips. Sprinkle a pinch of salt all over and let it sit for a few minutes. |
14
Julienne
Sprinkle
Let it sit | |
15. Julienne zucchiniPeel and wash ½ Korean zucchini (2” length). Julienne it into thin strips. Sprinkle a pinch of salt all over and let it sit for a few minutes. |
15
Peel & wash
Julienne Sprinkle
Let it sit | |
16. Julienne carrotPeel and wash ½ carrot (2” length). Julienne it into thin strips. Sprinkle a pinch of salt all over and let it sit for a few minutes. |
16
Peel & wash
Julienne Sprinkle
Let it sit | |
17. Julienne radishPeel, wash and julienne 200g of Korean radish (about 2” length). Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let it sit for a few minutes. |
17
Peel, wash
Julienne Sprinkle
Let it sit | |
18. Prepare garlic and green onionsPeel and mince 6 cloves of garlic and finely chop 3 green onions. |
18
Mince 6 cloves garlic Chop 3 green onions | |
19. Prepare beefJulienne 150g of beef. You can use rump, strip loin or any other lean cut. Use fresh high quality beef. It’s easier to cut finely if the meat is slightly frozen. |
19
Julienne 150g beef | |
20. Marinate beefMarinate beef with 1½ teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a pinch of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of ground Korean pear (or bosc bear), 1 teaspoon of cheongju (Korean rice wine) and 1 teaspoon of ground pine nuts (optional). Cover and store in the fridge. |
20
Marinate with
Regrigerate | |
21. Sauté gosariCoat a pan with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Sauté gosari (fernbrake) with ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, for 3 min on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of gukganjang (soy sauce for soup), 1 teaspoon chopped green onions and saute for another 5-10 min until softened. If it starts to stick to the bottom, you can add a bit more water. Turn off the heat. Add a pinch of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds. *Cooking time may differ depending on how the gosari was dried and how long the gosari was soaked in water. |
21
Sauté gosari Med Heat
Add
Sauté Med Heat Off heat and add
| |
22. Sauté dorajiSauté doraji (platycodon roots) exactly same way as gosari. |
22
Sauté doraji Med Heat
Add
Sauté Med Heat Off heat and add
| |
23. Sauté shiitake mushroomsSauté julienned shiitake mushrooms with ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions, a pinch of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds on high heat for 3 min or until cooked. |
23
Sauté mushrooms High Heat
| |
24. Sauté carrotsSauté carrots with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper on medium heat for 5 min or until cooked. |
24
Sauté carrots Med Heat
| |
25. Sauté zucchiniSauté zucchini with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds on medium heat for 2-3 min or until cooked. |
25
Sauté zucchini Med Heat
| |
26. Sauté cucumberSauté cucumber on medium heat for 1 min with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions and ½ teaspoon of sesame seed. |
26
Sauté cucumber Med Heat
| |
27. Season spinachSeason blanched spinach with the following and mix well with your hand: ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of gukganjang (soy sauce for soup), ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions, a pinch of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds. |
27
Season spinach
| |
28. Season chuinamulSeason chuinamul (aster scaber) with the following and mix well with your hand: ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of gukganjang (soy sauce for soup), ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds. |
28
Season chuinamul
| |
29. Season soybean sproutsSeason soybean sprouts with the following and mix well with your hand: ¼-½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of green onions and ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds. |
29
Season soybean sprouts
| |
30. Season radishSeason Korean radish with ¾-1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoon of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of garlic, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions, ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds and 1 teaspoon of gochugaru (red chili flakes). |
30
Season radish
| |
31. Season hwang-po-mukSeason 50g of hwang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly) with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon of minced garlic and a pinch of sesame seeds. |
31
Season 50g hwang-po-muk
| |
32. Prepare eggs (optional)Separate 4 egg yolks from egg whites into separate bowls. Season each of the yolks and whites with a pinch of salt and beat it. |
32
Separate
Season
Beat | |
33. Cook eggs (optional)While the broth is boiling, preheat a non-stick pan on low heat for a minute. Lightly coat a non-stick pan with vegetable oil and spread the egg yolks as thin as possible by rotating the pan in circular motion, just as if making crepes. When it’s fully cooked, remove it from the pan and let it cool on the side. Repeat the same for egg whites. For more vibrant colors, cook on low heat. |
33
Preheat Low Heat Coat pan with oil Spread egg yolks thin Cook Low Heat Cool down Repeat for egg whites | |
34. Cut eggs (optional)Once the cooked eggs are cooled down, cut them into very thin strips. If the eggs are not fully cooled down, they won’t cut cleanly. |
34
Cut into think strips | |
35. Prepare jujubeWash 2 jujubes (dried Korean dates) thoroughly and remove water with paper towel. Remove the seeds from jujubes by peeling the flesh while turning Keep the seeds. |
35
Wash & Remove water Peel flesh while turning Remove seeds keep seeds | |
36. Roll jujubesRoll the flesh of jujubes tightly. |
36
Roll jujubes | |
37. Cut jujubesThinly slice the rolled jujube flesh across so that the swirl is shown. |
37
Slice jujube thinly | |
38. Prepare nutsCrush walnuts into small pieces to yield about 2 tablespoons. Set aside a few pine nuts and cooked 12 ginkgo nuts for a garnish. |
38
Crush walnuts Set aside
| |
39. Season rice(OPTIONAL) Season 6 cups of cooked rice (cooked in beef bone broth) with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Cooking rice in beef bone broth and seasoning is unique to Jeonju bibimbap. Regular white rice is used for most other types of bibimbap. You can skip this step if you like. |
39
Season cooked rice
| |
40. Make bibimbap sauce (optional)Mix and sauté 3 tablespoons of red chili paste, 1½ tablespoon of Mul Yeot (see tips for substitution), 1½ tablespoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Stir constantly so it doesn’t stick to the pan. You can make more if you like your bibimbap spicy. |
40
Mix & sauté
Med Heat | |
41. Heat stone bowls (optional)(OPTIONAL for sizzling dolsot bibimbap) Coat 4 stone bowls with vegetable oil or sesame oil and place a bed of seasoned rice at the bottom of stone bowls and leave them on LOW heat for 15-20 min (or until golden crust is formed at the bottom). |
41
Coat stone bowl with oil Place a bed of rice Low Heat (golden crust) | |
42. Top with ingredientsAdd more rice to each bowl. For each bowl, top with all ingredients so that contrasting colors are beside each other. Place yook-whey (seasoned raw beef) and whang-po-muk (yellow mung bean jelly) in the middle. Crack an egg yolk in the centre. If you prefer all ingredients to be hot, add everything when you preheat the stone bowl and rice (in the previous step). You don’t have to completely fill up the bowl. Stone bowls are big so people can mix the content without making a mess. If you are a small eater, use a smaller amount of rice. |
42
Add more rice Top with ingredients | |
43. GarnishFor each bowl, garnish with 3-4 jujube (dried date) roses, 3-4 pine nuts, 1 teaspoon of crushed walnuts and 3-4 cooked ginkgo nuts. |
43
For each bowi, garnish with
| |
44. Serve and enjoyServe with the bibimbap sauce (or plain gochujang) on the side. To enjoy the dish, add the bibimbap sauce to your liking and mix everything well. |
44
Serve on the side
|
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