One Pot Bibimbap (rice cooker and instant pot)

If you’re busy, try making more one-pot meals! This One Pot Bibimbap is perfect for the rice cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop, and gives you several complete meals in just 30 minutes.

What is Bibimbap?

Bibimbap is a classic Korean dish that combines warm rice, sautéed vegetables, and flavorful toppings like marinated beef, kimchi, or a fried egg. Cooks typically mix everything together with a spicy Gochujang sauce, creating a delicious blend of flavors and textures. The word “Bibimbap” literally means “mixed rice,” and it’s a versatile meal you can customize with your favorite ingredients. Instead of making separated Bibimbap or Gochujang sauce, I turned the sauce in to meat marinate and flavor everything in the pot.

Ingredients in Bibimbap

The ingredients for Bibimbap are versatile and easy to customize. The essentials are rice, meat, and vegetables. My marinade sauce is sweet and savory, with a little kick from Gochujang. It’s made with honey, soy sauce, grated or minced garlic, ginger, sesame oil, Gochujang, and a bit of chicken bouillon. I like to use vegetables like cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, edamame, and onions, but feel free to choose your favorite meats and veggies!

Instant Pot Bibimbap

In this recipe and video, I used the “steam” function on the Instant Pot to make the dish. With this method, I don’t need a steaming rack or to sauté everything before cooking the rice. I simply marinate the skirt steak with the seasonings shown in the picture above. Be sure to break apart the Gochujang, as it is sticky and is where most of the flavor comes from. Place half of the beef in the pot, then add the rice and water. Top with vegetables and the rest of the beef. Steam on high for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, press “cancel” and release the pressure for 3-5 minutes before opening the lid. You’ll end up with a flavorful bowl of seasoned rice, veggies, and beef, with a crispy layer of rice at the bottom, similar to clay pot rice.

Rice Cooker Bibimbap

Using a rice cooker to make Bibimbap is even easier. You don’t need to set a timer or worry about pressure release. The process is the same as with an Instant Pot—just press the “cook” button. Once the meal is done, the rice cooker will automatically switch to “warm” instead of “cook” (about 20 minutes). The water-to-rice ratio is the same for both the rice cooker and Instant Pot, which is 1:1.

One Pot Stovetop Bibimbap

To make a one-pot Korean rice bowl on the stovetop, you’ll need to add a bit more water. The rice-to-water ratio should be 1:1.25. So, if the recipe calls for 2 cups of rice, you’ll need 2.5 cups (two and half cups) of water. Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important to wash the rice a few times and strain it to remove any impurities or heavy metals. Cook the rice mixture on medium heat, covered, for 25-30 minutes. This method is similar to my “One Pot Chicken and Rice” recipe.

How to Customize Bibimbap

• Customize your protein : Customize your protein by swapping the beef for thinly sliced pork or chicken. You can also use ground beef instead of skirt steak.
• Customize your vegetables : Customize your vegetables by choosing ones that you enjoy eating steamed. Use about half to one cup of each vegetable. Some great options include spinach, kale, peas, corn, and bean sprouts.
• Customize your toppings: My family likes to add fried eggs, green onions, crispy seaweed snacks, and a drizzle of sesame oil with sesame seeds. We also often serve the dish with cucumber kimchi or The Thai Crunchy Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing. The choice is yours!