Bibimbap, which translates roughly as "mixed rice", is one of the most meal-prep-friendly dishes we know. Each component is cooked separately, stored separately and assembled in seconds. This Food Cadet plan makes four generous bowls in about an hour.
Food Cadet Bibimbap Shopping List
- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 300 g beef mince, sliced mushrooms or firm tofu
- 1 large carrot, 1 courgette, 200 g spinach and 200 g bean sprouts
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup kimchi
- Soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar and toasted sesame seeds
- Gochujang (Korean chilli paste) and rice vinegar for the sauce
How Food Cadet Preps Bibimbap Step by Step
- Cook the rice and spread it on a tray to cool quickly.
- Blanch the spinach and bean sprouts for one minute each, squeeze dry and season with sesame oil, salt and a little garlic.
- Stir-fry the carrot and courgette separately in a hot pan with a pinch of salt until just tender.
- Cook the protein with soy sauce, garlic, sugar and sesame oil until caramelised.
- Mix the sauce: 3 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and 1 tbsp water.
- Pack each component in its own section of four containers, with the sauce in a small pot.
Food Cadet Tips for Storing and Serving
Store the bowls in the fridge for up to four days. Keep the kimchi and sauce separate so the vegetables stay crisp. When it is time to eat, reheat the rice and protein, fry a fresh egg, then add the cold vegetables and kimchi on top.
Make it your own
Swap in brown rice for more fibre, add pickled radish for crunch, or use a soft-boiled egg if you prefer to skip the frying pan at work.
Food Cadet food-safety reminder: cool cooked rice within an hour and refrigerate promptly. Reheat it until steaming hot all the way through.