Salmon Bibimbap Korean Rice Bowl Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

By now, I think Korean food has become mainstream enough that just about everyone who gives a damn about Asian food has eaten a decent bibimbap.

I myself always thought that it was a rather complicated dish, what with all those fancy hot stone bowls out there, but the truth is that bibimbap just means “mixed rice.”

This means that in Korean households (at least, as portrayed on my favorite, most addictive K-dramas—admittedly not THE most credible source) they often simply mix the rice with a selection of “side dishes” or ban chan, stir in a little gochujang, mix vigorously, and dig in right then and there.

So in the spirit of making things feel simpler, I devised this salmon bibimbap recipe, which is just one or two steps above going to your local Korean supermarket and buying all the pre-made bibimbap ingredients.

There’s no need to finagle some fancy/complicated marinade for any bulgogi here (which often involves blending sauces, onion, garlic, and oftentimes melon together to make a sweet and salty mixture); instead, we’re using salmon with just a little salt and pepper, seared to lightly crisped perfection.

And after a slate of admittedly not-that-healthy dishes (my last post was a ranting,wholehearted endorsem*nt for double dipped Korean Fried Chicken Tenders), this salmon bibimbap is the perfect cleansing dish.

(Just so we’re clear, I don’t mean militant-Gwyneth-Paltrow cleanse, I mean a nice “hey-that-was-decently-healthy” cleanse.)

With the addition of salmon, this bibimbap really is over the top in terms of the health factor. It’s a colorful, balanced dish, with plenty of lean protein thrown in for good measure. And you can add as much or as little kimchi as you’d like.

(Apparently fermented foods like kimchi have been shown to reduce social anxiety. Naturally, with this knowledge in hand, I felt compelled to eat nearly an entire jar during the making of this recipe…)

Enjoy this one guys—it’s pretty guilt-free and completely and utterly delicious.

Salmon Bibimbap Recipe Instructions

First, cook 2 cups of raw white rice using your preferred method.

Next, heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the carrots for about 1 minute, sprinkling with a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Next, stir-fry the bean sprouts using the same method you used with the carrots.

Next prep your watercress. Cut each bunch in half and wash thoroughly.

In the same pan you used for the carrots, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and let fry gently for about 15-20 seconds. Add the watercress, followed by a ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir-fry until completely wilted. Remove from the heat and toss with the soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Set aside.

Now for the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a pan over medium high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the salmon. Let brown for about 5 minutes.

Flip, and let the other side cook for another 5 minutes. Our salmon steak was pretty thick, so cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on how big your piece of salmon is. When in doubt, just use a knife to gently cut into the center to check for doneness. Looks don’t matter with this dish, as we’ll be flaking the salmon anyway.

While the salmon is cooking, set aside the kimchi and seaweed flakes, cutting up the seaweed with kitchen shears if you’re using roasted sheets. Also, cook one egg for each person you’re serving.

When the salmon is finished cooking, you’re ready to assemble your bibimbap.

Spoon a nice bed of rice into a bowl…

And top with a small handful of flaked salmon and your egg. Add as much watercress, carrot, bean sprouts, kimchi, and seaweed as your heart desires.

Finish off your salmon bibimbap with gochujang to taste. Stir thoroughly and enjoy with a big spoon!