Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (2024)

An easy Korean Bibimbap Recipe ready to eat in under 30 minutes! The Bibimbap ingredients start with healthy ground turkey and include carrots, mushrooms, spinach, Gochujang sauce, and more! Specifically made in mind for the whole family as each item is cooked separate yet fast for customizable bowls for adults and all the way down to toddlers!

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Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (1)

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Easy Ground Turkey Bibimbap

For those of you who haven’t become familiar with this dish yet, Bibimbap is a delicious Korean meal comprised of meat, vegetables, rice, and Gochujang sauce, translated it means ‘mixed rice’ and is pronounced BEE-bim-bap.

For those who have had it before buckle up because this healthy homemade version is about to become your new favorite!


Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (2)

What are the ingredients in Bibimbap?

Great question. There are many varieties of this dish but most of them have the basic elements.

Bibimbap is an ancient dish with humble beginnings, it is said to have originated with farmer’s wives who were often too busy to make a traditional full meal so they took what was available, often leftover vegetables and meats. These would be put on top of rice with an egg and the meal was served.

Fast forward to now Bibimbap is still a rice bowl with meats and veggies. The meats most often seen are beef and chicken, vegetarian versions you will see tofu and in this version we see ground turkey!

Bibimbap is traditionally flavored with sesame oil and Gochujang sauce. You will see both of these in this recipe as well as a little soy sauce to ensure the ground turkey develops flavor.

Gochujang sauce can tend to be quite spicy so in my version I avoid putting it on anything while cooking and serve it on the table, this way kids and people not keen on spicy foods can enjoy the meal too!

Beyond the rice, meat, and sauce a variety of vegetables are cooked and plated with a fried egg. In this recipe I tried to stick with readily available produce that can be found easily at the grocery store.

The last thing that still is technically a vegetable but helps add to the healthiness of the meal in kimchi. Kimchi is fermented cabbage, often spicy it adds a ton of flavor plus the fermentation is great for gut health!

Recipe for Bibimbap Bowl

In my opinion for what bibimbap is it has a pretty short list of ingredients and most of them being fresh vegetables!

To make this recipe you will need:

  1. Cooked Rice: Get my blog post on how my Foolproof Method for Cooking Rice on the Stovetop
  2. Ground Turkey: I use lean 93% fat but any variety will work here
  3. Soy Sauce: Regular works perfect for giving the turkey lots of flavor, but you can use low-sodium if you are sensitive to salt
  4. Sesame Oil: You will find this in the Asian section of your grocery store, a little goes a long way with adding flavor to your dish
  5. Carrot: 1 large carrot put through the grater, for a short cut you can by pre-cut carrots
  6. Baby Spinach: I use a whole 5oz container, this will seem like A LOT but it wilts down A LOT
  7. Shiitake Mushrooms: Save yourself sometime and grab pre-sliced pack if they have it
  8. Bean Sprouts: Adds a refreshing layer to this dish, and giving them a quick cook really sweetens them up
  9. Eggs: an egg to top each bowl, try to keep the yolk as runny as possible, it really adds to the flavor of the dish as you eat it
  10. Kimchi: for plating you are going to want a nice helping of kimchi on each bowl, I have never had the time to make it at home myself but if you have homemade kimchi use it, otherwise you can find it in the refrigerator at the grocery store
  11. Gochujang Sauce: gochujang can be pretty spicy so I put it on the table and let people serve themselves how much they want, even if you aren’t a big spicy person I recommend just adding a little for full flavor
  12. Sesame Seeds: for plating and adding that fun finishing touch
Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (3)

Now you know what you need lets dive in!

Now each element will be cooked seperatly. If you roll your eyes at that process there are 3 things you can do:

  1. Suck it up and do it.
  2. Have 2 skillets going at once, but caution that means cooking 2 things at once, which can be tricky if you are inexperienced.
  3. Cook the vegetables all together in one pan, add things in order of how long they take to cook. Yes you won’t have that beautiful bowl at the end BUT it will be a ton faster, and to be honest you are going to mix it all up with the rice right away anyways!

Last thing to note before you start cooking make sure your rice is already cooked or get it started cooking so it is ready when you are ready to eat!

So now to cook!

Start with the turkey, heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add ground turkey and the soy sauce. Cook and crumble until fully cooked 6 to 7 minutes. The turkey should have soaked in most of the soy sauce but any remaing liquids from cooking should be drained out. Transfer the turkey to a plate, cover to keep warm.

Next you will cook the vegetables. With the skillet still over medium-high heat begin cooking the vegetables one by one in batches with the following cooking times. Add a bit of oil to the pan if needed (ex: spray olive oil).

  • Shredded Carrot: 2 to 3 minutes
  • Shiitake Mushroom: 4 to 5 minutes
  • Baby Spinach: 1 to 2 minutes (until wilty)
  • Bean Sprouts: 3 to 4 minutes
  • Eggs: 3 to 4 minutes (or to liking)

When each batch is done, transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Once everything is cooked the Bibimbap bowls can be assembled.

Evenly distrubute rice between large bowls and top with the cooked turkey, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, kimchi, an egg, and top with sesame seeds. Serve with Gochujang sauce for people to serve themselves.

Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (4)

BUT what if you have little kids you are feeding this too??

Serving Korean Bibimbap Bowls to Kids

This is actually a pretty easy meal to serve to kids for one big reason…

EVERYTHING IS SEPARATE!

I know A LOT of kids don’t like things touching so that is a bonus about this meal and that everything is cooked separately. So if this is your case it makes it really easy to plate!

Now just because everything is cooked separate doesn’t mean you shouldn’t challenge them to try a little bit of everything. Don’t be afraid to offer them a bean sprout or a piece of kimchi even if they won’t like it. It is a chance to teach them to have courage and being adventurous to try a new unusual food. Heck my 4 year old recently told me he thinks he actually likes kimchi now after a long time of refusing to try it!

With this meal I know my kids, as most will go after the rice, turkey, and egg. This is great, all healthy options for kids, and if they choose to taste the vegetables that is FANTASTIC!

One thing to note, is if you know your kid isn’t crazy about a fried egg you can take the extra minute and make their egg into a little batch of scrambled eggs if they prefer it that way.

Remember kids are learning even when they are eating dinner so some great talking points are:

  • The colors in this dish: So many fun colors between the different vegetables.
  • Eating utensils: Traditionally people use chopsticks or spoons to eat this meal. How do they eat it? (Bonus: I have these Children’s Animal ChopsticksKorean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (5) from Amazon and my kids LOVE them)
  • Korean culture: For a little bit older kids, do they know anything about Korea? Show your kids North and South Korea on the map!
Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (6)

(And yes I am aware I forgot to put a piece of kimchi on the kid’s plate photo)

Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (7)

Love Asian Inspired meals? You might like these:

  • Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Asian Chopped Grilled Chicken Salad
  • Grilled Pork Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches)
  • Ground Pork Stir Fry
  • Easy Pork Fried Rice
  • 20 Minute Chicken Stir Fry
  • Shrimp Stir Fry
  • Crockpot Beef Pho
  • Shrimp Banh Mi

Yield: 4 servings

Korean Turkey Bibimbap

Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (8)

A twist on traditional Korean Bibimbap using Ground Turkey! Including carrots, mushrooms, spinach, Gochujang sauce, and more! Specifically made in mind for the whole family as each item is cooked separate yet fast for customizable bowls for adults and all the way down to toddlers!

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 4 eggs
  • kimchi for plating
  • gochujang sauce for plating
  • sesame seeds for plating

Instructions

1. Heat seasame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add ground turkey and the soy sauce. Cook and crumble until fully cooked 6 to 7 minutes. The turkey should have soaked in most of the soy sauce but any remaing liquids from cooking should be drained out. Transfer the turkey to a plate, cover to keep warm.

2. With the skillet back over medium-high heat begin cooking the vegetables one by one in batches with the following cooking times. Add a bit of oil to the pan if needed (ex: spray olive oil).

• Shredded Carrot: 2 to 3 minutes

• Shittake Mushroom: 4 to 5 minutes

• Baby Spinach: 1 to 2 minutes (until wilty)

• Bean Sprouts: 3 to 4 minutes

• Eggs: 3 to 4 minutes (or to liking)

When each batch is done, transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3. Once everything is cooked the Bibimbap bowls can be assembled. Evenly distrubute rice between large bowls and top with the cooked turkey, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, kimchi, an egg, and top with sesame seeds. Serve with Gochujang sauce.

Notes

The cook time as given reflects if each of the componants are cooked individually, one right after each other. To speed up the cooking time you can have more than one skillet cooking things at the same time if you feel comfortable doing so.

Get your rice cooked in time to eat!? Get my Foolproof Method for Cooking Rice on the Stovetop.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 528Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 306mgSodium: 745mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 41g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

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Korean Bibimbap Recipe with Ground Turkey - The Schmidty Wife (2024)

FAQs

Is bibimbap a healthy meal? ›

It must be noted, though, that bibimbap by nature is quite healthy with rice and colorful vegetables plus meat, fish, egg, or tofu—providing a low-calorie dish that is high in fiber, carbohydrates, and protein.

Why does bibimbap taste so good? ›

Yellow bean sprouts, egg garnish, white bellflower and muk, brown bracken and shiitake mushrooms, red meat and carrots, and green pumpkins are put in a bowl like flowers. When you mix bibimbap, these things disappear and give it a deep taste.

How do you make ground turkey taste better? ›

The Secret Ingredient To Season Ground Turkey

There are plenty of easy ground turkey recipes out there. But, you will always need spices like olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. You can add minced garlic, and freshly chopped onions and peppers, for an extra edge.

Do you put raw egg in bibimbap? ›

Preparing bibimbap

Shiitake mushrooms may be marinated first in soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic; beef is left in a similar marinade, with a little sugar. Bibimbap is usually topped with a fried egg, but a raw egg yolk (or whole egg) can also be used.

Is bibimbap good for weight loss? ›

Bibimbap. This traditional dish consists of rice with assorted vegetables and meat on top. It is a complete meal in itself that keeps you full for long time and helps in losing weight.

What is the healthiest thing to order at a Korean restaurant? ›

The traditional Korean diet is healthy. It's centered around vegetables, fermented foods like kimchi, soups, rice, and meat or seafood. Healthy Korean food choices include kimchi, seasoned or steamed vegetable side dishes, bibimbap, and konggusku, among many others.

Do Koreans eat bibimbap with a spoon? ›

Choose a spoon over chopsticks.

When considering how to eat bibimbap, however, most Koreans prefer eating with a spoon. Not only is a spoon easier to control, but it helps you scoop up giant mouthfuls.

What is the best pair for bibimbap? ›

Beaujolais, a French wine made from the Gamay grape, would be a delightful pairing with Bibimbap. This wine is known for its light body and high acidity, which can cut through the richness of the egg and meat in the dish.

Why is my ground turkey rubbery? ›

Is turkey supposed to taste rubbery? Rubbery texture comes from cooking too long with too low a heat. Most land fowl like chicken, turkey, pigeon, guineafowl, peafowl, etc. are best when cooked hot and fast.

How do you make ground turkey not taste bland? ›

Before you start cooking, be sure to season the ground turkey well with salt and pepper. Also consider including dried herbs and spices for additional flavor. If you're cooking meatballs or meatloaf, pinch off some of the seasoned mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste.

What can I add to ground turkey to keep it moist? ›

Mushrooms add moisture, mouthfeel, and umami (beefy) flavor to the otherwise dry ground turkey. When mushrooms are chopped up into little bits, they easily and evenly mix with ground turkey making the protein so tender and flavorful while also giving the dish a veggie boost.

How do Koreans eat bibimbap? ›

Eat the mixture with a spoon instead of chopsticks.

Koreans traditionally don't eat rice with chopsticks. A spoon is best for scooping up heaping mouthfuls of the bibimbap. Chopsticks can help you pile more ingredients onto your spoon.

What are the brown things in bibimbap? ›

If you're wondering what that long stranded brown vegetable in your bibimbap is, it's a classic Korean side dish called gosari. The hardest part is not making it but finding it.

How do you cut carrots for bibimbap? ›

While carrots, cucumbers, and other long, skinny vegetables are typically slivered into thin matchsticks for bibimbap, splitting them lengthwise and then slicing them thin is easier to do and, frankly, tastes and looks just good.

Is bibimbap good or bad? ›

Bibimbap is a delicious Korean bowl of good stuff. It's colourful and it looks gorgeous to boot. But did you know it's actually chock full of healthy ingredients too? We broke it down for you so you can see exactly how hard working this delicious dinner really is.

Does bibimbap have a lot of calories? ›

Finding a Bibimbap Recipe

One bibimbap recipe published by the American Heart Association uses not only avocado for a serving of healthy fat but also replaces the rice with cauliflower. This version of bibimbap has 232 calories per serving, with 15 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of protein.

How many calories are in a bibimbap Korean Bowl? ›

Hello Fresh Korean Beef Bibimbap (1 serving) contains 78g total carbs, 73g net carbs, 33g fat, 37g protein, and 760 calories.

How many calories are in a Korean bibimbap bowl? ›

Eat Fit Go Korean Bibimbap Bowl (1 serving) contains 67g total carbs, 61g net carbs, 28g fat, 10g protein, and 560 calories.

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