This Vegan Bibimbap recipe is a take on the classic bibimbap Korean dish. It’s made with rice, crispy tofu, veggies, and a delicious sauce for a balanced dish loaded with flavour!

a bowl with carrots, rice, tofu and vegetables

This is an old recipe from the blog that has been updated to make it even better!

What is bibimbap made of?

Bibimbap is one of my favourite Korean dishes that is traditionally served in a hot bowl with sizzling rice that gets nice and crispy and is topped with an assortment of vegetables, a protein (usually meat or tofu), and an egg. This Kimchi Fried Rice and Korean Tofu Soup are a few other delicious Korean dishes with similar flavor profiles!

This vegan bibimbap uses traditional rice, veggies and crispy tofu for a simple meal that is delicious and naturally vegan and gluten-free!

How to make Vegan Bibimbap

Vegan Bibimbap is simple and easy to put together in a few simple steps:

  1. Prepare some pickled cabbage the night before
  2. Cook the rice in a pot according to package directions
  3. Cut the tofu and cook in a pan until crispy
  4. Sautee some spinach
  5. Prepare some carrots, cucumber and bean sprouts
  6. Make the sauce
  7. Build your bowl!
a flat lay of ingredients for a vegan bibimbap

Prepping ahead to save you time

There are elements of this recipe that can be prepared ahead of time or on your meal prep day to save you time. The pickled cabbage is best to prepare at least 1 night in advance, to give it enough time to really take on the pickling flavour.

You can also prepare the pickled cabbage days ahead of time. (It will keep well stored in the fridge in a jar for a couple weeks!)

The rice, cucumber, carrots and sauce can also be prepared ahead of time. If preparing the rice in advance, simply add back to a pan with a touch of oil and let it cook until warm and slightly crispy on the bottom.

Then when you want to enjoy these bowls simply cook up the tofu and spinach and add the rest of the already prepared ingredients to make your bowls!

a bowl of vegan bibimbap with a hand using chopsticks

Tips for making a perfect bibimbap

There are a few key elements that make for a perfect bibimbap recipe.

  • Use short-grain rice like Jasmine rice or sushi rice for your bibimbap. This will give a better taste and texture than using long-grain rice like Basmati rice.
  • Use pickled cabbage instead of regular cabbage. Bibimbap tastes best with at least one type of pickled or fermented vegetable in it. You can also buy and use kimchi in place of the pickled cabbage.
  • Use firm tofu so it will get nice and crispy.
  • Vegan bibimbap is best enjoyed right away when the tofu is hot and crispy.
vegan bibimbap in a white ceramic bowl

More tofu recipes to try

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Vegan Bibimbap

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jess
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Korean
Print Recipe

Description

This vegan bibimbap is loaded with crispy tofu and bold flavour for a healthy dish you love!

Ingredients

Scale

Pickled Cabbage

  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Sauce

Bowls

  • 1 pack firm tofu, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 6 cups spinach
  • 2 green onions, thinly chopped
  • 1 tsp avocado oil 
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup beansprouts
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 cucumber, chopped into matchsticks

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pickled cabbage: Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and place in the fridge for a minimum of one hour, or overnight. 
  2. Prepare the sauce: Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small jar. 
  3. Cook the tofu: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add the tofu to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan. 
  4. Cook the spinach: Heat 1 tsp avocado oil in the same pan on medium-high heat. Add the green onion and tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted down. 
  5. Make the bowls: Add some rice to the bottom of your bowls, then top with the crispy tofu, sauteed spinach, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, cucumber and pickled cabbage. Top it off with the sauce and enjoy!

Notes

Use short-grain rice for these bowls rather than long-grain rice. I recommend using Jasmine rice. 

Prepare the pickled cabbage the night before for best results and to save you time when making the bowls. You can also substitute the pickled cabbage with some store-bought kimchi.

Firm tofu works best for this recipe to make your tofu nice and crispy.

Store any leftover ingredients separately in the fridge so you can heat up the rice and tofu when you want to enjoy another bowl. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
  • Calories: 226
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 9g

If you tried this Vegan Bibimbap or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!