Superfood Bibimbap with Crispy Tofu.

Meet your new weeknight power bowl: crispy gochujang tofu, roasty mushrooms and broccoli, lime-massaged kale, and all the crunchy pickles over warm grains. It’s colorful, cozy, and wildly customizable.

Keep the egg if you like (hello, extra protein) or skip it for a fully vegan bowl—the sauce brings plenty of richness either way.

When I asked you guys in last Sunday’s Favorite’s post if you wanted to see some Korean inspired food, the response was an overwhelming, yes. Thankfully, I was already planning on sharing a few recipes before I leave for Korea on the seventh (it’s getting so close!), but now I am even more excited because I know you guys are looking forward to these recipes too!

It will be really fun to be able to see how Korean’s really make the dishes I am attempting to recreate. When I get home, I’m hoping to post a couple super authentic Korean dishes, but until then, I am pretty excited to share what I have today!

You guys, say hello to this Healthy January Bibimbap Bowl…the vegan Superfood Bibimbap with Crispy Tofu.

So pretty, right? I LOVE this bowl…

But it’s also so very different from anything I have ever shared with you guys. This is my very first tofu recipe here on HBH. For the longest time, I always said I would never cook tofu. It just wasn’t my thing, and to be honest, it’s not like I plan to eat it all the time, but I think it tastes incredible in this Korean inspired recipe, and I love that I was able to use it in place of the beef that’s traditionally used in Bibimbap.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bibimbap, it’s a Korean rice bowl that consist of thinly sliced steak, fried eggs, and pickled veggies. The bowls can vary depending on where you order them, but almost always they consist of rice, meat, and pickled veggies.

Today I am sharing a healthier vegan version, and no joke, it’s possibly one of my favorite “bowl” recipes I have created. It’s not very traditional, but it’s made with Korean flavors, healthy, colorful, and so good!

Let me break this bowl down.

For my base, I use farro, which I am having a major obsession with right now. It’s my new favorite grain. You can use brown rice, quinoa, barley, or regular white rice too, all will work.

Next comes the tofu, which is tossed in a little Korean sauce, then baked to crisp perfection. As mentioned, I’ve never been much of a tofu person, but this tofu? It’s exceptional, and it’s all thanks to the sauce…the sauce is the best. And the secret to this sauce? Gochujang, a Korean chili paste. You can find it on Amazon here.

The rest of the bowl is a mix of roasted and pickled veggies, fried eggs (of course), and avocado (not even close to traditional, but my bowls have to have an avocado).

There is for sure a lot going on in this bowl, and it takes a little time to prepare, but it still can be made in under an hour, and all on one sheet pan (with the exception of frying up that egg). If you have some cooked grains on hand, maybe from Sunday meal prep, then things go even faster (meaning, cook up a bunch a grains on Sunday for easy Bibimbap during the week).

FAQ:

Can I keep this fully vegan?
Yes—skip the fried egg and finish with a little extra sesame oil or a spoon of gochujang for richness.

How do I know the tofu is crispy enough?
Look for golden-brown edges and a firm, bouncy feel; it should lift cleanly from the parchment without tearing.

What if I can’t find gochujang?
Use a mix of chili paste + a touch of honey or maple to mimic sweet heat, but the flavor won’t be as deep as true gochujang.

Can I meal prep this for work lunches?
Absolutely. Pack grains, tofu, and veg together; keep sauce/pickles separate. Reheat the base, then add fresh greens and sauce before eating.

I know all of my family is really looking forward to trying all the noodle dishes Korea has to offer, but me? I’m super exited about the Bibimbap and can’t wait to compare my very American version with their very traditional version. Should be fun!

Until then, this bowl literally brings brightness to my life these days, I love it.

Also, if you’re looking for a meatier version of this recipe, check out the Half Baked Harvest cookbook. I have a similar recipe in the book, but instead of tofu I used steak and sweet potatoes. There is also a really freaking amazing spicy tomatillo sauce that goes with that bowl…so good!

Superfood Bibimbap with Crispy Tofu

4.25 from 112 votes

4 servings

by Tieghan Gerard

calories 682kcal

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Prep15 minutes mins

Cook30 minutes mins

Total45 minutes mins

The PERFECT recipe to prep on Sunday, just make the tofu and veggies, cook your grains, put everything in containers and add an egg before serving...meal prep done and done!

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 block organic extra firm tofu
• ▢ 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang, (Korean chili paste)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• ▢ 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, grated
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup broccoli
• ▢ 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced or torn
• ▢ 1 bunch curly kale, roughly torn
• ▢ juice from 1 lime
• ▢ kosher salt
• ▢ 2 cups cooked barley, farro, or quinoa
• ▢ 4 fried eggs
• ▢ 1 avocado, sliced
• ▢ 1 cup fresh or pickled carrots and radishes
• ▢ toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions 

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Press the tofu with paper towels to remove as much water as possible. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices and add to a gallon size ziplock bag. 

  3. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoon water, the soy sauce, Gochujang, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Add half the sauce to the tofu bag (reserve the remaining for serving), tossing gently to combine. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Remove the tofu from the sauce and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake another 10-15 minutes, until the tofu is crisp.

  4. Meanwhile, toss the broccoli and mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. During the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, add the veggies to the pan with the tofu.

  5. In a bowl, massage the kale with the remaining 1 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. 

  6. To serve, divide the grains among bowls. Add the tofu, kale, broccoli, mushrooms, fried egg, avocado, carrots, and radishes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with the reserved sauce. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8295IU | Vitamin C: 63.2mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 4.1mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.

All the bowls, with all the colors…my favorite!