Rice Meals · Korea

How Many Calories in Bibimbap?

Also known as 비빔밥, Bibimbab, Korean Mixed Rice, Dolsot Bibimbap, 돌솥비빔밥.

Bibimbap is a bowl of rice topped with seasoned vegetables, a little beef, a fried egg and a spoon of gochujang, mixed at the table with sesame oil.

610kcal / 1 bowl
A restaurant bowl of bibimbap is about 610 calories. Korean MFDS data via Pillyze lists a 450g bowl at 638, while Geniet has 553 to 586, so 610 is a fair middle. Half of it is the 210g of rice (about 310); the vegetables are only 60. The sesame oil and gochujang add about 90 together.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bowl (450g)AmountPer 100g
Calories610 kcal136 kcal
Protein24 g5 g
Carbs88 g20 g
Fat18 g4 g

Where the calories come from

Steamed rice210g
310 kcal
Seasoned vegetables (namul)150g
60 kcal
Minced beef40g
80 kcal
Fried egg50g
70 kcal
Gochujang sauce25g
45 kcal
Sesame oil5g
45 kcal

The real talk

Everyone assumes the vegetables make it light. They do, but the vegetables were never the problem. Spinach, bean sprouts, carrot, zucchini and mushroom come to about 60 calories for 150g. The rice underneath is 310. So a bowl with the same toppings on 140g of rice instead of 210g drops to about 510 without you noticing much.

The sesame oil is the sneaky one. The kitchen drizzles about 5g on top and you probably add another 5g from the bottle on the table. Each teaspoon is 45 calories. The gochujang is another 45 for a full tablespoon, most of it sugar. Together the oil and the sauce can be 130 calories for something that takes up no space in the bowl.

Dolsot bibimbap is the higher version. The stone bowl is brushed with oil so the rice crisps, which adds 50 to 80 calories, and it usually comes with a raw egg yolk rather than a fried egg (about the same, 70). Yukhoe bibimbap with raw beef is similar in calories to the standard, since the beef replaces the fried egg rather than adding to it.

How the portions compare

510 kcal
Small bowl, less rice
610 kcal
Standard bowl
730 kcal
Dolsot with extra sesame oil

Bibimbap variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Vegetable bibimbap, no meat or egg470 kcalNamul, rice, sauce
Standard bibimbap610 kcalBeef and egg
Yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef)620 kcalBeef replaces the fried egg
Dolsot bibimbap690 kcalOiled stone bowl, crispy rice

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Is bibimbap healthy?
It is a balanced plate: 610 calories, 24g protein, and 150g of vegetables. The calories come from rice and oil, not the toppings. Cutting the rice makes it a strong diet meal.
How many calories in dolsot bibimbap?
About 690. The stone bowl is oiled before the rice goes in, which adds 50 to 80 calories over a regular bowl.
Is bibimbap high in carbs?
Yes, about 88g, almost all from the 210g of rice. Asking for less rice brings it under 60g.
How many calories in the gochujang?
About 45 per tablespoon (25g), roughly half of it sugar. Most bowls come with 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Related foods

See all Rice Meals calories, ranked ›

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical restaurant or pojangmacha serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on MFDS 2020 food composition data via pillyze.com (450g bowl 638 kcal) and geniet.co.kr (553 to 586 kcal); 610 used as a restaurant middle. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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