Gochujang butter bibimbap is the rice bowl Ji-young serves in the first episode of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. The finishing step is browned butter, poured over the rice and toppings just before mixing.
What Makes the Drama’s Bowl Different?
In the scene, Ji-young uses barley rice, wild mountain vegetables, a poached egg and gochujang brought from modern times. Browned butter replaces the familiar sesame-oil finish. CJ’s overview of the series identifies the premiere’s bibimbap as an early demonstration of her cooking for King Yi Heon.
This home adaptation uses supermarket vegetables and a fried egg. The quantities below are a recreation, not the show’s exact recipe.
Browning butter evaporates its water and toasts the milk solids, creating a nutty aroma. Simply melting it will not produce that finish. The brown flecks belong in the bowl.
Ingredients for Gochujang Butter Bibimbap
Use these amounts for a large bowl, divided as you prefer. Measure the rice after cooking.
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/3 carrot, 1/3 zucchini and 1/3 onion
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 2–3 lettuce leaves
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons gochujang, to add gradually
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- A little neutral cooking oil, salt to taste and a pinch of sesame seeds
Short-grain white rice works for this version; brown or mixed-grain rice is another option. Cook it according to its package. If you are buying the chili paste, our gochujang and gochugaru guide explains the difference between the paste and flakes.
Cook the Toppings, Then Brown the Butter
- Slice the carrot, zucchini, onion and mushrooms into thin strips. Wash and tear the lettuce. Put a plate nearby for the cooked vegetables and set out a bowl with room for mixing.
- Lightly oil a skillet and sauté each vegetable separately until tender. Season lightly with salt and transfer to the plate. The gochujang will season the assembled bowl too.
- Fry the egg to your preferred doneness. Spoon the cooked rice into the bowl and arrange the vegetables and lettuce on top. Have the egg and gochujang ready before heating the butter.
- Cut the butter into even pieces and melt it in a small, light-colored pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan and stir with a heatproof spatula, watching the milk solids beneath the foam. When they turn golden brown and smell toasted, immediately pour the butter and flecks into a heatproof container to stop the cooking.
- Add the egg to the rice, drizzle over the browned butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Mix in a little gochujang, taste, then add more from the measured amount if wanted.
Swaps and Butter Cues
Spinach, sprouts or prepared vegetable side dishes can replace some of the toppings. Adjust the salt if those sides are already seasoned. A poached egg is closer to the screen version; the fried egg here keeps the home method straightforward.
Judge this small batch of butter by color and aroma rather than a fixed cooking time. A light-colored pan makes the solids easier to see. If they turn black, the butter will taste bitter; start again before finishing the rice.
For the broader dish, including the stone-pot version, see our classic bibimbap guide.
