Overhead view of Korean Gimbap on a white plate with a baby pink table and napkin.

Korean Gimbap

Korean Gimbap is a colorful seaweed rice roll packed with seasoned vegetables, tender beef, egg, and perfectly seasoned short-grain white rice. It is customizable, portable, and ideal for picnics or grab-and-go lunches!

This recipe stars U.S.-grown short-grain white rice and comes to us from our friend @takestwoeggs in partnership with thefeedfeed and USA Rice.

  • Servings
    40 rolls
  • Serving Size
    5 rolls
  • Prep Time
    35 mins
  • Cook Time
    10 mins
  • Total Time
    45 mins

Ingredients


Rice

  • 2 cups uncooked U.S.-grown short-grain white rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

For Rolling and Fillings

  • 8 ounces spinach
  • 1 tsp sesame oil, plus more for brushing rolls
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ⅛ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 strips pickled radish (danmuji)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 5 sheets roasted seaweed (gim/nori)

Fish Cake

  • 1 tsp neutral oil
  • 2 fish cake sheets, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp sesame oil

Beef

  • 8 ounces beef sirloin or rib-eye, cut into ½-inch strips
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil, for cooking

Directions

  • Cook in a rice cooker with 2 cups water, or on the stovetop: combine rice and water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 12 to 15 minutes. Rest covered 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wide bowl, gently fold in sesame oil and salt, and cool until warm, not hot.
  • Beef: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Add beef and marinate 15 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high, stir-fry beef until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool.
  • Spinach: Blanch in boiling water 30 seconds, shock in cold water, squeeze dry, then season with 1 tsp sesame oil and ¼ tsp salt.
  • Carrots: Sauté in 1 tsp sesame oil with ⅛ tsp salt over medium high until just tender, about 1 minute. Cool.
  • Beat eggs with ¼ tsp salt. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium, add eggs, cook until the bottom is mostly set, fold into a flat roll, and cook through. Cool and slice into ¼-inch strips.
  • Fish cake: Heat 1 tsp oil over medium high. Add fish cake, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir-fry until softened and glossy, about 2 minutes. Cool.
  • Place a seaweed sheet shiny side down on a bamboo mat lined with plastic wrap. Spread about ¾ cup warm seasoned rice evenly over the sheet, leaving a 1½ to 2 inch border at the top.
  • Arrange a line of fillings across the center: spinach, carrots, egg, fish cake, pickled radish, and beef.
  • Lift the bottom edge of the mat, roll up and over the fillings, and compress gently. Continue rolling to the end, applying firm, even pressure to seal. Brush the roll lightly with sesame oil.
  • Slice into ½-inch pieces with a sharp knife, wiping the blade with a damp towel between cuts. Repeat with remaining sheets and fillings.