Kimchi Grilled Cheese

By Ali Slagle

Published Sept. 25, 2022

Kimchi Grilled Cheese
Joseph De Leo for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(2,268)
Comments
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Spicy heat plays well with melty cheese (think: queso dip, stuffed jalapeños, Buffalo wings and blue cheese). Here, kimchi and mozzarella cheese come together for a twist on the classic grilled cheese. Mildly flavored mozzarella is an especially good choice in this recipe because it lets the kimchi shine, but you could also add ¼ cup of grated Cheddar, Monterey Jack or even pepper Jack for more kick. If you have grilled steak, roasted vegetables or practically any other savory leftover in your fridge, chop it up and add about ¼ cup to your sandwich along with the kimchi. Smearing mayonnaise on the bread, instead of butter, might sound weird, but it won’t burn as quickly as butter, allowing the cheese ample time to melt, and the bread to toast up to golden perfection. (Watch the video of Ali Slagle making kimchi grilled cheese here.)

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Ingredients

Yield:1 serving
  • 2slices bread, either soft sandwich bread or large rustic slices, not more than ½-inch thick
  • 1tablespoon mayonnaise
  • ½cup grated mozzarella, Cheddar or other mild, semifirm cheese
  • ¼cup drained and coarsely chopped kimchi
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

536 calories; 36 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 892 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a heavy skillet over medium-low. Thinly spread 1 side of each slice of bread with ½ tablespoon mayonnaise. Place the bread, mayonnaise side down, in the skillet and divide the mozzarella evenly over the slices.

  2. Step 2

    When the cheese has just melted (no individual shreds of cheese remain), 6 to 10 minutes, add the kimchi to one side. Use a spatula to top with the other slice of bread, cheese side down. Press with the spatula to meld, then let cook, covered, flipping as needed to prevent burning, until the bread is crusty-brown and the sandwich is warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,268 user ratings
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Comments

Mark

I make this frequently on sourdough. Any good melting cheese works. Tips: gently toast and warm the bread dry on the skilllet, then flip the pieces over and add cheese. That will kick start the melting process, especially if you’re using refrigerated kimchi. You can also warm the kimchi a bit but I find that the tip above plus very low heat and patience works well even with cold kimchi. And I use butter or oil, never mayonnaise.

Kingfisher

I use sauerkraut instead of kimchi.

Dahye

A great recipe with a simple change/addition- Instead of draining your kimchi (the older the better) try frying it with butter and sprinkling with some brown sugar. Add pan fried spam to the mix and you’ve got yourself a melt with sweet, savory, salty, gooey goodness straight from a Korean American childhood.

Jan Priddy

Kimchi added to tuna salad for sandwiches. Our favorite.

Robert

I actually stumbled onto this combination independently, before I saw this recipe, I've been using gruyere rather than mozzarella and cooking it in a press rather than in a skillet, but it's a great variation on grilled cheese however you do it.

Phil

If I’m remembered for nothing else after I die, I want to be known for the smoked mozzarella kimchi grilled cheese I just made.

Jan Priddy

I've mostly used cheddar and never though to try smoked mozzarella till now!

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