Kimchi Grilled Cheese 김치그릴치즈
By Sarah Ahn & Nam Soon AhnPublished on March 28, 2025
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 1
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We use well-fermented mat kimchi (cut napa cabbage kimchi) to make this dish. If you wish to use store-bought kimchi, look for a well-fermented kimchi in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Labels will not always specify “fresh” or “well fermented,” so here are some clues to help figure it out: The jar should contain wilted-looking vegetables with muted, darkened color, surrounded by a thin juice. The texture will appear softer than fresh kimchi, and when you taste it, there will be a pronounced tangy sourness that comes from the longer fermentation. When measuring out the kimchi, simply pick it up with tongs with the juices intact. A sturdy bread, such as sourdough, is ideal here to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy.
Instructions
- Melt ½ tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add kimchi and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and it begins to sizzle. Stir in sugar, fish sauce, gochugaru, and Dasida powder and cook until liquid has just evaporated, about 1 minute. (Don't let kimchi dry out.) Transfer seasoned kimchi to small plate and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Melt half of remaining butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread slices and swirl them around skillet to coat them in butter on first side; transfer bread to separate plate. Repeat melting remaining butter and coating second sides of bread slices. Continue to toast bread on second sides until just golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and flip bread slices. Arrange cheese evenly on top of bread slices, then sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 slice of bread with onions, then neatly arrange seasoned kimchi on top. Place second slice of bread over kimchi, cheese side down. Using spatula, gently press down on sandwich to help seal it. Cover and cook until cheese is fully melted, about 2 minutes, flipping sandwich halfway through cooking. Transfer sandwich to wire rack and sprinkle with sugar on both sides to taste. Garnish sandwich with any green onions that fell out into skillet. Slice and serve.
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 1Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Our recipe brings together the rich and gooey goodness of melted Muenster cheese with the spicy, tangy flavors of kimchi, sandwiching them between buttery griddled sourdough bread slices. The mild nutty, buttery flavor of Muenster works particularly well with the kimchi. For even more depth, we include a layer of chopped green onion, along with a blend of seasonings. A sprinkle of sugar at the end balances out the flavors.
Before You Begin
We use well-fermented mat kimchi (cut napa cabbage kimchi) to make this dish. If you wish to use store-bought kimchi, look for a well-fermented kimchi in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Labels will not always specify “fresh” or “well fermented,” so here are some clues to help figure it out: The jar should contain wilted-looking vegetables with muted, darkened color, surrounded by a thin juice. The texture will appear softer than fresh kimchi, and when you taste it, there will be a pronounced tangy sourness that comes from the longer fermentation. When measuring out the kimchi, simply pick it up with tongs with the juices intact. A sturdy bread, such as sourdough, is ideal here to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy.
Instructions
- Melt ½ tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add kimchi and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and it begins to sizzle. Stir in sugar, fish sauce, gochugaru, and Dasida powder and cook until liquid has just evaporated, about 1 minute. (Don't let kimchi dry out.) Transfer seasoned kimchi to small plate and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Melt half of remaining butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread slices and swirl them around skillet to coat them in butter on first side; transfer bread to separate plate. Repeat melting remaining butter and coating second sides of bread slices. Continue to toast bread on second sides until just golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and flip bread slices. Arrange cheese evenly on top of bread slices, then sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 slice of bread with onions, then neatly arrange seasoned kimchi on top. Place second slice of bread over kimchi, cheese side down. Using spatula, gently press down on sandwich to help seal it. Cover and cook until cheese is fully melted, about 2 minutes, flipping sandwich halfway through cooking. Transfer sandwich to wire rack and sprinkle with sugar on both sides to taste. Garnish sandwich with any green onions that fell out into skillet. Slice and serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments