Kimchi Grilled Cheese
Serves 1.
From “Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes,” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn. This recipe is based on a post-Thanksgiving tradition, pairing leftover macaroni and cheese with kimchi. The spicy kick of the kimchi elevates the creamy richness of the mac and cheese to a whole new level. Inspired by the delicious blend of traditional American and Korean foods, the mother-daughter duo have created a kimchi grilled cheese sandwich that celebrates the pairing, bringing together rich and gooey melted Muenster cheese with the spicy, tangy flavors of kimchi, and sandwiching them between buttery griddled sourdough bread slices. (The sturdy bread is ideal to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy.) For even more depth, there’s a layer of chopped green onion and a blend of seasonings. (America’s Test Kitchen, 2025)
- 2 tbsp. salted butter, divided
- ½ c. well-fermented cabbage kimchi, chopped fine
- 2 tsp. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- ½ tsp. fish sauce
- ½ tsp. gochugaru (see Note)
- ¼ tsp. Dasida beef stock powder (see Note)
- 2 (½‑in.-thick) slices sourdough bread
- 3 slices Muenster cheese, halved
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 2 green onions, chopped fine
Directions
Melt ½ tablespoon butter in a 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kimchi and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and it begins to sizzle. Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, gochugaru and Dasida powder and cook until the liquid has just evaporated, about 1 minute. (Don’t let the kimchi dry out.) Transfer the seasoned kimchi to a small plate and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
Melt half of the remaining butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread slices and swirl them around the skillet to coat them in butter on the first side; transfer the bread to a separate plate. Repeat melting the remaining butter and coating the second sides of the bread slices. Continue to toast the bread on the second sides until just golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to low and flip the bread slices. Arrange the cheese evenly on top of the bread slices, then sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Sprinkle 1 slice of the bread with the onions, then neatly arrange the seasoned kimchi on top. Place the second slice of bread over the kimchi, cheese side down. Using a spatula, gently press down on the sandwich to help seal it. Cover and cook until the cheese is fully melted, about 2 minutes, flipping the sandwich halfway through cooking. Transfer the sandwich to a wire rack and sprinkle with sugar on both sides to taste. Garnish the sandwich with any green onions that fell out into the skillet. Slice and serve.
Note: Gochugaru is widely available in the global section of larger supermarkets and Asian markets. If you can’t find Dasida beef stock powder, use a sprinkling of beef bouillon, mushroom powder or bump up the amount of fish sauce.
