Kimchi Grilled Cheese Is the Obsession You Didn’t Know You Had

With this easy and delicious kimchi grilled cheese recipe, two food worlds come together in an unexpectedly harmonious way!

These days it seems like everyone is out to rewrite the classic recipes with new twists and tactics. Most of them are forgettable nonsense, but every so often, one comes along and changes the way we think.

Today, that thing is kimchi grilled cheese, and today, your life will be forever changed for the better. Let’s start off by digging into the details on this one!

What Makes a Grilled Cheese a Grilled Cheese?

As if this is a question I actually have to answer. I’ll just pretend you’ve been hiding under a grilled cheese-less rock your entire life, and this is your first day in public. Welcome to the show, have a seat and drink plenty of water.

The grilled cheese as we know it is an American masterpiece that is from the 1920’s or 1940’s depending on who you ask.

Cheese on bread has been a thing since the dawn of time - for good reason. In its simplest form, the grilled cheese is purely magical.

When made properly, this sandwich could end all wars and bring about peace for the entire planet. The beauty is the simplicity.

Two pieces of white bread or your bread of choice, a little butter/mayo, and two slices of American cheese. That’s it. Build the sandwich with the cheese between each slice of bread.

Now, spread the mayo or butter on the outside of the bread and griddle it on each side for a couple minutes to reach a perfect golden-brown crust.

From this, you can do whatever your little heart desires. The possibilities are endless, so use your imagination. Personally, I like to dunk it in my chili.

So, What Is Kimchi?

If you’re not familiar with kimchi, that’s not a big surprise. It really didn’t start gaining popularity in the US until 2008. Since then, it’s become a staple in many homes and restaurants all over the country.

Kimchi is a Korean dish of salted and fermented vegetables, with a cabbage base. You often find garlic, ginger, radishes and chili flakes in there as well.

Kimchi doesn’t have to be spicy, but it’s definitely better with a little heat. The flavor profile is made up of my favorite four Ss: salty, sour, savory, and spicy.

When you open a jar, you’ll be met with a very offensive odor, akin to smelly feet. Don’t let this deter you. I promise it tastes far better than it smells.

To Make Kimchi Grilled Cheese You Will Need:

Making kimchi grilled cheese is as simple as can be! It is quite possibly one of the easiest and most flavorful recipes you’ll ever make. Your life just got tastier!

INGREDIENTS

To make kimchi grilled cheese, you will need the following ingredients:

• Sliced bread - I prefer sourdough bread for making grilled cheese since it stands up well to the weight of the cheese, but you can use your favorite bread
• Cheese - The hallmark of a good grilled cheese is the melty cheese so choose one or two cheeses that melt well such as American, cheddar or gouda
• Kimchi - You can buy prepared kimchi in mild, medium or hot spice levels so choose the one you think you'll enjoy best
• Mayo or butter - We won't get into this debate today, but you'll need mayo or butter to grease up your bread when making kimchi grilled cheese

KITCHEN GEAR

Making grilled cheese is one of the easiest culinary pursuits. You will need the following tools:

• Cooking surface - Plainly, you need something to cook your sandwich on like a heavy bottomed skillet, a cast iron skillet, a flat top or a griddle
• Knife - You'll need a knife or other means of buttering your bread (or spreading the mayo on, as the case may be)
• Spatula - To make sure it's nice and crispy on both sides, use a spatfula to flip your sandwich halfway through the cooking process

How To Make Kimchi Grilled Cheese

1. Begin by evenly spreading your choic of may or butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. While you're doing that, hat the kimchi in a frying pan for a minute or two until warmed through.
2. Place one piece of bread, butter or mayo side down in your skillet. Layer the cheese and kimchi onto the unbuttersided side. Top it with the other slice of bread, butter or mayo side up.
3. Cook the sandwich in the skillet until the one side is golden brown and crispy.
4. Flip the sandwich, repeat the process until golden brown and the cheese is nice and melty all the way through.
5. Remove the sandwich from the skillet and let it rest for a moment or two before slicing and enjoying!

What To Serve With Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Like any grilled cheese, such as our jalapeño popper grilled cheese or lasagana grilled cheese, this kimchi grilled cheese is excellent served with soup!

We love it paired with our roasted tomato soup, our easy Instant Pot coconut curry lentil tomato soup or our copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe.

Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?

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