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Kimchi Grilled Cheese Recipe

Did you know April is National Grilled Cheese Month?  I recently realized this, so I dedicated several delicious weeks this month to perfecting one of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches, the Kimchi Grilled Cheese.

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Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Several months ago, I discovered the amazing pairing of kimchi and cheddar one evening after work.  I often come home starving after a long day of work, and I like to eat a little snack before diving into dinner preparation.  These snacks consist of leftover bread with olive oil, bits of cheese , slices of cured meat and/or any of the various fermented or pickled things sitting in my fridge.  Kimchi, a Korean fermented cabbage, makes regular appearances during evening snack time.  Here’s what my various bites looked like that evening:

Torn chunk of bread dipped in evoo.

Kerrygold cheddar.

Torn chunk of bread dipped in evoo.

Sip of Old-Fashioned.

Cheddar.

Kimchi?

… … … Cheddar.

Kimchi.

Cheddar.

Kimchi.

Cheddar.

On repeat until eventually I was completely full.  I didn’t make it to dinner that evening.  Since then, I’ve formalized this tasty snack time duo into a proper dinner, the Kimchi Grilled Cheese. Continue reading for the recipe.

Crusty Italian Bread

Grilled Cheese Ingredients

I mentioned the word “perfecting” up top, because this sandwich went through several iterations before I finally landed on the recipe below. Here’s the winning breakdown:

Two slices of crusty Italian bread get slathered with softened butter infused with grated Parmesan cheese.  As the bread cooks on the skillet, it will develop a salty, golden crust that crunches as you bite into it.  The grated cheeses and chopped kimchi get mixed in advance to ensure even melting and flavor distribution as the sandwich cooks.  Fresh mint just sets off the rich, bold flavors of the cheddar and kimchi.

I enjoy spicy kimchi with a sour fermented flavor and minimal fishiness, but use whatever is available (and enjoyable) to you.  You can also make your own!  When paired with cheese, the flavor of the kimchi will mellow out a bit.

Kimchi

The beauty of the grilled cheese sandwich is that you can really use whatever you have on hand.  No Kerrygold Skellig in the fridge?  Try sharp cheddar.  No Italian bread?  Give sourdough a go.  Missing the mint?  Try cilantro!  The key is to know the technique behind making a perfect grilled cheese.  Here’s some tips:

  • The butter must be at room temperature, so you can easily spread over the bread without tearing it.  If you’ve neglected to let the butter come to room temp, try mayo!
  • The cheese must be grated to ensure even melting.  Thin thin thin slices of cheese also work, but they must be… thin!  I find it easier just to grate the cheese.
  • The kimchi must be chopped finely to ensure even distribution.
  • The mint is optional, but it really does provide some nice contrast.  Make sure it’s chopped well, and don’t go overboard!
  • Cooking the sandwich in a seasoned cast-iron skillet is preferred, but a non-stick skillet will also work.

That’s about it!  Now give this grilled cheese recipe a try 🙂

Check out my recipe for Kimchi and Bacon Pizza here.

Kimchi and Cheese

Sliced Crusty Italian Bread

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

by Brandon Matzek
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 1 sandwich

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (this is crucial)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 slices crusty Italian bread
  • 3 heaping tablespoons grated Kerrygold Skellig (or other cheddar)
  • 3 heaping tablespoons grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cabbage kimchi
  • Chopped mint for sprinkling (optional, but highly encouraged)

Instructions
 

  • Add butter and Parmesan to a small bowl, stirring to combine. Spread 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan butter over 1 side of each slice of bread (so 1 tablespoon per slice). Set aside. Add Skellig, Monterey Jack and kimchi to a medium bowl, tossing to combine.
  • Preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet (or non-stick skillet) over medium heat. Once hot, add one slice of bread to the skillet, buttered side down. Quickly and carefully, evenly spread the cheese-kimchi mixture on the non-buttered side of the bread. Sprinkle the cheese-kimchi mixture with a little chopped mint (about 1 teaspoon). Place the remaining slice of bread on top, buttered side up.
  • Cook the sandwich until the bottom side is golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt. Carefully flip the sandwich, and continue to cook until the other side is golden brown. Transfer the sandwich to a plate and enjoy immediately!

Notes

This recipe easily scales up and down. The amount of Parmesan butter and cheese-kimchi mixture needed will vary based on the size and quantity of your bread slices. Just keep the ratios the same and scale up or down as needed. For the butter, it's 1 part unsalted butter and 1 part Parmesan cheese. For the cheese-kimchi mixture, it's 1 part grated cheddar, 1 part grated Monterey Jack and 1 part chopped kimchi.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

I partnered with Kerrygold on this article.  They provided me a selection of their delicious cheeses to sample. #KGgrassfed.

Here are some other wonderfully cheesy recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:

Savory Waffles with Rosemary, Ham and Dubliner Cheese

Savory Waffles

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Fried Bread Crumbs and Balsamic Strawberries

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Fried Bread Crumbs and Balsamic Strawberries

Jorge’s Bacon Cheeseburger

Jorge's Bacon Cheeseburger

Fat-Free Mac and Cheese

Fat-Free Mac and Cheese

Roasted Poblano Queso Fundido

Roasted Poblano Queso Fundido

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Comments

  2. DessertForTwo says

    5 stars
    And now, suddenly, at 6am, I must have a grilled cheese. When does the Korean market open so I can grab some homemade kimchi? You’ve set my Sunday on a whole new mission 🙂

    PS LOVE that Skellig cheese!

    xo

    Reply

  5. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says

    I do the same weird snacking thing when I come back from work and am hungry but too lazy/distracted to put anything together. Completely normal for my snack to consist of 3 olives, 2 dried figs, whatever cheese we have on a Ritz cracker, coconut cashews, and then a bite of leftover pad thai or any cake we have lying around. Don’t think I could bring it all together into a composed dish like this though…. 🙂

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Coconut cashews from TJs?? If so, love them!! My bf is also a big cashew fan. That’s his after work snack of choice.

      Reply

  7. Steph @ Steph in Thyme says

    Ha, I love the sips of an Old Fashioned in between bites of goodness. That story sounds like a narrative of my typical “I’m lazy and don’t want to cook I’ll just snack until I’m full” weeknight evening. I lived in Korea for a few years in high school, and I have a big soft spot for kimchi. It sounds positively incredible paired with Kerry Gold in a grilled cheese!

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Haha I’m glad I’m not alone here with my snacking habits :)!! And I’m jealous of your time in Korean. I’d love to visit someday.

      Reply

  9. Laura @MotherWouldKnow says

    Brandon – Your adventurous taste combination has me intrigued. I’m having difficulty imagining how this tastes, but I have to try it. Now I just have to get some kimchi. I love your directions using ratios – just the way I cook.

    Reply

  10. Stephanie says

    I’m ob-sessed with grilled cheese and this sounds (and LOOKS) soooo good! April is doing me in with all of these grilled cheese pics I’ve been seeing! I’m heading to your waffle recipe next b/c it’s calling my name!

    Reply

  13. Ginny McMeans says

    Love how you have used kimchi in this sandwich. I try to use it often and this will be a good introduction for many. 🙂

    Reply

  14. Kathleen says

    Great idea! I wouldn’t have thought to combine the Kim chi with mint. Do you have a favorite brand of kim chi to purchase?

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Yeah it’s a tasty fresh counter to the sour spicy kimchi! So the brand we use HS a Korean name :P. But the picture on the front has the silhouette of a woman sitting and she’s behind a slatted screen. Not sure if that helps! We also enjoy the Happy Pantry brand here in San Diego, and Trader Joe’s has decent kimchi from time to time.

      Reply

  15. Debra says

    So, I really don’t know where to start with your cheesy round-up. Everything looks marvelous. Kimchi in the fridge is calling to me now!

    Reply

  18. Maureen says

    I’ll try to make this one, Brandon. Since you said that cheese and kimchi could be a good pairing then I must give this a try. 🙂 And by the way, it looks marvelous!

    Reply

  20. Susan says

    Kimichi, cheese, and bread. Can’t go wrong and I love the skellig. It’s a cheese you can go to town on and not realize half is gone.

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Hi Jessica! Mozzarella could work here, but cheddar would be best (any cheddar). You want a cheese that can stand up to the kimchi.

      Reply

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