Korean food doesn’t traditionally contain much cheese, however in recent years a lot of Korean street food has started incorporating it and it turns out cheese and kimchi is an amazing combination. I love the way the spicy and tangy flavor of the kimchi cuts through some of the richness of the cheese. You can make your own kimchi or just buy some. Most grocery stores now carry it.
I used sourdough bread for these, because kimchi has some moisture, so you need a bread that can hold up to it. I like a combo of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. These are really simple and aside from bread, cheese and kimchi you just need some butter. I like to add a little shredded cheese to the pan at the end of cooking to make a nice crispy cheese edge on my grilled cheese sandwiches. You can also rub the bread with garlic for a little extra garlic punch if you like.
Kimchi Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 4 slices aged cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup kimchi squeezed to remove some of the liquid
- butter for frying
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of butter. Toast the sourdough on one side then remove from the pan. On the toasted side, add a slice of cheese and then half the kimchi. Add a little shredded MJ and top with other slice of cheese and the other slice of bread, toasted side towards the filling.
- Add another 2 tbsp of butter to the pan and toast the sandwich you have made, flipping occasionally until golden brown and melty. Add some shredded MJ to the outside and flip it so that it gets crispy and browned. Cut in half and serve.