Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Buttery toasted sourdough stuffed with savoury stir-fried kimchi, two varieties of gooey, melted cheese, and a little green onion upgrade a lunch classic in this kimchi grilled cheese. You’ll be blown away by how well this combination works with the superstar mega hit of umami that only crisp-tender, flavourful kimchi can provide!

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Everyone knows that cheese and spice and crunch go well together. When you add spiciness and cheese in the same dish, it’s a formula for something irresistible. I mean, consider pepper jack cheese, jalapeño poppers, queso, wings-and-blue-cheese, and more.

Those are foods that are hard to stop eating once you start and kimchi grilled cheese fits right into that category. Toasted sourdough provides the crunch. Melted cheese does the heavy lifting in the comfort food category. And kimchi brings a garlicky, savoury depth of flavour plus a little extra hit of texture.

I went with thin deli style slices of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Mozzarella is mild enough to let the kimchi shine. Cheddar’s own particular sharpness goes well with the kimchi.

Don’t feel bound to use the same cheeses I chose, but I do recommend choosing at least one that’s a stellar melting cheese like mozzarella, pepper jack or Monterey Jack, or provolone. I also recommend steering clear of pre-grated cheese

Trust me when I tell you that you must make this soon. This is guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out on cool evenings.

Grilled Cheese Kimchi

I’m a big kimchi eater, whether it’s purchased or homemade kimchi. Whether you’re normally a kimchi aficionado or not, you will want to give this sandwich a go.

Even those of us who love kimchi admit that it can have a very aggressive aroma. It’s definitely got funk…It kind of bashes you over the head with its presence. But something magical happens when you cook it.

That funks turns to soul. It goes from having a sharp, fermented stank to smelling like the most savoury, nuanced, irresistible dish imaginable. Think of the scent of onions and garlic cooking in butter but on steroids. If you have ever had Kimchi Pancake (Kimchijeon) you know exactly what I mean.

Cooking with Kimchi

Raw kimchi is a superfood that is loaded with probiotics. In fact, fifty to one hundred grams of kimchi has the equivalent amount of probiotics to a cup of yogurt. Cooking kimchi unfortunately kills most of the probiotics in it, but never fear: there are still many, many health benefits to cooked kimchi.

Cooking kimchi does not destroy many of its essential minerals and vitamins. It is still rich in calcium and iron and in Vitamins A, C, and K. Cooked kimchi is also very high in fiber and antioxidants and low in calories.

Not only that, but cooked kimchi is a valuable source of postbiotics. According to Healthline, “Postbiotics are bioactive compounds made by probiotic bacteria when they ferment fiber. They may help boost immunity, reduce digestive symptoms, prevent and treat diarrhea, and have other potential health benefits.”

Considering that you can’t buy postbiotic supplements just yet, having a food naturally rich in postbiotics like cooked kimchi seems like a treat yo’self moment. Sign me up. I’ll be eating a grilled cheese kimchi style as a health tonic.

If you’re looking for more ways to work cooked kimchi into your diet beyond this kimchi sandwich, try our fantastically warming and filling Korean Army Stew -Spicy Sausage Stew- Budae Jjigae. This one-pot fusion dish of rich and spicy broth, ground meat, sausage, vegetables, and noodles was born of post-war impoverishment but is a comfort food heavy hitter now.

Kimchi undergoes a magical transformation in this crispy, savoury Kimchi Pancake (Kimchijeon) from something for die-hard lovers to something that even unadventurous eaters want to try. Beware, though, this is so good it’s habit forming!

And stir-fried kimchi plus spring greens or arugula crowns a juicy grilled burger patty sandwiched in a bun slathered in spicy mayo in this irresistible Kimchi Burger. Talk about a match made in heaven!