Mega flavourful vegan kimchi grilled cheese made with sourdough bread, vegan mozzerella and caramelized homemade kimchi! Golden, toasty, crispy, jammy, cheesy, spicy and everything you could ask for in a perfect grill cheese.
Something that always makes a dish extra flavourful: Kimchi. It’s tangy, it’s spicy, full of flavour and pairs so well with almost anything!
Throw it into scrambled tofu, pancakes, fried rice and even grilled cheese.
How to Make Kimchi Grilled Cheese
All you need is 5 ingredients to make it!
It starts by caramelizing the kimchi in vegan butter and a touch of brown sugar. You can use store bought or homemade kimchi. The brown sugar balances out the tangy savory kimchi and becomes almost like jam. I also sometimes like to add a touch of sesame oil for its flavour.
Next, we need some good slices of bread. I’ll use any I have on hand but my favourite is always the good ol’ thick cut sourdough.
The key to golden, crispy and toasty grill cheese is buttering up the bread. It also adds more flavour and richness. I like to add it on both sides for flavour but you can just add it to the side of the bread that touches the pan.
Layer on some vegan mozzerella. I’m using my homemade vegan mozzerella that is absolutetly perfect for grill cheese. It gets gooey, melty and the kimchi almost infuses into it.
Add on the caramelized kimchi. Add the last slice of bread that has been buttered on top and grill for about 4-5 minutes or until beautifully golden.
Carefully flip the sandwich and grill for another 3-4 minutes or until crispy and toasty.
And thats it! The most perfect spicy grill cheese with some tang, crunch and melty goodness– so fitting for the colder weather.
If you recreate this Kimchi Grilled Cheese recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Vegan Kimchi Grilled Cheese
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Ingredients
- 3–4 tbsp vegan butter, divided
- 1/2 cup vegan kimchi, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil, optional
- 2 sliced of bread (gluten free if needed)
- 1/3 cup vegan mozzerella*
Instructions
- Over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of vegan butter and melt. Add the kimchi, brown sugar and sesame oil and cook until caramelized. Remove from heat.
- Generously spread vegan butter on both slices of bread (this side will touch the pan). I also like to spread a thin coat on the other side, but thats optional.
- Place one slice on a pan over medium high heat. Spread the vegan mozzarella and then top with the prepared kimchi. Add one more layer of vegan cheese and then place the last side of buttered bread on top.
- Reduce heat to medium low and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Carefully flip the sandwich and continue to cook the other side for about 3-4 minutes. Once golden and toasty, remove from pan, slice and enjoy!
Notes
- *I used my homemade vegan mozzarella cheese for this recipe which is what makes it melty like traditional grill cheese. You may also use store bought shredded cheese or cheese slices.
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: brunch
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
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I AM OBSESSED WITH MAKING KIMCHI GRILLED CHEESE. It’s so simple and easy to make, and sosososo tasty and perfect for a quick lunch.
This is such a great quick lunch! Never would think kimchi and cheese would go so well together
This grilled cheese is so addictive I’ve also made some vegan cheesy kimchi quesadillas inspired by this grilled cheese. Now I’m obsessed with this kimchi and cheese flavour combo 🙂
literally a perfect comfort snack combo!! i recommend this sandwich to everyone i know LOL
Absolutely loved this recipe! I made this as a toast instead of a sandwich, and it was super delicious! Kimchi and cheese are two of my favorite foods, so this was super satisfying. I’ll definitely be making it again in the future!