Kimchi Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe

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Feasting at home

Total Time

55 minutes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Rating

(8)

Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 ½ lbs ground turkey ( or sub ground beef or lamb, or plant-based “ground meat” substitute*)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 onion, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
¼ cup tomato paste
3 cups chicken broth (or beef or veggie) or 3 cups water plus two small boullion cubes
2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free liquid aminos
8 ounces dry macaroni (2 cups) or sub gluten-free macaroni
1 cup kimchi, drained, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons gochujang
1-2 teaspoons fish sauce, more as needed
Garnish: cilantro, scallions, chili crisp or crispy onions or shallots – something crunchy is nice here!

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Preparation

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Step 1

In a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula until crumbled, season with salt and pepper, and brown it as best as you can. Set it aside.

Step 2

To the same pan, add the remaining oil and saute the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the red bell pepper, and saute until just softened, 3 more minutes. Return the cooked ground turkey to the pan, and stir in the cumin and chili powder. Create a well in the center, add the tomato paste and brown it just a bit to deepen the flavor.

Step 3

Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir in the macaroni, cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer covered until the pasta is tender and the liquid is soaked up, 10-12 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the chopped kimchi (remember to strain it first), cheddar cheese, gochujang and fish sauce (start conservatively adding more to taste).

Step 5

Taste. Tip: The kimchi will make it tangy, so you’ll need to add enough salt or fish sauce ( or soy sauce) to add umami depth – and balance out that tang! The cheese will help too. Add more heat if you like- a pinch of cayenne is easy.