Kimchi Grilled Cheese
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(16)
Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 cups kimchi, chopped (personal preference – you can leave it unchopped too)
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Black pepper to taste
- 8 pieces of sliced sourdough bread
- 8 slices of American cheese
- 8 slices of Gruyere cheese
- 8 tablespoons (or 1 stick) butter or mayo
How would you rate this recipe?
Preparation
Step 1
Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium high heat until crisped and fat is rendered.
Step 2
Add the kimchi to the pan with the brown sugar. Pan fry for a few minutes, leaving it undisturbed for a few minutes at a time so it dries out and gets a little bit caramelized. Season with black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and wipe the pan clean.
Step 3
Layer your sandwiches: a slice of sourdough, two slices gruyere cheese, kimchi mixture, two slices American cheese, and a second slice of sourdough. Spread butter or mayo over the top and bottom of the sandwich.
Step 4
Heat the same skillet to medium heat; add the sandwich and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Cut and serve.
Step 5
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
You usually don’t want to use high heat here because the sandwich will burn while the cheese remains un-melted. Medium or low heat will allow the sandwich to stay on the heat longer, which will melt the cheese and give you a golden brown exterior.
I usually use about 1/4 cup of the kimchi mixture per sandwich. If you have some unused kimchi mixture, just store it in the fridge to add to sandwiches throughout the week.
