Kimchi Mac and Cheese (Printable)
Creamy mac and cheese meets spicy kimchi in this comforting fusion dish
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz elbow macaroni
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
06 - 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 0.5 tsp salt
→ Kimchi Mixture
10 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped and well-drained
11 - 1 tbsp kimchi juice
12 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced
13 - 1 tbsp gochujang
→ Topping
14 - 0.25 cup panko breadcrumbs
15 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste.
04 - Gradually pour in milk while whisking continuously. Continue whisking for 4-5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt. Mix until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce. Add chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, spring onions, and gochujang. Mix until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
08 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp melted butter and sesame seeds. Mix until breadcrumbs are evenly coated.
09 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the macaroni surface.
10 - Bake for 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11 - Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The kimchi cuts through all that rich cheese with exactly the right amount of acid and heat
- Crispy panko topping is the kind of texture that makes you fight for the corner pieces
02 -
- Really squeeze that kimchi dry or the extra liquid will make your sauce weirdly thin and pink
- Grate your own cheese because pre-shredded stuff is coated in anti-caking powder that ruins the sauce texture
03 -
- Broil for the last 2 minutes if you want that topping seriously crunchy and almost burnt-cheese delicious
- Use the sharpest cheddar you can find because mild cheese disappears in all that creaminess