Kimchi Mac and Cheese
This kimchi mac and cheese has everything you'd want in a classic mac and cheese. It's rich, creamy, smooth, but with a Korean twist that adds just enough tang and spice so that you can enjoy more. We've simplified this recipe so that it takes only 30 minutes without compromising the exploding flavors of kimchi. Try our beef bulgogi with vegetables for the perfect pairing!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 16 ounces dry elbow pasta (or cellentani pasta)
- 5 ounces thick cut bacon (cut into ½ inch pieces (regular thin bacon is okay too))
- ½ large yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups fermented kimchi (cut into small pieces)
- 4 tablespoons kimchi juice (from the fermented kimchi)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar (grated and divided)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste (if using fine salt, use a little less))
- ½ cup panko (or as needed)
- 2 stalks green onion (just the green parts thinly sliced (optional))
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta:
- 2
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the dry pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instruction. Then, drain well.
- 3
Make sauce:
- 4
While the elbow pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a large, deep nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat, add the cut bacon and cook until most of the fat on the bacon is rendered and the bacon is slightly golden brown and starting to crisp up.
- 5
Then, add the onion and sauté for about a minute or until the onion is limp. Add the kimchi and the kimchi juice and sauté until most of the juice is gone. Remove everything from the pan.
- 6
Into the same pan over medium heat, add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the mixture looks foamy, bubble, and has a light nutty aroma.
- 7
Add the milk and heavy cream into the pan and increase the heat to medium high to bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir the mixture frequently.
- 8
Once the mixture is hot and starts to simmer, add the sautéed kimchi mixture and stir until well combined. Then, reduce the heat to low and add ¾ of the grated cheddar. Stir the sauce until the cheese is melted and evenly combined.
- 9
At this point, taste the sauce and season with 1 teaspoon of salt, or to taste.
- 10
Add the cooked elbow macaroni to the sauté pan and mix well to evenly coat the past with sauce. Then stir in the sliced green onions (save some for garnish if you wish).
- 11
Bake the mac and cheese:
- 12
Transfer the mac and cheese into a 9 by 13 baking dish. Level out the pasta. Then, sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar evenly on top along with the panko.
- 13
Position the baking rack about 8 inches from the top heating element, but no closer than 6 inches. Preheat the oven's broiler on high.
- 14
Broil the mac and cheese on for about 1 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the panko is most mostly golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on it!
- 15
Remove from the oven and sprinkle some green onions on top as garnish if you wish. Enjoy while warm!