Spice up your macaroni and cheese with tangy kimchi! This unique recipe for creamy, kimchi mac and cheese is the perfect way to enliven an old favorite. It's a one-pot meal finished in less than 30 minutes, making it great for those busy weeknights! It is the creamiest mac I've ever had.
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🍝 Kimchi Pasta Details
Kimchi has found its way into many traditional and less traditional recipes such as my kimchi scrambled eggs, kimchi quesadillas, kimchi carbonara and many more kimchi recipes. It's the perfect ingredient for fusion creations. It seems that the West is waking up to this delicious, probiotic-rich side dish.
This recipe in particular, combines the comforting, creamy richness of traditional macaroni and cheese with the tangy, spicy kick of kimchi, a staple of Korean cuisine.
It uses both the kimchi and the kimchi brine to elevate the creamy, cheesy flavors of classic mac and cheese.
🥘 Ingredients
- dry elbow pasta - Elbow pasta is also known as macaroni noodles.
- cheddar cheese - It is best to shred your own cheese because pre-shredded cheese from the store has additional ingredients that are added to prevent it from sticking together, which will alter the texture of your cheese sauce.
- flour - Flour is used to thicken the sauce.
- milk - I use whole milk for the cheese sauce but you can also use 2% or 1%.
- kimchi - Make sure to include the brine for extra flavor. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can even make your own kimchi at home!
- mustard - I usually use classic yellow mustard for this recipe but you can use whole grain if you like.
- sriracha hot sauce - This is optional. I like to add a little more heat to my kimchi pasta.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
📋 How to Make Kimchi Mac and Cheese
Step 1. Cook the pasta. Prepare the elbow pasta (al dente) according to package instructions. Once done, drain the water and return the pot to the stove over medium heat.
Step 2. Make the cheese sauce. Add the cheddar cheese, flour, milk, kimchi, mustard and sriracha and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes – stirring with a wooden spoon until creamy and cheese is fully melted.
Step 3. Serve the kimchi pasta. Season to taste. Top with a bit more sriracha and kimchi, if desired and serve.
✔️ Joss' Tips
- Chop the kimchi. Chop the kimchi finely for bite-size pieces and make sure to reserve some of the kimchi juice for added umami flavor.
- Best consistency. If you let the pasta sit for a few minutes in the sauce before serving, it will thicken up a bit and come to its best texture and consistency. But don't wait too long to dig in.
- Season to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The kimchi and cheese provide a lot of flavor, but a little extra seasoning might be needed.
- Add a protein. Feel free to add proteins like bacon, ham, or even tofu for a heartier dish.
🌡️ Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: For best results, consume your kimchi macaroni and cheese within 4 days. It should be stored in the fridge within 2 hours in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can even freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool it completely first to avoid ice crystals and cover it well. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat it on the stove over medium/medium-low heat or in the microwave. The pasta may have absorbed most of the creamy sauce while sitting. If that’s the case, just add a splash of milk to the pot when you’re reheating it.
❓ Kimchi Mac FAQs
Kimchi has a delightfully sour, spicy flavor that pairs wonderfully with this creamy cheddar cheese sauce. This version of kimchi pasta is very, very creamy and cheesy.
In the past, you may have only seen kimchi in your local Asian market, but these days kimchi is gracing many grocery store shelves. Many farmers/producers are now making it to sell at local Farmer's markets. If you don't mind that it didn't come straight from Korea, then you might as well pick up a jar from the locals.
As for where to find authentic Korean kimchi, you can look either in the ethnic refrigerated section of your grocery store or at your local Asian market. One of the most common varieties is baechu kimchi, which is made from napa cabbage, but feel free to experiment with any number of varieties your store offers!
This mac and cheese goes with the your typical dishes like pulled pork burgers, grilled meat, BBQ ribs, this kimchi hot dog recipe, kimchi slaw and cornbread. Grilled broccoli is one of my favorites so give that a try.
❤️ More Fusion Kimchi Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this 🍝🧀 Creamy Kimchi Mac and Cheese Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Creamy Kimchi Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry elbow pasta
- 3 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup kimchi - with the brine-no need to drain it
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce - optional
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the elbow pasta (al dente) according to package instructions. Once done, drain the water and return the pot to the stove over medium heat.3 cups dry elbow pasta
- Add the cheddar cheese, flour, milk, kimchi, mustard and sriracha and cook for around 3 to 5 more minutes - stirring with a wooden spoon until creamy and cheese is fully melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.3 cups cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 cups milk, ½ cup kimchi, 2 tablespoons mustard, 2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce
- Top with a bit more sriracha and kimchi, if desired and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Tip: If you let the pasta sit for a few minutes in the sauce before serving, it will thicken up a bit and come to its best texture and consistency. But don't wait too long to dig in.
- Protein: Feel free to add proteins like bacon, ham, or even tofu for a heartier dish.
- Fridge Storage: For best results, consume your kimchi macaroni and cheese within 4 days. It should be stored in the fridge within 2 hours in an airtight container.
- Freezer Storage: You can even freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool it completely first to avoid ice crystals and cover it well. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat it on the stove over medium/medium-low heat or in the microwave. The pasta may have absorbed most of the creamy sauce while sitting. If that’s the case, just add a splash of milk to the pot when you’re reheating it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Sierra says
This is definitely very creamy and tasty. It was easy enough to make. Added a bit more kimchi at the end. Yum!
Joss D says
Thanks! I love lots of kimchi as well.