On a Friday night, my companion and I were sitting at one of our all-time favourite bars in Paris, Le Supercoin — a place that serves the best ales and amazing, affordable food bites. I quickly scanned the week’s menu when I saw it: the Kimchi Grilled Cheese.
My eyes widened instantly. I love kimchi. I love cheese. I knew right away this was going to work — and oh boy, it did. I even thanked the chef and asked which cheeses he used. He told me immediately, and I wrote it down on the spot: a mix of Comté, Morbier, Gruyère, and Etivaz.
This was my inspiration for today’s recipe. I know Kimchi Grilled Cheese might sound unexpected at first ; but the moment you bite into it, everything makes sense. Kimchi brings exactly what a rich, melty sandwich needs: acidity to cut through the cheese, spice to wake up the palate, and texture to contrast the gooey interior. When the kimchi is lightly re-seasoned with a pinch of gochugaru and quickly pan-fried, it becomes even better — softer, deeper, slightly caramelized, and bursting with umami. It’s the perfect counterbalance to a luxurious cheese pull.
You can’t make it any simpler:
- Grate your own cheese (important!),
- Grab your bread & spread mayo and butter lovingly,
- If using Kimchi, quickly pan-fry it,
- Assemble it in a pan ; let it all melt,
- and devour !
Cheese ? But which cheese, you might ask ? Well, this sandwich shines because it uses a French–Swiss blend that melts like a dream. Young Comté, Beaufort, Gruyère, and Appenzeller combine into a nutty, stretchy, ultra-savory mix with just the right sharpness. They remain refined but fully indulgent, giving the sandwich a gourmet backbone that stands up beautifully to the punchy kimchi. But classic Cheddar -not too old!-, Monterey Jack or other melty cheeses -even the industrial American cheese! would work wonders, too !
Kimchi Grilled Cheese – Ingredients & cooking advice
- Warm the inner sides of the bread first — it jump-starts the melting.
- For the cheese selection, read above my suggestions ! Anything works, so long as it’s not too old -a rule of thumb: anything older than 18-20 months won’t melt properly.
- As for the bread :
- Slice the bread not too thick, not too thin, around 1,5cm thick ;
- Sourdough is ideal, but a soft bread like Harry’s works too!
- Cook on low to medium-low heat so the cheese melts before the bread browns.
- Butter or mayo? Use both: a thin layer of mayo outside for crispiness, and butter inside for flavor. Go light on the mayo — too much prevents crisping.
- For best results, always grate your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting, while freshly grated cheese melts into perfect ribbons.
Let’s sandwich !
Kimchi Grilled Cheese
Description
A melty, crispy grilled cheese boosted with pan-fried kimchi. A guilty pleasure with a twist.
Ingredients
Instructions
Chop chop
Chop the kimchi into small pieces so it spreads easily in the sandwich.
Grate your cheeses and mix them together in a bowl.
Get your bread ready
Warm up your pan (cast-iron ideally) on medium-low.
Butter one side of each bread slice – this will be the inner side, facing the cheese. Lightly salt the buttered sides.
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the other side of each slice – this will be the outer side, in contact with the pan. Try to keep the mayo as thin as possible.
Pan-fry your kimchi
Add 2 teaspoons of butter, then cook the chopped kimchi for about 2-3 minutes, just until warmed through and slightly caramelized. Remove the kimchi and wipe the pan clean.
Put the pan back on low heat.
Warm your inner sides first
Place both bread slices in the pan, butter side down, mayo side up, and warm for about 1 minute to gently heat the inner sides.
Start cooking dis grilled cheese
Flip one slice over (so the warmed, buttered side is now facing up) and start layering with cheese - kimchi - cheese again.
Place the second slice of bread on top, warm buttered side down, to close the sandwich.
Let it cook 4mn or until golden-brown at the bottom, pressing gently with a spatula from time to time.
Finish it
Flip the sandwich. Let it cook until the bottom is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted.
Dish up, halve (or not!) and devour !