Kimchi Mac and Cheese

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Kimchi Mac and Cheese

Kimchi Mac N Cheese Explained

The bechamel

Every cheese sauce starts with a bechamel: butter, flour, milk. We melt the butter, whisk in the flour to make a roux and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes until it smells like cookies (yes, that’s the cue, raw flour disappears and you get a biscuity nuttiness). Then milk goes in slowly, whisking constantly. Adding all the milk at once is the fastest way to create lumps you’ll spend the next 5 minutes whisking out. Take your time and the sauce will be silky.

The cheese sauce

Cheddar and mozzarella, grated fresh from the block (pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that wreck the texture of the sauce). Cheddar gives flavour and bite, mozzarella gives stretch and melt. Add them to the bechamel in batches off the highest heat, letting each handful melt before the next goes in. Once smooth, the kimchi juice, gochugaru and gochujang get stirred through. The juice is the secret weapon, don’t throw it out, it carries everything that makes kimchi taste like kimchi.

The bake

Get the assembled mac n cheese into an oven dish and don’t smooth the top flat. Leave it textured so the extra cheese and panko on top can settle into the divots and crisp up unevenly, the best bits to eat. The whole thing needs to be wetter than you’d think before it goes in the oven, because the pasta keeps absorbing moisture as it bakes. If it looks slightly too saucy on the bench, it’ll be perfect coming out. 30 to 35 minutes at 180°C until the top is deep golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.

Ingredient Notes

Kimchi:

Use a good quality cabbage kimchi, sold in jars at Asian grocers and most supermarkets. The funkier and more fermented, the better the result. The juice in the jar is liquid gold for this recipe, so don’t drain it off.

Gochujang:

Korean fermented chilli paste, sold in plastic tubs at Asian grocers. It adds depth, sweetness and gentle heat that bridges the dairy and the kimchi. Don’t substitute sriracha or any other chilli sauce, it won’t taste the same.

Gochugaru:

Korean chilli powder. This will add a nice kick to the mac n cheese. You'll find it in Asian grocers.

Cheese:

Buy block cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly into the sauce. The 30 seconds of grating is worth the texture difference. I've gone for mozzarella and cheddar but you could pick any cheese you like, just make sure one is sharp and strong for the flavour.

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Ingredients

500g (1lb 2oz) macaroni or dried elbow pasta
120g (4oz) unsalted butter
70g (2½oz) plain flour
800ml (3⅓ cups) milk
200g (7oz) medium sharp cheddar cheese
350g (12oz) mozzarella cheese
400g (14oz) kimchi, and 200ml (¾ cup) of the kimchi juice
1 tbsp gochugaru
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
60g (2oz) panko breadcrumbs
10g (2 tsp) Korean chilli flakes (optional)

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife or kitchen scissors
Large pasta pot
Medium saucepan or saucier
Whisk
Box grater
Large mixing bowl

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Directions

COOK THE PASTA

Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, drain well and set aside.
Drain the kimchi juice from the Kimchi. Chop the kimchi with scissors or a knife into small pieces. Set aside. Grate your cheeses and set aside.

MAKE THE ROUX

In a medium saucepan or saucier over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 2–3 minutes, whisking continuously, until it takes on a light golden colour.
Gradually add the milk to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and starts to thicken.
Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in ¾ of the grated cheddar and ¾ of the mozzarella cheeses (do it in batches, stirring until it's incorporated and add more). Stir until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
Next, add in the kimchi juice and stir, followed by the gochugaru and gochujang, and stir again.
Season the sauce with salt and white pepper to taste. Adjust as needed. Turn the heat off.

COOK THE MAC N CHEESE

Combine the cooked pasta and kimchi in a large pot or mixing bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella over the top, followed by the panko breadcrumbs and Korean chilli flakes (optional).
Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Rest for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chef Tips

Make it wetter than you think

Mac n cheese tightens up in the oven as the pasta absorbs more moisture. The sauce should look slightly too loose when you mix everything together. If it looks perfectly thick on the bench, it’ll come out dry. Add an extra splash of milk if you’re unsure.

Leave the top textured

Don’t smooth the surface flat before topping with cheese and panko. Use the back of a spoon to leave peaks and divots in the mac n cheese. The cheese and breadcrumbs fall into the divots and crisp up unevenly, which gives you crunchy bits and gooey bits in every spoonful.

Storage

Mac n cheese keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It actually reheats really well, the sauce goes a bit thicker but the flavour deepens. To reheat, splash a tablespoon or two of milk over the top and cover with foil, then warm in a 180°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

FAQs

Is this spicy?

Not really, the heat is more of a warm hum than a blast. The dairy in the bechamel mellows the gochujang and gochugaru considerably. If you want more heat, double the gochugaru. If you want it milder, skip the optional Korean chilli flakes on top and reduce the gochujang to 2 tsp.

Can I make this without kimchi?

Then it would just be mac n cheese, but yes. Skip the kimchi and the kimchi juice and you’ve got a solid regular mac and cheese. If you want to keep the Korean profile without the cabbage, leave in the gochujang and gochugaru and add a splash of soy sauce.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the whole thing in the baking dish, cover with cling film and refrigerate for up to a day. When you’re ready, add the cheese and panko topping and bake. You’ll need to add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time since it’s going in cold. Or bake fully, cool and reheat as per the storage instructions.