That jar of kimchi in your fridge is capable of more than soup and fried rice. These creative ideas will help you use up the jar and maybe prompt you to buy another one.
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Use Kimchi as a Garnish
You can sprinkle chopped kimchi onto just about any dish. Its acidity cuts through rich ingredients, while its crunch creates a satisfying contrast to softer textures. Try it over grain bowls, roasted veggies or scrambled eggs for an instant flavor boost.
One of my favorite ways to use it is on Korean tacos, where tangy kimchi meets marinated beef, fresh cilantro and a drizzle of spicy mayo. The kimchi’s sour notes perform like a squeeze of fresh lime. It’s a small touch that really transforms the dish.
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Make Kimchi Quesadillas
Kimchi and cheese are a surprisingly good match. The savory, spicy condiment breaks through the dairy-heavy creaminess of cheese and adds a bit of texture that makes each bite a little more interesting.
Before adding it to quesadilla recipes, I like to saute the kimchi briefly in a hot skillet to soften it slightly and cook off the excess liquid, preventing soggy tortillas. Cooking it also deepens its flavor, enhancing its umami notes. Then, I’ll layer it between two tortillas with shredded cheese. A combination of sharp cheddar and creamy mozzarella is my personal favorite, but any good melting cheese works.
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Fold Kimchi into Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are delightfully rich, so I often fold a tablespoon or two of chopped kimchi into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the mayo flavor. The eggs maintain their creamy texture while gaining a complexity that makes everyone ask me for the recipe.
I chop the kimchi very finely, so I’ve never had any trouble getting the deviled mixture to pipe smoothly into the hollowed egg whites. If you’re concerned about your knife skills or are short on time, you can just top the filled eggs with kimchi instead. It adds extra visual appeal, which is never a bad thing.
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Add Kimchi to Mac and Cheese
Remember how I said kimchi and cheese were a magical pairing? Kimchi mac and cheese might just be the very definition of comfort food, elevated. You can add it to all kinds of mac and cheese recipes, but I think kimchi is especially well-suited to those with a homemade cheese sauce.
I like to saute the kimchi in butter for a minute or two to deepen its flavor, then add flour to make a roux. The secret here is to add a little kimchi juice to the pan just before adding the milk or cream. Not so much that it makes the sauce runny, but just enough to infuse it with another layer of kimchi’s bold flavor.
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Whip Up Kimchi Butter
Flavored butters are one of the easiest ways to create a restaurant-worthy dining experience at home. As a former restaurant chef, I can 100% confirm that we put butter in everything—and yes, butter does make everything better! Adding tangy, umami-rich ingredients to butter creates a deeply flavored spread that tastes fantastic when melted over grilled chicken or slathered on corn on the cob. I also really like using it when I make cacio e pepe and want a little something different.
I generally use about 1/4 cup of chopped kimchi per 1/4 pound stick of butter. If I’m using unsalted butter, sometimes I add a splash of soy sauce, but it’s not necessary with salted butter. I’ll also add a tablespoon or two of kimchi juice for extra oomph. Once the butter is mixed up, store it in the fridge, covered, until you’re ready to use it.
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Spike Your Bloody Mary with Kimchi Juice
Kimchi juice looks a lot like tomato juice, but it’s a whole lot more flavorful. And if you already like a spicy Bloody Mary, this addition is a no-brainer! Unlike plain hot sauce, which is mostly tangy and fiery, kimchi contributes a more complex medley of savory flavors.
Taste your kimchi juice first so you can gauge how salty, spicy and funky it is. Then, add 1/2 to 1 ounce of kimchi juice per 1 cup of tomato juice. If your kimchi jar doesn’t have much juice, you can create more by blending kimchi and straining it. To really accentuate the kimchi vibes, add a few pieces of kimchi to the skewer with the other garnishes.
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Create a Quick Kimchi Sauce
Blended kimchi makes a quick, complex sauce that tastes like it’s simmered on the stovetop for hours. I really like it as an alternative to homemade hot sauce or barbecue sauce. Simply blend kimchi and its juices until smooth. Strain out the solids, and you’ll have a tangy, slightly spicy sauce that tastes fantastic on everything from eggs and grilled steak to Korean fried chicken and ramen. If it’s not spicy enough for you, whisk in a little Sriracha or gochujang to kick up the heat.
I also like blending equal parts kimchi and tomato sauce to create an easy sauce for pizza or pasta. For these dishes, I usually leave the solids in for extra texture, but you can strain them out if you prefer. After blending, pour the mixture into a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes to bring the flavors together and thicken it slightly. I often use this sauce to make a pizza version of Mexican street corn flatbread.
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Add Kimchi to Burgers or Sandwiches
Kimchi is a natural swap for pickles, adding similar levels of acidity and crunch (plus spice and a whole lot of extra boldness!). When I’m creating unique burger ideas, I love including kimchi as a topping or mix-in, and it tastes great on beef, turkey or veggie burgers. If you want to tame kimchi’s spiciness, try adding creamy condiments or avocado to the burger. Or mix a little chopped kimchi with fresh cabbage to make a slaw.
While the freshness of raw kimchi feels right on a burger, I find that I greatly prefer sauteed kimchi on deli sandwiches. Cooking it softens its texture and concentrates the flavors, but it also cooks out some of the liquid. That means you get all the tang and umami without risking soggy bread. Sauteed kimchi is a fantastic addition to cold sandwiches or warm, melty ones like kimchi grilled cheese.
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Stir-Fry Your Kimchi
Did you know that you can use kimchi as an alternative to mirepoix? Where sauteed onions, carrots and celery add depth to classic French dishes, stir-fried kimchi builds a similar foundational layer of flavor, only richer, tangier and a little funkier. Try sauteing chopped kimchi for three to five minutes in oil or butter, then add vegetables, tofu or meat from your favorite stir-fry recipes.
Sometimes, I’ll mix chopped kimchi with ground meat before stir-frying it, similar to the beefy topping for kimchi fries. The kimchi works a little bit like a marinade, seasoning the meat and adding moisture. It’s particularly helpful when cooking lean ground meats, like chicken or turkey, to prevent them from drying out as they cook.
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Serve Kimchi as a Side Dish
Sometimes, the best way to enjoy kimchi is with a classic application: banchan. These small side dishes are served alongside rice with almost every Korean meal, and some form of kimchi is usually one of the dishes. So, it’s enough just to spoon your kimchi into small bowls and serve it on the side. It’s a really nice palate cleanser, especially if your meal has intense savory components, like roasted veggies or grilled or braised meats.
