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Grilled cheese and kimchi sandwich

A lovely fusion dish. The combined flavors of green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi) and cheese, both of which are fermented, create a filling with an incredible umami richness.
Grilled cheese and green onion kimchi sandwich
Bread / quick bread recipe by Connie Veneracion | Last updated: 12.09.2025
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 15 minutes mins
Servings: 1 person
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Fusion
Label: Cooked with kimchi
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Connie’s notes

Where did I get the idea for this? An Instagram post of an American-Korean cook who creates recipes she learned from her mom. Instagram (and Threads) may be full of fake news and fake recipes that don’t match the accompanying AI-generated photos but, once in a while, there are true gems.
Note that this is not a replica of the original. The kimchi grilled cheese sandwich in the Instagram post used cabbage kimchi and crusty rustic bread. I had neither but I was raring to make my version of the sandwich. What I had were store-bought Japanese milk bread and green onion kimchi (made by my daughter Alex).

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi) homemade or store-bought
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 2 slices bread
  • cheese slices (Monterey Jack is used here but feel free to substitute your preferred cheese) as many as you like

Instructions

  • Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut the green onions into shorter pieces.
    Sauteeing green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi) in butter
  • Heat a tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan and saute the kimchi, along with the juices, until the liquid has evaporated and the butter has been absorbed. Set aside.
  • In a larger frying pan, melt a tablespoon of butter, lay a slice of bread on the melted butter, cook until lightly browned, flip and cook the opposite side in the remaining butter until lightly browed as well. Do the same with the second slice of bread.
    Buttered toast
  • In the now dry pan, lay a slice of toasted bread. Arrange the cheese slices on top then carefully spread the sauteed kimchi on the cheese slices. Cover with the other piece of toast.
    Making grilled cheese and green onion kimchi sandwich in a frying pan
  • Cover the pan. Over low heat, cook the sandwich for a minute or so then flip and cook the other side until the cheese softens and melts.
  • Serve the sandwich immediately.
    Grilled cheese and green onion kimchi sandwich
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About Connie Veneracion

Home cook and writer by passion, photographer by necessity, and good food, coffee and wine lover forever. I create, test and publish recipes for family meals, and write cooking tips and food stories. More about me and my umami blogs.

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