The Alternative Method To Make A Crispier Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Kimchi grilled cheese is one of TikTok's most recent popular recipes from Korean native Maangchi, according to Good Morning America. Introduced in 2021, it took until 2022 for the recipe to go viral, and it turns out, there's an even better way to make it than you might have guessed. 

But let's back up a bit. The classic grilled cheese sandwich has been a staple for generations, with its crispy chewy bread and wonderfully soft, melty cheese. Not only is it a tried-and-true lunch for many children all over the world, but many adults also believe that the combination simply can't be beaten. Or can it?

In the last 20 years, people have been adding a variety of different foods to grilled cheese to dress it up a bit. Although few would turn down the simple grilled cheese when they're hungry, the same old recipe can get a tad repetitive after a bit. For this reason, some particularly innovative chefs have taken to adding things like bacon, chicken, and even meatloaf, veggies, and relish. 

Kimchi is just the latest addition. This sprightly Korean condiment or side dish adds a wonderfully sour and spicy note to what can admittedly be a bland sandwich. And the alternative method to make a crispier kimchi grilled cheese is super easy.

If you aren't familiar with kimchi, here's a primer. Kimchi is a fermented dish that is typically made from cabbage. Notably, kimchi can also be made from many other vegetables, including radishes, chestnuts, garlic, cucumbers, carrots, ginger, and mustard leaf, according to Britannica. The most popular type is made with Napa cabbage, that pale and mild leafy vegetable.

Kimchi (or kimchee) is very healthy because it is made from brassica or cruciferous vegetables, which contain compounds that can help protect against cancer development. But people who love kimchi don't enjoy it exclusively for the health benefits, although that's a definite bonus. They love the spicy, sour, sweet taste and crunchy texture of this pickle; who wouldn't?

Kimchi, according to a recipe from My Korean Kitchen, is made by brining chopped cabbage by adding salt to the leaves to remove excess moisture and concentrate the flavor. After some time, the leaves are rinsed and mixed with cooked glutinous rice, radishes, sea salt, fish sauce, and perhaps some fermented shrimp. You can also add carrots, ginger, onions, and chili flakes. You can eat this flavorful mixture after a 24-hour wait, but for more flavor development, refrigerate it for a few days.

Now that you have your kimchi, and the bread, cheese, and butter, how are you going to make this delicious sandwich? You can cook it in a pan on the stovetop or you can bake it, but why not try your air fryer? Good Morning America directs us to Kalejunkie, a website run by Nicole Keshishian Modic, who put kimchi, grilled cheese, and the air fryer together.

The air fryer is a great way to make a sandwich, since the hot air circulating around it crisps the bread and melts the cheese to the perfect consistency. You can make this recipe whether you have an older model basket air fryer or the newer toaster oven style.

Modic uses cheddar cheese, kimchi, bread (preferably a nice firm sourdough), and butter to create this sandwich. It only takes 10 minutes to cook, with one flip, to produce a crisp, crunchy, creamy, salty, sour, and spicy sandwich that is the perfect lunch. Whether you make your own kimchi, or buy it, this is the sandwich of 2023. Make it and dig in. Yum.