Kimchi mac and cheese needs a little acidity to keep all that cheese from feeling too heavy. Here, the kimchi is cooked down with onion first, then folded into a smooth sauce made with evaporated milk, cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and smoked Gouda. The doenjang-sesame crumbs on top add a salty, nutty crunch that works especially well with the tang of the kimchi.
A Creamy Cheese Sauce Without a Roux
There is no flour in this sauce. Evaporated milk gives it body, and a small amount of cream cheese helps the cheddar and Gouda melt smoothly. Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in. Cooking the kimchi separately is just as important: reducing its liquid gives you a stronger kimchi flavor without making the sauce watery.
Creamy Kimchi Mac and Cheese with Doenjang Sesame Crunch
Kimchi mac and cheese with sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda, and crisp doenjang-sesame crumbs. The sauce is made without a flour roux. Allergens: wheat, milk, soy, and sesame.
Keep the dairy over gentle heat and do not boil once the cheese is added. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat slowly with a splash of milk.
🛒 Ingredients (Dual Measurements)
- 250 g (8.8 oz) cavatappi or medium shells
- 180 g (6.3 oz / about 1 1/4 cups) well-fermented kimchi, chopped
- 8 g (2 cloves) garlic, finely minced
- 5 g (1 tsp) gochujang
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, divided
- 60 g (about 1/2 small) yellow onion, finely chopped
- 354 ml (12 fl oz / 1 can) evaporated milk
- 85 g (3 oz) full-fat cream cheese, cubed
- 120 g (4.2 oz / about 1 1/4 cups) sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
- 100 g (3.5 oz / about 1 cup) smoked Gouda, freshly shredded
- 50 g (about 2/3 cup) panko breadcrumbs
- 10 g (2 tsp) doenjang
- 7 g (1 tsp) honey
- 10 ml (2 tsp) toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Build the kimchi base. Melt 15 g (1 tbsp) butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the kimchi and sauté for 4–5 minutes until its moisture has reduced and the edges begin to caramelize. Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon gochujang and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Step 2: Make the no-roux cheese sauce. Pour the evaporated milk into a saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Turn the heat to low and add the cheddar and smoked Gouda a handful at a time, stirring until glossy. Fold in the cooked kimchi mixture.
- Step 3: Toss the pasta until glossy. Boil the cavatappi in well-salted water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 120 ml (1/2 cup) pasta water, then drain. Add the pasta to the kimchi cheese sauce and toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes, loosening with a splash of pasta water only if needed. Season with black pepper.
- Step 4: Finish with doenjang-sesame crunch. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Melt the remaining 15 g (1 tbsp) butter and whisk in the doenjang, honey, and sesame oil. Toss with the panko and sesame seeds until evenly coated. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish, scatter the crumb over the top, and bake for 7–9 minutes, just until the edges bubble and the topping turns crisp. Finish with scallions.
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Before It Goes in the Oven
Cook the cavatappi just shy of al dente and do not over-reduce the cheese sauce on the stove. A short bake is enough to crisp the topping and warm everything through. If it sits in the oven too long, the pasta will keep drinking up the sauce.
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