difficulty
Beginner
Servings
2 servings
Prep time
15 min
Cooking time
15 min
Calories
780 kcal
This recipe honestly reminds me why I love comfort food so much. It’s simple at its core, but the spicy kimchi and creamy gochujang soup make it feel way more exciting and flavorful than a regular grilled cheese.
The crispy buttery bread with all that melted cheese and the warm spicy soup is exactly the kind of meal I always end up craving on colder nights or slower weekends at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe has the perfect mix of crispy, cheesy, spicy, and comforting. The buttery grilled cheese with the tangy kimchi and creamy gochujang tomato soup honestly tastes like a café version of a classic comfort-food meal. It’s warm, satisfying, and just different enough to feel really special without being complicated to make.
Ingredients
- Kimchi Grilled Cheese:
- 4 sourdough slices
- 150 g cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- 100 g kimchi
- Butter
- Gochujang Tomato Soup:
- 1 small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 400 ml tomato soup or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp gochujang
- 100 ml cream
- Extras:
- Crispy onions
- Green onions
- Chili flakes
- Optional Toppings:
- Fried egg
- Crispy bacon
- Sesame seeds
- Chili oil
Instructions
- Cook the kimchi briefly in butter until slightly caramelized.
- Build the sandwiches with cheese and kimchi.
- Toast in butter until golden and crispy.
- Sauté onion and garlic for the soup.
- Add tomato soup and gochujang.
- Stir in cream and simmer briefly.
- Serve the grilled cheese with the warm soup.
- Finish with crispy onions and toppings before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Protein: ~32 g
- Fat: ~52 g
- Carbohydrates : ~48 g
- Fiber: ~4 g
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Tips
- Low heat gives the cheese enough time to melt without burning the bread
- I think sourdough works best because it stays crispy and sturdy with the soup
- Don’t add too much kimchi or the sandwich can become soggy
- A little extra gochujang makes the tomato soup taste much richer
- Fresh green onions on top keep everything tasting fresher and lighter
- I always add crispy onions because they make the texture even better
- I really love dipping the grilled cheese in the soup
Variations
- Steak version: Add thin slices of steak inside the grilled cheese
- Extra spicy version: Add chili oil or extra gochujang
- Breakfast version: Add a fried egg on top
- Bacon version: Add crispy bacon for extra crunch and flavor
- Mushroom version: Add roasted mushrooms for a richer flavor
- Mini version: Perfect for lunch platters or weekend snacks
FAQ
Cheddar melts really well and gives the sandwich lots of flavor, but mozzarella, gouda, or provolone also work really well.
Kimchi has a slightly spicy, tangy, salty flavor that works surprisingly well with melted cheese and buttery bread.
Yes. I still like adding a little gochujang to it because it gives the soup so much more depth and flavor.
Cook it slowly over medium-low heat and avoid overfilling it with kimchi or cheese.
Yes, the soup reheats really well and honestly tastes even better the next day.
Yes, but I personally prefer skillet-toasted grilled cheese because the bread becomes crispier and more buttery.
Recipe by vino
I love this recipe because it’s exactly the kind of comfort food that still feels creative and different. As a sous chef, I’m always trying new flavor combinations, and kimchi with melted cheese honestly just works way better than most people expect. The crispy sourdough with the warm spicy soup feels familiar, but the gochujang and kimchi give it so much extra flavor that it never feels boring.
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