Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites (VIDEO)

The One Thing You Need to Know Before Making This Recipe

Once you’ve made the Kimchi Mac and Cheese, you will need to let it chill for at least 4 hours (ideally up to overnight) in the refrigerator BEFORE you scoop and shape into balls to be fried. Chilling the mac and cheese allows it to firm up, which will make it significantly easier for you to shape into balls without them falling part. If you do not let the mac and cheese chill, the Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites will likely fall apart, as the cheese will be too soft and melty. (Which is something you normally want in your mac and cheese!)

Therefore, if you are making this for an event or gathering, make sure to add in the time recommended for chilling the mac and cheese – a minimum of 4 hours but I personally recommend starting it the day before for maximum success.

Ingredients for Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

• elbow pasta – while elbow pasta is the universal recommended shape for mac and cheese (also for my Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese), I also ecommend using elbow pasta because larger pasta shapes will not work when shaping the mac and cheese into balls. Smaller pasta shapes will do best for this dish!
• gochujang – this is a spicy and sweet Korean red pepper paste, with a strong flavor profile and a hint of umami. With Korean cuisine becoming more popular, I’ve seen it at almost any grocery store in my area (Los Angeles).
  • It’s an extremely popular and versatile ingredient – I use it in dishes like Spicy Pork Bulgogi, Kimchi Fried Rice, Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu, Gochujang Honey Wings, Spicy Gochujang Noodles, Korean Fried Cauliflower, Korean Fried Chicken and more!
• kimchi + kimchi juice – I like the kimchi roughly chopped, so you still get some texture. Don’t forget to reserve some kimchi juice, as you’ll need it for the recipe. This is very similar to how we make Kimchi Fried Rice, which uses both kimchi and kimchi juice. The kimchi juice actually has even more flavor than the kimchi itself!
• white cheddar + medium cheddar – I like to shred my own cheese but you can also use pre-shredded cheese. I use both white and medium cheddar to have variation in color – however, the flavors are the same, so you can choose to only use one or the other.
• panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs differ from your regular breadcrumbs due to their light and flaky texture. You can find them at most Asian or Western grocery stores.This is a KEY ingredient, so I do not recommend substituting this. I use panko as a topping for my Baked Mac and Cheese with Crispy Topping!
• vegetable oil, for frying – you can also use another neutral oil, such as canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil. Avoid olive oil.

1. Cook the Pasta

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Salting the water is crucial, as it adds flavor to the pasta. Add the pasta, then cook until al dente (2 minutes less than package directions). I recommend cooking it al dente because the pasta will continue to cook when the mac and cheese is baked, so this will prevent the pasta overcooking once the Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites are fried. Set aside.

2. Make the Sauce

Next we’ll make the roux for the mac and cheese. In a sense, it’s a traditional mac and cheese roux but with kimchi and gochujang for added depth and spice! In a deep nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the kimchi, gochujang and kimchi juice and mix. I like the kimchi to be roughly chopped, to add texture to the dish. You can chop it as rough or as fine as you prefer – this is totally up to you!

Cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes, whisking to remove any lumps.

Add the half and half, garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium high and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened, whisking occasionally to make sure there are no lumps.

3. Add the Cheddar Cheese

Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. Cooling the sauce will help ensure it doesn’t turn grainy when you add the cheese.

Reserve 2 cups of the cheese as a topping. Add the remaining cheese to the sauce , a few handfuls at a time. Do not dump all of the cheese into the sauce at once! You will get a clumpy sauce. Continue whisking so that the cheese fully melts before you add more cheese.

Once all of the cheese has been whisked into the sauce, add the cooked pasta and stir well to combine with the cheese sauce.

4. Add the Pasta and Bake

To a greased 9×13 baking dish, add the mac and cheese mixture. Take the cheese that you reserved (approximately 2 cups) and top the mac and cheese mixture.

Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden. Take out and place on a heatsafe surface to cool.

Once cooled, place the mac and cheese in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to cool. This is a crucial step to ensure that the mac and cheese doesn’t fall apart when you shape them into bites to fry!

6. Make the Mac and Cheese into Balls

Once the mac and cheese has cooled in the refrigerator (4 hours to overnight), take it out to make your bites. Set up an assembly line with the flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs.

Using your hands or a large spoon, scoop the mac and cheese into 4-ounce balls and pack tightly with your hands. Press the balls firmly with your hands to ensure the pasta and cheese sauce are one uniform ball. You want the bites to be as solid and dense as possible to ensure they don’t fall apart when fried.

Dredge the balls in flour, then beaten egg, and then panko breadcrumbs. Set aside on a tray.

7. Fry the Balls

Heat a large pot of neutral oil to 350°F and fry the Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites in batches for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Let cool and enjoy!

What Should I Serve with Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites?

Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites would be a great appetizer to serve with classic dishes like Steak with Peppercorn Sauce or Grilled Steak! You can also eat it alongside Meatloaf, Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken Thighs (or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs) or Braised Short Ribs!

Because the dish is so cheesy and creamy, I like to have it with a vegetable side like Creamed Spinach, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Cauliflower, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Green Beans with Bacon.

Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips

Store any leftover Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They will lose their crispiness when refrigerated.

You can reheat any leftovers in the air fryer at 350F for 8-10 minutes to crisp them up again. If you don’t care about getting the Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites crispy again, you can also quickly microwave them until they’re warmed through.

If you are planning to make this ahead of time, I recommend you follow the recipe until step #6 (bake the mac and cheese) and then cover with aluminum foil in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape and fry the Kimchi Mac and Cheese Bites. I do not recommend frying the bites ahead of time, as they’ll lose their crispy texture when stored in the refrigerator.