Cheesy, creamy, and made in just one pot – this quick and easy, one pot Vegan Kimchi Mac n’ Cheese is about to be your new favourite recipe. Kimchi, gochujang, and vegan cheddar cheese make gives this childhood favourite a Korean-inspired makeover.
Looking for a way to shake up your mac n’ cheese game? Enter kimchi and mac n’ cheese. It’s no secret that Korean flavours are some of our personal favourites, so we decided to make a creamy and delicious mac n’ cheese recipe inspired by our these bold ingredients.
This simple vegan recipe is made in a single pot so you can have a delicious dinner and only one dish to clean! With just 8 ingredients you’ll want to keep the recipe in your back pocket anytime you need something filling and delicious for lunch – don’t forget to save this recipe for later on Pinterest!
Ingredients You Need
This recipe is fairly simple, requiring only 8 ingredients and just one pot!
- Elbow Macaroni (or pasta of choice)
- Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- Vegan Cheddar Cheese Shreds
- Vegan Butter
- Gochujang
- Vegan Kimchi
- Sesame Seeds
- Nori
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a staple of Korean cuisine and one of our favourite ingredients! Originating in Korean culture, it’s growing in popularity all around the world. Typically made with napa cabbage, though it can very depending on region and family. Originally made to preserve vegetables in the winter months – it’s now a staple in Korean cuisine. It can be found in many grocery stores throughout Canada, just be sure to make sure it’s vegan! Some kimchi contains fish sauce in it.
What is gochujang?
If you don’t keep gochujang in your fridge, you’re missing out! Gochujang is a key ingredient in Korean cuisine. This vibrant colour and bold tasting paste is made from red chili pepper flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It’s a delicious combination of salty, sweet, spicy, and umami. You can find gochujang at most grocery stores across Canada and luckily it’s typically vegan! Though, its important to check ingredient lists just to be sure.
Top tips for making Vegan Kimchi Mac n Cheese:
- Pick a pasta shape that will hold a cheesy sauce. We love using embow macaroni because its holds the cheesy sauce so well. Though you can choose whichever pasta shape you’d like! We recommend elbow macaroni, scooby-doo, and bowtie.
- Salt the pasta water. It’s important to add flavour to your pasta from the inside out and salting the cooking water is key.
- Cook pasta just shy of al dente. Because you’ll cook the pasta a little bit after draining it while the cheese melts and you make the sauce, you want to cook the pasta just shy of al dente to avoid overcooking it.
- Cook on low heat until cheese is melted. To avoid overcooking the pasta, keep your heat low and just hot enough to melt the cheese into a creamy, velvety sauce.
- Add flavour with your favourite toppings. We love adding extra toppings to our vegan kimchi mac n’ cheese to add even more flavour. We recommend topping your pasta with sesame seeds, nori, green onions, and sometimes even more kimchi!
Vegan Kimchi Mac n’ Cheese FAQ:
Where can I find vegan kimchi?
Vegan kimchi can be tricky to come by as kimchi can often include fish sauce. We have found vegan kimchi at our local grocery stores and Asian markets. Our current go-to is the Rooster brand as it is very readily available.
Where can I find gochujang?
We find gochujang at our local grocery store. However, if you have trouble finding it we recommend you checking an Asian grocery store!
What vegan cheese should I use?
You can use whichever you prefer, but we love using the Daiya Cheddar Block. We find it has the best flavour and melts the best.
How to make Vegan Kimchi Mac n’ Cheese:
Vegan Kimchi Mac n' Cheese
Ingredients
- 150 g uncooked elbow macaroni
- 120 mL (½ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 75 g (⅔ cup) vegan cheddar shreds
- 28 g (2 tbsp) vegan butter
- 18 g (1 tbsp) gochujang
- 60 g (¼ cup) kimchi, finely chopped
- sesame seeds, for topping
- crushed nori, for topping
Instructions
Before you start: Make sure all your ingredients are prepped before you start.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente. Drain liquid from pot, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water just in case.
- Return the noodles to the pot, add non-dairy milk, vegan cheese shreds, butter, and gochujang. Stir and cook on low heat until smooth, creamy and you get your desired thickness. If needed thin with reserved pasta water. Stir in chopped kimchi until combined.
- Divide between bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds and crushed nor to serve.
Video
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