KIMCHI MAC ’N’ CHEESE

By Joanne Molinaro (The Korean Vegan)

When I asked my brother why he wouldn’t consider going vegan, his answer was simple: “The only thing Liam [his then three-year- old son] will eat is mac ’n’ cheese. Literally.” I am not a parent of a toddler. While it’s easy for me to sit on my pedestal and think, “Well, you should teach him to like something other than mac ’n’ cheese!” or “That doesn’t mean you all have to eat mac ’n’ cheese!” I decided the simplest solution was to introduce my brother to one of my favorite recipes of all time, my vegan Kimchi Mac ’n’ Cheese. I’ve made this recipe so many times I have it memorized. Liam is still a little too young to appreciate the kimchi part of this recipe, but my brother is not! And neither are you

YIELDS: 8 servings


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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni (can substitute gluten-free macaroni)
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute cornstarch)
  • 4 cups Kimchi Queso (below)
  • 2 cups chopped cabbage kimchi

 

KIMCHI QUESO

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5 ounces russet potato, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 medium cloves of garlic
  • 1 scallion, white part only
  • 1/4 cup cabbage kimchi
  • 1 tbsp gochugaru
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp kimchi liquid
  • 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp maple syrup

RECIPE

KIMCHI QUESO

  1. In a small pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, scallion whites, kimchi, gochugaru, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cashews, and cook until the veggies begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the gochujang and stir until all the vegetables are evenly coated.
  3. Add the soy sauce to deglaze the pot and stir.
  4. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the vegetables until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
  5. Carefully pour the vegetable mixture into a high-powered blender. Add the nutritional yeast, kimchi liquid, plant-based milk, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then pour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  6. You can reheat the queso in the microwave for about 1 minute before serving or using as an ingredient.

 

KIMCHI MAC & CHEESE

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
    About 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, drain and return the noodles to the cooking pot. Add the butter to the pasta. Sift the flour over the cooked pasta (I just run it through a fine-mesh sieve right over the top) and stir until the butter is melted and the flour is well incorporated.
  2. Add the cheese sauce and half of the reserved pasta water and stir the mixture vigorously. Continue to add more pasta water, as necessary, until it seems a little soupy (it will firm up before you serve). Add the kimchi and stir until it is evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
  3. Serve warm and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  4. Reheat over medium heat, stirring in a little plant-based milk.