Look, friends. We’re officially deep into comfort food season. And if you’re not craving a huge bowl of smooth, velvety mac and cheese right now…well, quite frankly I don’t believe you. Which is why I’ve created this Korean spin on your classic mac. Don’t worry—there’s plenty of cheddar involved. But this dish is majorly elevated, thanks to a kimchi puree that will turn any picky eater into a fermented foodie. Oh, and a bonus? This recipe is almost as fun to say as it is to devour. Let’s dig right in.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
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11 lb. bag of dduk noodles (found at most Asian grocery stores), any shape
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2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
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3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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½ cup whole milk
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¼ cup parmesan, grated
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½ cup medium-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
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1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
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1 cup napa kimchi, pureed
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3 strips of bacon, fried and finely chopped
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2 Tbsp. gochugaru pepper flakes
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1 cup panko bread crumbs 2 scallions, sliced
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2 scallions, sliced
Mise En Place
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, soak your dduk noodles for at least an hour (this will ensure they’re chewy and soft all the way through). In the meantime, heat your butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and melt your garlic until it turns translucent and fragrant (about 3 minutes).
Lower heat to medium and pour in milk, while whisking into the pan. Slowly sprinkle grated cheese varieties into your sauce, whisking after every handful making sure the mixture is smooth and no clumps of cheese make it into the final casserole. Finally, incorporate your kimchi puree using a wooden spoon and lower the heat, whisking constantly to prevent a skin of cheese from forming over your sauce.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a roiling boil and toss your dduk noodles in for 5 minutes (or until they float to the top). As they cook, mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Strain your dduk noodles and carefully transfer them into an 8”x8” glass casserole dish.
Layer the kimchi-cheese sauce evenly over your rice noodles and top your dish with the breadcrumb-bacon mixture. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. If the top of the breadcrumbs begin to darken, place a sheet of tin foil over the dish for the remaining cook time. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Take a bite, question where this recipe has been all your life, and enter an ultra-satisfying food coma.
