8 Dinners, One Ingredient: Kimchi

For some odd reason, I always end up finding large bottles of kimchi within the deepest reaches of my refrigerator. I guess I buy them, have them once, and then forget all about them after.

Not wanting to put anything to waste, I looked for recipes using kimchi as an ingredient. I expected the results to show all traditional Korean recipes, using kimchi not as a main ingredient but more like a condiment or a side dish. I was surprised to find a wealth of adventurous dishes online that fully experimented with kimchi as the main ingredient in entrees!

Here are 8 delicious dinners you can try at home using that bottle of kimchi I am pretty sure is sitting inside your fridge right now.

Via gangnamkitchen.com

A straight up traditional Korean dish, kimchi jjigae is one hot sexy mess of a stew. It has kimchi, pork (or seafood, but never both at the same time), and tofu all cooked together to make one luxurious soup that packs quite the punch. Perfect for sweating out and cooling off a hot summer night, and for awakening the appetite. Found a good recipe here.

Via killingthyme.net

I will admit, I was very skeptical about this recipe at first. I mean, a grilled cheese is, in itself, already a culinary masterpiece. Why fix it if it ain’t broke? Then I got to thinking about grilled cheeses always getting paired with tomato soup, and realized it might actually work. Lo and behold, it does!

Via thenewstribune.com

Kind of a no-brainer, I was actually surprised that I hadn’t thought about this before. Sautee the kimchi with some garlic, a little gochujang (fermented Korean hot pepper paste), and toss with cooked pasta, and bam! This recipe makes a satisfying meal!

Via foodspotting.com

Made popular by the Mexican-Korean food trucks that rose to fame a few years ago, these are still a big hit! Combining great things from both cuisines, these tacos are tangy, spicy, and all levels of good. Check out the recipe here.

Via addictedfoodie.wordpress.com

Similar to the tacos, these also emerged from the food truck revolution a few years back. While the tacos can be considered a nice, satisfying snack, these bad boys are hearty, heavy, and delicious. The recipe can be found here.

Via curiousnut.com

First off, the meat in this recipe is cooked Galbi Jim style, so that in itself is already a treat. Then you add the kimchi, the cheese, the bread, and you are done. This one is truly an amazing feat of culinary prowess.

Via theprimalist.com

While kimchi isn’t really a staple in the traditional recipe for this Korean favorite, this recipe is a practical approach to making it work when you’re running low on supplies. By adding the kimchi straight into the bibimbap, you create a delicious bowl of goodness.

Via bur.org

The best thing you can do to kimchi, bar none. Try this recipe and discover just how good it is for yourself!