Easy Kimchi Fries with Cheese

5 from 1 vote

An easy snack or side dish with BIG flavor: Cheesy Kimchi Fries! Crispy fries topped with lots of gooey cheese and spicy kimchi. Add creamy avocado, spicy mayo, and chopped cilantro for even more flavor and color. Everything can be baked and assembled on a sheet pan. One of those easy recipes that's good for game days and parties.

Prep Time5

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Booze Food, Snack

Cuisine: Fusion Food

Keyword: Kimchi Cheese Fries

Servings: as a side

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Lis Lam

Equipment

13 x 18" sheet pan
Non-stick Skillet

Ingredients

1 lb package frozen french fries
1 cup kimchi (preferably old) (cut into bite sized pieces with scissors)
3 cups mozzarella + cheddar cheese (grated)
1-2 Tbsp spicy mayo (I used Wafu but you can sub with drizzles of kewpie mayo + sriracha)
1 avocado (diced)
cilantro or green onion (chopped)

Instructions

Spread frozen french fries on a sheet pan in one layer. Bake frozen french fries according to package directions until they are crispy and heated through, about 20-25 minutes.
For OLD KIMCHI: heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp of neutral cooking oil (I use grapeseed oil). When the oil is heated, add the kimchi and all the juices. Cook until the kimchi is cooked down and caramelized, about 5-6 minutes. Lower heat, if necessary. The kimchi should be golden orange in color and soft. There should be very little liquid in the bottom of the pan.
For NEW KIMCHI: Chop up kimchi and set aside.
Remove french fries from the oven and turn off the heat. Season fries with salt, making sure to toss evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle cheese all over. Scatter the cooked kimchi on top. Return to the oven and let the cheese melt slowly in the residula heat, about 4 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Drizzle with spicy mayo (or Kewpie mayo and sriracha). Scatter cilantro and diced avocado. Eat immediately!

Notes

* This dish is easy to multiply. Simply double the ingredients. To ensure maximum crispiness in the fries, make sure the fries are in one layer, evenly spaced. Use multiple sheet pans if necessary.

**If OLD kimchi is unavailable, use new fresh kimchi. However, it will taste better without cooking it down. Simply chop into bite-sized pieces and add to fries, as per usual.

Nutrition