Our Chili Mac and Cheese is emboldened with kimchi! Rich, spicy, and full of umami flavor, it’s a hearty comfort food meal, perfect for cold weather!
Our Kimchi Recipe has received over 100 5-star reviews and is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. I’ve spent years simplifying the process of making kimchi, so everyone can find success with it! Now, I’m excited to share a satisfying way to use your homemade kimchi in a comforting chili mac and cheese recipe.
This kimchi chili mac recipe is rich, spicy, and full of umami goodness! My husband Brian loves it and craves it, and I know you will, too.
It’s a hearty, comforting meal made with ground turkey (see substitutes) and macaroni. After it cooks, stir in the grated cheddar, chopped kimchi, gochujang, and a few splashes of fish sauce, and dinner is ready! A one-pot meal that can easily be reheated for midweek meals-one that you won’t tire of!
Chili Mac Ingredients
- Kimchi: Make your own Homemade Kimchi or use store-bought.
- Ground turkey: Or sub ground beef or lamb or a plant-based “ground meat” alternative.
- Dry macaroni: Feel free to sub gluten-free macaroni if needed.
- Cheddar cheese: Use shredded or grated cheddar cheese.
- Veggies: Onion, garlic cloves, and bell pepper.
- Spices: Cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Tomato paste: To help thicken the sauce and enhance savory flavor.
- Chicken broth: Or use beef or veggie broth or 3 cups water with 2 small boullion cubes.
- Soy sauce: Or gluten-free liquid aminos.
- Gochujang: Full of so much flavor, gochujang is spicy, salty, sweet, savory, and umami!
- Fish sauce: Make your own Vegan Fish Sauce if you prefer.
- Garnish: Cilantro, scallions, chili crisp, or crispy onions or shallots. Something crunchy is nice!
How to Make Chili Mac and Cheese
1. Cook the ground turkey. Heat half of the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add ground turkey, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until crumbled. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Brown the turkey as best you can, then transfer to bowl or paper-towel lined plate.
2. Sauté the veggies. Add the remaining oil to the same pot and sauté onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Once fragrant, add red bell pepper and sauté until just softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the turkey back to the pot and stir in chili powder. Create a well in the center and add the tomato paste, browning it a little to deepen the flavor.
3. Add stock and macaroni to simmer. Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Stir in the macaroni, cover and lower heat to a simmer over medium-low.
Simmer until pasta is tender and liquid is soaked up, 10-12 minutes.
4. Stir in chopped kimchi and cheese. Don’t forget to strain the kimchi first! Then add the cheddar cheese, gochujang, and fish sauce. Adjust gochujang and fish sauce to taste, starting with a little and adding more as needed.
5. Taste. The kimchi adds tangy flavor, so be sure to use enough salt, fish sauce, or soy sauce to add umami depth. Balance out the tang! The cheese helps with this too. If you’d like more heat, a pinch of cayenne pepper is nice.
6. Serve. Divide among bowls and top with chili crisp, crispy shallots or onions, cilantro, or scallions.
Chef’s Tips
- Use whichever protein you prefer! Ground turkey, lamb, or beef work well in this recipe, or even a plant-based substitute.
- Try this with homemade kimchi. Our recipe is simplified and everyone can do it! It is so rewarding to make your own homemade kimchi. It is worth taking the time to make this dish extra special.
- Meet dietary needs. To make gluten-free, use gluten-free macaroni, liquid aminos instead of soy sauce, and make sure the gochujang is gluten-free. To make vegan, use a plant-based “ground meat” and a cheese substitute that melts well. If you can’t find a good shredded vegan cheese, then try working from a Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe.
- Taste and adjust. Don’t forget to adjust the gochujang, fish sauce, soy sauce, and heat to your preference. Add cayenne for more heat, and make sure to balance the tang of the kimchi with salt to add umami depth.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
Cornbread makes a delicious side to serve with Kimchi Chili Mac and Cheese. These Scallion Pancakes could also be served on the side. Or serve with a side salad like Korean Cucumber Salad or a simple Watercress Salad.
FAQs
Chili mac and cheese is a very popular combination of chili-seasoned ground meat with mac and cheese. The flavors go so well together, especially when using a cheese like cheddar. We amp up the flavor with the addition of kimchi, gochujang, and fish sauce.
Traditionally, chili mac is made with ground meat, pasta, tomato sauce, and cheese. Here we use tomato paste to let the cheese be at the forefront, and we add kimchi, gochujang, soy sauce, and fish sauce to create a satisfying flavor that is full of umami depth. Think of this as an elevated chili mac recipe!
Don’t be afraid to use plenty of cheese here! It helps balance the tanginess of the kimchi. Cook the macaroni until just al dente and taste and adjust the flavor of the sauce to get the right amount of tangy, umami, and spicy flavor.
If you haven’t attempted your own homemade kimchi yet, ’tis the season! It is so easy- here is the Kimchi recipe!
Let me know how you like this Kimchi Chili Mac and Cheese recipe in the comments below.
More Recipes with Kimchi You Might Like
Kimchi Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: main, pasta,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
A Chili Mac and Cheese with kimchi that is rich, spicy, and full of umami. Made with ground turkey, but feel free to use beef, lamb, or a plant-based alternative. A hearty weeknight meal perfect for cold weather!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey ( or sub ground beef or lamb, or plant-based “ground meat” substitute*)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth (or beef or veggie) or 3 cups water plus two small boullion cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free liquid aminos
- 8 ounces dry macaroni (2 cups) or sub gluten-free macaroni
- 1 cup kimchi, drained, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1–2 teaspoons gochujang
- 1–2 teaspoons fish sauce, more as needed
- Garnish: cilantro, scallions, chili crisp or crispy onions or shallots – something crunchy is nice here!
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula until crumbled, season with salt and pepper, and brown it as best as you can. Set it aside.
- To the same pan, add the remaining oil and saute the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the red bell pepper, and saute until just softened, 3 more minutes. Return the cooked ground turkey to the pan, and stir in the cumin and chili powder. Create a well in the center, add the tomato paste and brown it just a bit to deepen the flavor.
- Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir in the macaroni, cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer covered until the pasta is tender and the liquid is soaked up, 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kimchi (remember to strain it first), cheddar cheese, gochujang and fish sauce (start conservatively adding more to taste).
- Taste. Tip: The kimchi will make it tangy, so you’ll need to add enough salt or fish sauce ( or soy sauce) to add umami depth – and balance out that tang! The cheese will help too. Add more heat if you like- a pinch of cayenne is easy.
- Divide among bowls and top with chili crisp or crispy shallots or onions, cilantro or scallions.
Notes
Ground meat: If using beef or lamb, you won’t need as much olive oil, and you may want to drain the fat. If using plant-based ground “meat,” you may need less salt, as it is usually already seasoned.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 1505.7 mg
- Fat: 29.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.9 g
- Fiber: 3.2 g
- Protein: 39.6 g
- Cholesterol: 124.3 mg
Flavours unbelievable
Great dish !
So easy to make too ! One pot wonder , love it !
Awesome Lesley! Thanks for letting us know!
Thanks for this fun to make and eat creative recipe. Subbing in bayo beans (Primary Beans cooked from dry) for the animal protein, using bean-veg broth and eliminating fish sauce (then adding a touch more salt) made this delicious dish vegetarian for a meal where we needed it to be that. Next time I’ll use ground local lamb when feeding omnivores and I’m looking forward to it that way too.
So glad you gave it a try Michele! Love improvising. Thanks so much for the review!
This was a bit of a miss for me. Kind of reminded me of the 70s and my Moms cooking – Tuna casserole topped with potato chips. I think another review compared it to Hamburger Helper (but a gourmet version) and I would have to agree.
Sorry this wasn’t a hit for you Heather! Yes, it is very retro in that is “Chili Mac”. My husband grew up eating chili mac- and he loves this recipe- but I can totally see how it might not be for everyone! 🙂
Hi – FYI, not seeing where to add the 1 tsp cumin
Thanks for catching that Barbara- updated the recipe card!
Delicious! I love dishes with kimchi …this did not disappoint. My husband said it was like a gourmet version of hamburger helper. It’s going on our list of keepers.
Happy to hear you both enjoyed!
Outstandingly delicious! Was sceptical, what with those continents crashing into each other and all, but wow, scrumptious!
Used caserecce instead of macaroni but otherwise followed the recipe.
Yum yum yum.
So glad you enjoyed this Beverly! Thanks for the review.
Soo good! Most unique mac and cheese ever! Made it with beyond ground beef
Glad you enjoyed Bridget!
Yum! Made this tonight with store bought Kimchi (Wildbrine) and GF macaroni (brown rice version) and a bunch of mini-peppers sliced up in lieu of one red pepper. The macaroni didn’t absorb all the liquid after 12 min for me (perhaps because GF?) but honestly, it’s such yummy flavors a little extra saucy-sauce was fine with me. Another great recipe from y’all! Thank you!
Glad you gave this a try Tanja! Thanks for the report on the brown rice noodles.
Absolutely incredible. Ended up going with lamb. Found a really high quality gochujang that we preferred more than our normal one. Skipped EVOO. Added a little kashmiri chili powder for more kick combined with the American chili powder. It was epic.
Great to hear David!
What is the name of your high quality gochujang did you use?
I tried this meal as I am not familiar with some of the ingredients and it was excellent!
Great flavors and texture.
So glad you enjoyed this Cathy!
Sylvia,
I live in the northern woods of MN. I’m awaiting the groceries to make your kimchi recipe. They are coming as Christmas presents.
I’m looking for two recommendations:
A brand of kimchi to make kimchi stew—well fermented.
A brand of store bought.
Also do you have a pantry list for basic items for Korean cooking you might share?
Thank you
Anne
Hi Anne! I am excited for you try it. I have this Asian Pantry List but not specifically Korean. I like WildBrine brand Kimchi- my favorite!
Thank you!