Korean Kimchi and Rice Cake Baked Casserole

About This Recipe

Kimchi and melted cheese is a beloved modern Korean comfort-food pairing — you'll find it in budae-jjigae, kimchi-cheese toast, and countless home kitchens where a block of cheese gets melted straight into a bubbling pan of kimchi. This casserole leans into that combination, layering well-fermented kimchi with chewy rice cakes (tteok) and a generous topping of melted mozzarella, baked until bubbling and lightly browned on top.\n\nThe important step is cooking the kimchi down in a pan first with a touch of sugar and sesame oil before it goes into the baking dish — raw kimchi straight from the jar releases a lot of liquid in the oven and can make the casserole watery. Sauteing it first concentrates the flavor and mellows some of the sharp fermented tang into something rounder and more savory.\n\nServe this bubbling hot straight from the oven with a spoon that can get under the melted cheese to the soft rice cakes below — it's meant to be eaten messy, ideally shared straight from the baking dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupswell-fermented kimchi(roughly chopped, with juice)
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame oil
• 1 tbspsugar
• 1 tbspgochujang
• 400 gtteok(Korean rice cakes, soaked in warm water)
• 200 gcanned tuna or diced Spam(optional)
• 1onion(sliced)
• 3scallions(sliced)
• 1.5 cupsshredded mozzarella
• 1 tsptoasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook down the kimchi

   Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add kimchi, onion, sugar and gochujang and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kimchi softens and much of its liquid evaporates.

2. 2

   Preheat and layer

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the soaked rice cakes in an even layer across a baking dish, then top with the tuna or Spam if using.

3. 3

   Add the kimchi

   Spoon the cooked-down kimchi mixture evenly over the rice cakes, spreading to the edges of the dish.

4. 4

   Top with cheese

   Scatter mozzarella generously over the top, covering the kimchi completely.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake 18-20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling, and lightly browned in spots.

   If the top isn't browning fast enough, switch to broil for the last 2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't scorch.

6. 6

   Finish

   Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced Spam or bacon for a richer, more traditional budae-jjigae-inspired flavor.

• •

  Use a mix of mozzarella and a sharp cheddar for more flavor complexity in the topping.

• •

  Stir cooked ramen noodles in with the rice cakes for an even heartier, noodle-forward casserole.

Storage

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole dish covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the cheese re-melts.

Frequently Asked Questions