Cheese Kimchi Kimbap (2024)

Published: Nov 13, 2023 by Christie Lai

Cheese Kimchi Kimbap. Delicious kimchi fried rice with melting mozzarella cheese wrapped in roasted seaweed, lightly coated in sesame oil. Great as a meal, snack or for breakfast. Ready in 30 minutes with cooked rice.

What is Cheese Kimchi Kimbap?

It's a Korean seaweed rice roll packed with savory tangy kimchi fried rice with melting mozzarella cheese that just oozes when you take a bite! It's absolutely delicious. You'll find this unique kimbap or gimbap at select Korean convenience stores in South Korea. Often the convenience stores have microwaves where you can reheat them. Many hungry students and commuters often grab kimbap to go because it's filling, tasty and affordable. I love enjoying kimbap as a meal or snack especially since I always have leftover rice sitting in the fridge that I can simply reheat.

Ingredients

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

• Mozzarella cheese
• Nori, or gim
• Sesame oil
• Sesame seeds

Kimchi Fried Rice Filling:

• Cooked short grain rice
• Well fermented kimchi
• Kimchi juice (from the kimchi jar)
• Garlic
• Sesame oil
• Regular soy sauce
• Cooking oil
• Chicken bouillon powder

How to make Cheese Kimchi Kimbap

Make Kimchi Fried Rice Filling

In a pan over medium heat, add cooking oil followed by garlic and fry until fragrant. Then add chopped kimchi and fry for 1 minute. Next add in your rice, kimchi juice, soy sauce, chicken powder and mix everything together. Lastly add sesame oil and give it another mix. Once the rice is steaming hot, remove off heat and leave the rice in the pan to cool down just a bit. Cover to keep warm.

Slice Mozzarella Block

Next slice your mozzarella block into long strips (8 pieces or 4 extra long pieces).

Evenly Spread Fried Rice on Gim

Place your gim or nori rough side up and horizontally on your clean working surface. Evenly spread 1 cup of the fried rice leaving 1.5 inches border.

Place Cheese in the Center

Lay a strip of mozzarella cheese in the center of the fried rice.

Firmly Roll

Then roll from the end closest to you applying enough pressure. Roll all the way to the end and let the roll sit so that the moisture from the roll seeps into the end where there is no rice to make the seaweed stick.

Repeat the above process for remaining rolls until you have 4 rolls.

Slice & Enjoy!

Lightly brush sesame oil over your rolls and your sharp knife. Firmly slice into each roll. Tip: Wet the knife between slicing each roll to ensure a clean cut. Enjoy!

Melt the Cheese

Pop the rolls into the microwave for 30-60 seconds and this will melt the cheese again.

Storage & Reheating

This is best consumed within 24 hours. Or store in the fridge for another day and reheat in the microwave until rice is soft.

Expert Tips

• Use freshly cooked warm rice. The moisture will give you the perfect stickiness for when you roll the kimbap preventing the rice from falling out after you’ve fried it. However, if you use day old rice, that works too!
• Make sure to use short grain rice for this recipe
• Do not over fry your kimchi fried rice. Once all the ingredients are mixed, remove it off the stove. If you prolong the cooking time, the moisture will evaporate giving you drier rice to roll with.
• Use mozzarella blocks with a high moisture rate (45%). This allows for the cheese to melt while the rice is still warm.
• Spread the rice evenly across the nori or gim leaving ½ inch border at the end. I can’t emphasize how important this is. Make sure to get the sides and corners too.
• Place the mozzarella cheese strip in the center of your rice. This will ensure it’s in the middle of your roll.
• Roll and tuck the ingredients firmly. This will prevent the rice from falling out from the sides.
• When slicing your kimbap, lightly coat the roll in sesame oil as well as the knife.
• Make sure that knife is sharp! A dull knife will flatten your roll making it very challenging to get a clean slice.

FAQ

Can I use shredded mozzarella cheese?

Yes you can but it just may be more difficult to roll without the shreds leaking out from the sides.

Do I need a sushi mat for this recipe?

No, you can use clean hands or plastic wrap to help roll the kimbap.

Other recipes you may like!

• Korean Egg Roll Kimbap
• Folded Kimbap
• Pork Belly Kimbap
• Spicy Tuna Kimbap
• Tenmusu (Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball)
• Korean Tuna Mayo Rice Balls
• Japanese Tuna Onigiri

📖 Recipe