Cheese Kimchi Kimbap. Delicious kimchi fried rice with melting mozzarella cheese wrapped in roasted seaweed, lightly coated in sesame oil. A flavourful seaweed rice roll that will knock your socks off. Great for lunch, snack, dinner or even breakfast! Ready in 30 minutes with cooked rice.
I love kimchi fried rice and I love kimbap or gimbap. But I also love cheese and even though I’m mostly dairy-free, there are some days when I will just deal with the consequences of having it because it’s worth it ha-ha. So why not combine everything into one. Now this amazing kimbap recipe isn't one I invented. I’ve seen it floating around on the internet, but this is my version of this tasty roll and I hope you give it a try!
Easy to make!
This kimchi cheese kimbap recipe is simple and perhaps the only challenging part is rolling it together without the rice falling out of the sides. Kimbap or gimbap does take some practice to get it right but if you read my tips below you’ll have a much easier time. The trick is to coat only ¾ of your seaweed sheet with fried rice EVENLY and when you roll, roll TIGHTLY. These are my best tips.
But basically, when it comes to making this kimchi fried rice kimbap, you are frying your cooked rice with kimchi, garlic and other seasoning ingredients. Then you’ll spread the kimbap filling over your seaweed and place a strip of mozzarella cheese in the center of the rice. Next you’ll TIGHTLY roll it. Let the roll sit allowing the heat of the rice to moisten the seaweed ends so the sheet sticks to the end of the roll. Finally, you’ll lightly coat the roll with sesame oil as well as your SHARP knife and slice through the roll. That’s it!
Tips for making the best kimchi fried rice kimbap
Below I share some tips to help you make this cheese kimchi gimbap:
- 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.
- When spreading your rice, make sure to spread it to first ¾ of your sheet and spread it EVENLY. 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 your gimbap TIGHTLY. 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
Frequently asked questions regarding how to make this cheese and kimchi kimbap:
Where do I buy seaweed sheets?
Most Asian grocers will carry it and you will definitely find it at your Korean grocer. You can also use nori sheets which can be found at Western grocers.
Where can I find kimchi?
Korean grocers will carry this item as well as certain Asian grocers. You may also get lucky and find it at your western grocer.
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 have to use chicken powder in my fried rice?
No! You can leave it out if you wish. But I like adding it to really elevate the flavour even more.
Do I need a special sushi roller for this recipe?
No, in fact I personally hate using that thing ha-ha. Use clean hands, they’re your best tool when it comes to making this recipe. You can firmly roll it and understand how much pressure you need to apply when you use your hands.
Other recipes you may like!
I also share other similar kimbap recipes below so check them out:
KOREAN EGG ROLL KIMBAP
FOLDED KIMBAP
PORK BELLY KIMBAP
SPICY TUNA KIMBAP
TENMUSU (SHRIMP TEMPURA RICE BALL)
PORK KATSU ONIGIRAZU
KOREAN TUNA MAYO RICE BALLS
JAPANESE TUNA ONIGIRI
ONIGIRAZU (SUSHI SANDWICH)
CHRISTMAS TEMARI SUSHI BALLS
For this recipe
You will need the following ingredients for my kimbap cheese roll:
- 225 g mozzarella cheese block, sliced into long strips
- 4 sheets nori
- Sesame oil, to brush
- Sesame seeds, as garnish
Kimchi Fried Rice:
- 4 cups cooked rice, short grain rice
- 1 cup kimchi, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice, from the kimchi jar
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce, regular
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp chicken powder (optional)
How to make kimchi kimbap with cheese
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 (optional) 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. You still want to keep this warm and moist.
Next slice your mozzarella block into long strips (8 pieces or 4 extra long pieces)
Place your seaweed sheet rough side up and horizontally on your clean working surface. Spread 1 cup of the fried rice in the first ¾ of the sheet leaving about 1.5 inches bare. IMPORTANT: spread evenly and flatten with your hands or rice paddle. Make sure to get the corners and sides too.
Lay a strip of mozzarella cheese in the center of the fried rice. Then roll from the end closest to you TIGHTLY 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.
Lightly brush sesame oil over your rolls and over your SHARP knife. Firmly slice into each roll. Tip: Wet the knife between slicing each roll to ensure a clean cut. Enjoy! Note: For super melting cheese kimbap, if the rice has cooled down and your cheese is no longer melting, pop the rolls into the microwave for 30-60 seconds and this will melt the cheese again.
Notes:
This is best consumed within 24 hours. Or store in the fridge for another day and reheat in the microwave until rice is soft.
Give it a try!
Well, I hope you give my Cheese Kimchi Kimbap a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
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Christie
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Cheese Kimchi Kimbap (Korean Rice Roll)
Ingredients
- 225 g mozzarella cheese block sliced into long strips (Cheese Moisture Rate: 45%)
- 4 sheets gim or nori
- Sesame oil to brush
- Sesame seeds as garnish
Kimchi Fried Rice Filling:
- 4 cups cooked sushi rice
- 1 cup kimchi finely chopped
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice from the kimchi jar
- 2 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 tsp regular soy sauce not light or dark!
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp chicken bouillon powder optional
Instructions
- 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 (optional) 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. You still want to keep this warm and moist.
- Next slice your mozzarella block into long strips (8 pieces or 4 extra long pieces)
- Place your seaweed sheet rough side up and horizontally on your clean working surface. Spread 1 cup of the fried rice in the first ¾ of the sheet leaving about 1.5 inches bare. IMPORTANT: spread evenly and flatten with your hands or rice paddle. Make sure to get the corners and sides too.
- Lay one or two strips of mozzarella cheese in the center of the fried rice. Then roll from the end closest to you TIGHTLY 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 this process for remaining rolls until you have 4 rolls.
- Lightly brush sesame oil over your rolls and over your SHARP knife. Firmly slice into each roll. Tip: Wet the knife between slicing each roll to ensure a clean cut. Enjoy! Note: For super melting cheese kimbap, if the rice has cooled down and your cheese is no longer melting, pop the rolls into the microwave for 30-60 seconds and this will melt the cheese again.
I really like how this recipe doesn't really require any special tools to make... and that gooey mozzarella cheese is so irresistible!