Crispy baked fries, spicy kimchi and a homemade cheese sauce makes these kimchi fries simply irresistible! Try them once and you’ll want to make again and again!
I’m seriously obsessed with these cheesy kimchi fries.
As a self-proclaimed carb lover, it’s no surprise that I love homemade fries.
And kimchi? I literally eat that stuff straight out of the container. I’m not kidding. When I feel like I want a little nosh, I grab a fork and tuck right into that kimchi. It’s just too darn good! Plus, I just love spice!
So, pair cheesy French fries with spicy kimchi and you have a match made in heaven (well, at least for me)!
Once you start to devour them, you’ll understand just how yummy they are. Whether you’re enjoying these kimchi fries for supper, or having as part of a game day spread, they’ll surely disappear fast.
Fan of flavoured fries & wedges? Check out these loaded potato wedges!
Why We Love These Kimchi Fries
- Great for spicy food lovers!
- They can be customized to taste with toppings.
- They can be enjoyed as a side or as a main.
- They’re super simple to prepare.
- Kimchi fries. That’s it. Delicious!!
How To Make Homemade Cheese Sauce
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
Once the baked fries are almost cooked, you can get started on the cheese sauce.
It’s pretty much a standard type of cheese sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in some flour to form a paste, and then gradually whisk in milk. The sauce should be thick so that it coats the back of a spoon (and it will further thicken once you add the shredded cheese).
Then stir in some sriracha, black pepper and salt.
Remove the sauce from the heat and gradually whisk in shredded cheddar cheese, not adding more until each batch has been incorporated. That’s it, easy homemade cheese sauce!
Tip: This cheese sauce is quite thick. If you want it thinner, simply whisk in a little more milk.
Do I Have To Make Homemade Cheese Sauce?
Not at all! If you want to use your favourite store-bought cheese sauce, go for it!
Do I Have To Make Homemade Fries?
Homemade baked fries are super simple to prepare, but if you want to save time (or couldn’t be bothered with making homemade), use your favourite frozen fries and cook according to package instructions.
Assembling Cheesy Kimchi Fries
This recipe yields two main servings or four side servings.
Divide the crispy fries between two serving plates (and, if you’re like me, snack on a couple of fries before they even land on the plate). A generous serving of kimchi (drain a little first) would go on top of the fries, then lots of thinly sliced green onion, a sprinkling of sesame seeds, cheese sauce, and drizzle of hot sauce for good measure.
Speaking of cheese sauce, I just drizzled a portion over top of the kimchi fries, then served the rest alongside for dipping. Obviously, the longer the fries sit, they won’t be as crispy. Still delicious? Oh yeah!
Don’t have fries or prefer to use potato wedges? Go for it! My homemade potato wedge recipe would work great here. If using those, you can omit the Parmesan in the wedge recipe, if you like.
What Type of Kimchi Should I Use?
Use one that you enjoy best, really!
Just keep in mind that brands of kimchi can vary in spice level. I enjoy a version that’s on the spicier side of things, but you can totally pick one that best suits your taste buds.
The variety of kimchi that I use is chopped well, which makes it great for topping fries. If the variety that you use is in larger chunks, be sure to chop it a little before using so that you get nice bite-sized pieces on top of the fries.
More Easy Spicy Recipes
If you make this kimchi fry recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Cheesy Kimchi Fries
Ingredients
Homemade Baked Fries
- 2.5 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Homemade Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk, or more if you want a thinner sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons sriracha
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (a combination of white and orange cheddar is great), about 1 cup
Other Fry Toppings/Garnish
- ½ cup kimchi, chopped, if necessary, into bite-sized pieces and drained a little of any excess moisture
- ⅓ cup green onion, sliced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- sriracha, to taste
Instructions
Homemade Baked Fries
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a large sheet pan with ½ tablespoon of avocado oil and set aside.
- Clean, peel (if desired) and cut potatoes into fries. To make fries, for each potato, slice a little off one side. Now, turn the potato over so it lays on the flat end (makes things easier to cut). Slice the potato lengthwise (I like anywhere from a ¼-inch to a ½-inch thick). Then, cut those slices into fries. Place fries into a bowl of fresh water as you are cutting them so they don't brown.Note: Fries were a little less than a ½-inch in width. You can cut smaller or larger, should you wish. Your cook time may vary slightly.
- Place potatoes into a clean tea towel and pat dry of excess moisture. This is important because it will help the fries crisp up nicely.
- In a dry bowl, toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
- Place the potatoes onto the prepared sheet pan and spread them out in a single layer. Bake the fries for 15 minutes, then remove the sheet pan from the oven and flip the fries with a spatula (again, try to ensure that the fries are in a nice, even layer so they bake up nicely). Place the sheet pan back in the oven and continue to bake the fries for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the outside of the fries is golden brown and crispy to your liking.
Homemade Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Once butter has melted, whisk in flour to form and paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in milk, ¼ cup at first. Initially it will be very thick. Whisk in remaining milk, ¼ cup at a time, stirring for about 30 seconds to 1 minute after each addition. Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Once you've reached that consistency, stir in sriracha hot sauce, black pepper and salt.
- Turn off heat and whisk in shredded cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup at a time, not adding more until each batch has incorporated into the sauce and everything is combined and smooth. The sauce is quite thick (and will further thicken as it cools). If you want a thinner sauce, feel free to whisk in a little more milk.
Assemble Kimchi Fries
- Transfer baked fries to one large serving platter or divide between two serving plates.
- Top fries with kimchi, some of the cheese sauce (reserve some for serving alongside for dunking the fries), green onion, sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha hot sauce. Serve and enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer says
These look so irresistible! I’ve always got a huge jar of kimchi but have not thought to use it on fries! It would be so good with some SPAM sprinkled in too!
Ramya says
will be making this soon can i use almond milk vegan butter and cheese as am a vegan i love cheesy fries soooooooooo much but i never had cheesy kimchi fries before perfect for my after office meals will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Hi Ramya! I haven’t tried this particular recipe with almond milk, vegan butter and vegan cheese, so I can’t say for certain, but I imagine it would work. Let me know if you give that a try! Love to know how it turns out for you. Hope you enjoy! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Valentina says
Dawn, I think these are the most flavor-packed fries I’ve even seen. I’m a huge fan of kimchi and I LOVE how it’s used here. There is no doubt that this will be made very soon in my house. And devoured! 🙂 ~Valentina
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
My daughter just dropped off some of her homemade Kimchi, so I am all set to make these fries! This looks seriously delicious 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I could eat a batch of those fries all by themself! However, I’ll have to restrain myself so I can get the cheese sauce and kimchi on top before I eat them all. This looks delicious!
David @ Spiced says
Oh, this sounds incredible, Dawn! I must admit that I haven’t played around much with kimchi…but if there’s a way to include it in cheesy fries, then count me in! This sounds like the perfect kind of weekend meal for curling up on the couch and watching tv. 🙂 Mmmm…cheese sauce…
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
This is such a clever idea, Dawn. I love kimchi, and I love fries…why not put them together and smother them in cheese!? Genius! I also eat kimchi (and sauerkraut) right out of the jar haha!