Jan 18, 2023

Kimchi Cream Cheese Bagel

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Easily dress up plain cream cheese with this flavorful recipe.
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This bagel, topped with kimchi cream cheese and sautéed spinach, makes for a great quick and easy Korean-inspired breakfast. Finely chopped kimchi, green onions and just a touch of soy sauce add so much flavor to your average cream cheese. 

Kimchi Cream Cheese Bagel 

Key Ingredients in This Recipe 

  • Bagel – I love “everything” bagels covered in a combination of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and salt. 
  • Cream cheese – I always recommend using regular cream cheese rather than non-fat varieties. Allowing the cream cheese to soften at room temperature makes it much easier to combine with the other ingredients. 
  • Kimchi – To make kimchi, Napa cabbage is first soaked in a salty brine to kill any bacteria. It’s then rubbed with spices (typically gocharu, Korean red pepper flakes) and fermented until it becomes the pungent, tangy Korean favorite that’s good on everything from noodles to dumplings. It adds a great tangy contrasting flavor to the cream cheese. 
  • Spinach – Sautéed spinach is used in many Korean recipes, and I use it to add some greens to this bagel. 

How to Make Kimchi Cream Cheese Bagels

Step 1: Sauté spinach. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add spinach and cook until reduced in size. Season to taste with salt.

Step 2: Mix cream cheese

Add the cream cheese, kimchi, half the green onions and soy sauce to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Step 3: Toast bagels. 

Toast bagel until golden brown and spread with butter (if using). 

Step 4: Assemble and serve.  

Spread the kimchi cream cheese over the toasted bagel halves, top with the sautéed spinach, remaining green onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe 

Swaps and substitutions 
  • Other types of bagels like plain, sesame or poppy seed all work well with this recipe. 
  • Swap a bagel with thick-cut, country toast in this recipe.
  • The spinach can be omitted for a paired down version.
  • Try adding a fried egg and serve closed rather than open-face as a bagel sandwich. 
How to Store Kimchi Cream Cheese

You can make the cream cheese up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use. 

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this kimchi cream cheese bagel recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram for more updates: 

Kimchi Cream Cheese Bagel

This bagel, topped with kimchi cream cheese and sautéed spinach, makes for a great quick and easy Korean-inspired breakfast. Finely chopped kimchi, green onions and just a touch of soy sauce add so much flavor to your average cream cheese.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • cups baby spinach
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup kimchi, finely chopped, divided
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 sesame bagel, halved lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions:

  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add spinach and cook until reduced in size. Season to taste with salt.
  • Add the cream cheese, kimchi, half the green onions and soy sauce to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  • Toast bagels until golden brown and spread with butter (if using).
  • Spread the kimchi cream cheese over the toasted bagel halves, top with the sautéed spinach, remaining green onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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  1. 5 stars
    I’ve been looking for different savory breakfast options and came across this one! I just started eating more fermented foods for the health benefits and have to say this recipe was awesome and so different from the usual breakfast recipes you see. I served mine with a poached egg 🥚 Will definitely make again and excited to try more of your recipes! Thank you