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Kimchi-Cheddar Breakfast Waffles with Fried Eggs

A hot waffle iron turns well-drained kimchi and sharp cheddar into crisp savory waffles for brunch.

Golden kimchi-cheddar waffles are topped with fried eggs and sliced scallions on brunch plates.

These waffles pair tangy kimchi with sharp cheddar for a crisp, savory breakfast. Drain the kimchi well and fully heat the waffle iron so the batter cooks evenly; top each waffle with a soft-yolk egg just before serving.

Manage the kimchi moisture

Kimchi carries brine into the batter, so drain it well before chopping and folding it in. The batter should be thick enough to hold the cabbage and cheese evenly, with no liquid collecting at the bottom of the bowl.

Fold gently for a tender center

Whisking the leaveners through the flour first helps the waffles rise evenly. When the wet ingredients meet the dry, mix only until nearly combined, then gently fold in the kimchi, cheddar, and scallions. A few small flour streaks are fine; overmixing can make the waffles dense.

A spoonful of kimchi, cheddar, and scallion batter is added to a hot waffle iron. — The thick batter carries drained kimchi, cheddar, and scallions before it reaches the hot iron.

Read the waffle iron

Watch the steam from the waffle iron: as it subsides, the inside has had time to set and the exterior can finish browning. Let each waffle release on its own; lifting it too early can tear the center or leave melted cheese on the plates.

Keep the first batch crisp

Set a wire rack over a baking sheet on a lower oven rack at 200 F. The open rack lets steam escape as the waffles stay warm; keep them in a single layer and uncovered while the rest cook.

A soft yolk and crisp cheese-flecked waffle ridges show the finished texture. — A soft-yolk fried egg rests on a deeply golden waffle flecked with kimchi and cheddar.

Finish with a light hand

Fry the eggs while the last waffle cooks so both are warm at serving. A small drizzle of toasted sesame oil adds aroma; use just enough to let the kimchi's tang and the cheddar's browned edges come through.

Kimchi-Cheddar Breakfast Waffles with Fried Eggs

4 servings

40 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup napa kimchi, well drained and finely chopped
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 large eggs for frying
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Method

Heat the waffle iron
Heat a standard waffle iron to medium-high. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet on a lower oven rack and heat the oven to 200 F to keep finished waffles crisp.
Look for: The waffle iron is hot, and the 200 F oven can hold waffles without browning them further.
Combine the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl until the leaveners are evenly dispersed.
Look for: No pockets of baking soda or cornstarch remain in the flour mixture.
Whisk the wet ingredients
In a second bowl, whisk 2 eggs with the buttermilk and cooled melted butter until smooth, with no streaks of egg white.
Look for: The butter is incorporated and the mixture is fluid and uniform.
Fold the waffle batter
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold just until a few small flour streaks remain; fold in the drained chopped kimchi, cheddar, and scallions without overmixing.
Look for: The thick batter holds the kimchi and cheese evenly, with no pool of kimchi liquid at the bottom.
Cook the waffles
Brush the waffle plates lightly with neutral oil, add enough batter to cover the lower grid without overflowing, and cook each waffle until steam slows and the ridges are deep golden; transfer it to the rack in the oven.
Look for: The waffle releases without tearing and the cheddar has set into crisp golden flecks at the edges.
Fry the eggs
When the last waffle is cooking, heat the remaining neutral oil in a skillet over medium, crack in the 4 frying eggs, and cook until the whites are set and the yolks remain soft.
Look for: The egg whites turn opaque all the way to the yolk while the yolks still wobble gently.
Season the eggs
Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon a little hot oil over any translucent white near the yolks so each egg finishes without toughening its center.
Look for: The whites are fully opaque and tender, with no raw clear patches.
Top and serve
Place a fried egg on each warm waffle and drizzle the plates lightly with toasted sesame oil; serve immediately while the waffle ridges are crisp.
Look for: The toasted sesame aroma is present but does not mask the kimchi's tang or the cheddar.