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Meg is Well

Main Dishes

Kimchi Pizza

May 23, 2016

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

I’m not simply putting kimchi on top of a pizza and calling it a Kimchi Pizza in this recipe. Nope. I love that, but I want more. I’m talking the works. The pizza sauce has kimchi incorporated into it AND I use kimchi as a topping. I have so much love for this Kimchi Pizza but I have to admit the sauce is the star. It’s amazing and so versatile (I’m turning it into a Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce next week-just to let you know).

JUMP TO RECIPE

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

Kimchi Pizza

Kimchi was on my mind one day (I had just finished making a batch) when I clicked on a link I saw on Twitter from Food and Wine about how to make a kimchi marinara sauce. That led me to wonder what the difference is between marinara sauce and pizza sauce, which led me to this Serious Eats article and recipe by Kenji López-Alt on New York style pizza sauce. Which led me to (finally) make a pizza sauce I love by combining the techniques from both recipes.

The kimchi results in a really layered and smoky flavor that reminds me of fire-roasted tomatoes. I made two different pizzas with it. The first is what I had planned for the blog. I wanted to use burrata cheese, kimchi, some kimchi pickled asparagus (asparagus pickled in a kimchi seasoned cucumber brine), fresh asparagus, and sliced radishes. It’s the one I photographed. And it was delicious. The pizza sauce adds some savory and spicy heat while the veggies provide a light freshness.

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

The second pizza I didn’t take pictures of because I didn’t think it was going to taste that good. I rolled out the crust thinner then I normally do and I thought the pepperoni would compete too much with the sauce. I used burrata cheese again but also shredded some sharp cheddar cheese on top of everything. I wanted to be good and like the veggie one better but I kept going back for the pepperoni. The extra thin crust, the pepperoni grease, and extra cheddar cheese addition really brought all the flavors together and the sauce…the sauce tasted even better. I felt like I had just bought a slice at a pizzeria at 2 o’clock in the morning after bar hopping. Which is the best feeling.

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

So experiment with the toppings: do your own thing. Pizza is great for using your leftover veggies (or even fruit) that are about to go bad. Sometimes the combos you don’t think are going to work end up being your new favorites.

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

Other Things

I’m still in the hospital and the only tube they’ve gotten rid of is the oxygen. Here’s a breakdown of the events so far:

  • Thursday I spent the day chugging the colyte prep until 11:30 pm and then I chugged 48 ounces of water. I waited until 12 am to take a shower and then set an alarm for an hour later to wipe myself down with special pre-surgery wipes (they left me feeling very sticky).
  • I didn’t get much sleep after that because the colyte prep finally kicked in.
  • My mom and dad drove me to Walnut Creek at 4:30 am on Friday, while I sat concentrating really hard on not having to go to the bathroom.
  • I got checked into what they called the Recovery Room, where they prepared me for surgery and I got to meet everyone who was going to be in the operating room working on me. This is where it started to get hectic. There were 19 surgeries scheduled for that day. It was very high energy and as I was rolled into my operating room I could definitely see how surgeons are sometimes considered the rock stars of the medical world. That’s about all I remember.
  • The first incision was at 9:00 am and the surgery lasted until 2:00 pm. I didn’t wake up until 3:30 pm which is when I found out they had to give me a stoma. My surgeon didn’t want to risk doing the whole surgery at once with the amount of prednisone I was on. This means that in 2 to 4 months I will be undergoing another, shorter, surgery to reattach everything together.
  • I’m in a lot of pain. There’s no way around it. Monday was the first day where I was able to sit up and type but I barely got anything done before I started to get tired again. Later things slid more downhill. They decided to try to take the catheter out but I couldn’t go pee. Only blood was coming out. My bladder got really big and it set off all my other surgery aches and pains. My nurse put the catheter back in pronto and I spent the rest of the day in agony. I finally gave in and took some narcotics to help with the pain. I also had to get a new IV put in because my hand had started to swell up.
  • #1 Lesson Learned: I highly underestimated how hard recovery was going to be.

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com
5 from 2 votes
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Kimchi Pizza

Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes.
Course Main Dishes
Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 2 (10-inch) pizzas
Author Megan Wells

Ingredients

Kimchi Pizza Sauce

  • 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 cup diced napa cabbage kimchi
  • pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and sliced half
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Kimchi Pizza

  • Favorite pizza crust
  • Burrata cheese
  • Napa cabbage kimchi
  • Chopped asparagus or chopped pickled asparagus kimchi
  • Sliced cherry radishes

Instructions

Kimchi Pizza Sauce

  1. In a medium saucepan, add the olive oil and butter and heat on medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic, kimchi, and pinch of salt and cook until soft and golden (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add tomatoes and sugar and stir. Blend with an immersion blender until the sauce is still slightly chunky but the whole tomatoes are mostly broken up. Add the onion halves and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour.
  3. Discard onion halves. Puree the rest together using an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached (or transfer everything to a food processor or blender to puree). Season with 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste).

Kimchi Pizza

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Whatever pizza crust you are using, use your fingers to press little dimples all throughout the rolled out crust. Use a pastry brush to brush olive oil across the surface. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
  3. Spread a 1/2 to 1 cup of the Kimchi Pizza Sauce on the crust (just enough to create a thin layer across the crust-you don't want it too heavy). How much you use will depend on how big your pizza crust is too.
  4. Place the burrata on top of the pizza sauce. I split the balls apart with my hands and dotted them across the pizza. The burrata I bought came with 8 balls so I used 4 for each pizza.
  5. Top with some napa cabbage kimchi, pickled or fresh asparagus, and sliced radishes.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is starting to bubble and get golden spots.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is adapted from Kay Chun's "Kimchi Marinara Sauce"from Food and Wine and J. Kenji López-Alt's "New York Style Pizza Sauce"from Serious Eats.

You can make the Kimchi Pizza Sauce on a different day to cut down the time you spend in the kitchen. It makes about 3.5 to 4 cups.

If you don't have an immersion blender then puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender before you add them to the saucepan with the kimchi.

Use whatever toppings you want or what you have in your fridge that is about to go bad.

I also made another pizza with burrata, pepperoni, and some shredded sharp cheddar cheese that was really really good (it was actually my favorite) if you want to try a meaty version.

I used cubed radish kimchi and regular napa cabbage kimchi but I actually ended up picking the cubed radish kimchi off. The flavor overpowered everything else.

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Kimchi isn’t only used as a topping in this Kimchi Pizza, which has a smoky and deeply layered kimchi pizza sauce that is topped with burrata cheese, kimchi, asparagus, and freshly sliced radishes | www.megiswell.com

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  1. Stephanie McKinnie says

    June 7, 2016 at 11:25 am

    Ok, I’m hungry now! This pizza looks so good!!!

    Reply
  2. Demeter | Beaming Baker says

    June 6, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    Megan, I’m so glad that you’re back. I’m so sorry that recovery is going so rough… I’ve been thinking about you and sending good vibes all week. Hopefully the pain will ease soon. Just know that we’re all here for you to lean on. <3 In the meantime, I seriously can't believe that you're still posting! Especially such incredible creations like this kimchi pizza. Why am I not surprised that you incorporated this deliciousness so thoroughly throughout this recipe? Of course you wouldn't just top the pizza with kimchi! 😉 Hoping you have a fast recovery. Keep us posted! xo

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 7, 2016 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks Demeter for all the good vibes! I did have to take a little break but now I’m back-the healing process has gotten a lot easier (must be all the positive well wishes from everyone ❤️).

      Reply
  3. Pang says

    May 29, 2016 at 8:37 am

    Sending you huge hugs to your hospital bed, Megan. I promise I won’t squeeze. I’m glad everything went well, and I hope all the pain you have will be gone soon. I hope a speedy recovery for you. xoxo

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 6, 2016 at 1:31 pm

      Thank you for the hugs Pang!

      Reply
  4. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says

    May 29, 2016 at 8:23 am

    Im glad your surgery is over (for now). Keep resting and healing up! Also this looks amazing- kimchi all the things! (I didn’t know the difference in those two sauces either- I need to read those articles!)

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 6, 2016 at 1:36 pm

      I’m glad it’s over too and thank you!

      Reply
  5. Helen@cuisinestudy says

    May 25, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    I never would have thought to put kimchi on pizza, but I’m intrigued! But Mmm that pizza looks amazing! Such awesome flavors going on, definitely gotta try it!!

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 6, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      Thanks Helen, I’m glad it intrigues you (kimchi is a pretty intriguing ingredient)!

      Reply
  6. Meghan | Fox and Briar says

    May 24, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    Hey girl! I’m glad that the surgery went well, although I’m sorry to hear you are in so much pain. Wishing you a speedy recovery and don’t feel bad about using some pain medicine if you need it. Ans I am super impressed that you got a blog post up despite everything that you are going through! This pizza looks amazing. Love that creative use of kimchi!

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 6, 2016 at 1:29 pm

      Thanks for the well wishes Meghan! I’m glad I managed to get this post out!

      Reply
  7. Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says

    May 24, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    Oh Meg I can’t imagine what you are going through at the moment! I guess at least the hardest few days post-op are over now – hopefully it is just onwards and upwards, and the second surgery won’t be as difficult. Hope you are feeling better and all the best for your recovery.

    On another note, this pizza look amazing! I love that you used kimchi and cabbage for a Korean twist. I still haven’t made kimchi before but you are making me feel like I have to give it a go!

    Reply
    • Megan Wells says

      June 6, 2016 at 1:19 pm

      Thank you so much Claudia! I finally feel like I’m on the mend. Give kimchi a go! It’s so much fun to make.

      Reply

Hello!

I’m Megan Wells. Food, photography, and writing is how I deal with life’s struggles (aka ulcerative colitis). But chocolate always helps too! Read more…

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What are you drinking tonight and tomorrow?

Ingredients

heavy cream, to top	
7 to 10 drops of peppermint extract (optional)	
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar
10 mint leaves	
2.5 ounces very hot brewed coffee	
1.5-ounces whiskey 
Instructions

Put the heavy cream into a glass or stainless steel bowl, add the peppermint extract, and whip it using a handheld mixer with the whisk attachment until it has thickened but is still pourable. If you happen to whip it too much (me!), just stir in some fresh cream until it’s pourable again. Set aside. 
Zap your glass in the microwave until it’s hot to the touch. This helps keep your drink warm because both the whiskey and cream are cold. 
Place the sugar in the glass. Toss the mint leaves in and muddle the mint into the sugar until the aromas have released and the leaves look bruised and wet. 
Pour the hot coffee in and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 
Add the whiskey and stir. 
Slowly pour the whipped heavy cream over the back of a spoon, holding it so it's right above the coffee. The goal is to float the cream on top of the coffee. Serve.
  • How many of you could use one good day, where you catch up on everything and get a little ahead in life🙋‍♀️?⠀
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6 days have gone by again since the last post 😩. I meant to follow up on my Instagram stories where I told everyone about my Monthy Health Reflections I've been doing on my blog. ⠀
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Thank you so much to everyone who responded to them so warmly. It really gave me all the feels ❤️⠀
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February was a hard month for me. It’s so short and all those shiny new 2018 goals suddenly seem unreachable. 
And those feelings are trying their best to sneak into March. Work, a stomach bug this weekend, a loud barking dog keeping me up at night, daylight savings time....it's all made it even harder to play catch-up. ⠀
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I was grateful to be alive, to be out of the hospital, to be able to spend the day in San Francisco walking my feet off and getting completely roasted at a piano bar. Because honestly, there were a couple of precarious moments in 2016 where I questioned whether I was going to be able to make it to my 30th birthday.⠀
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Flip through the images to read my thoughts on the privilege of scars and wrinkles or search "2018 February reflections meg is well" to read the full post on my blog. I've also left the link in my profile @megiswell. ⠀
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The dipping sauce is a typical Vietnamese mix of fish sauce, coconut sugar, vinegar, crushed garlic, and Thai red chilies. The recipe link is in my profile @megiswell if you want to put some spring in your step 😉⠀
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In other news, I also finally got my February Health Update published on my blog. Check out my stories to see what that's all about and help me decide how to best share that content here ❤️⠀
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#thatspringfeeling #springrolls #easymeals #vietnamesespringrolls #mushroomlove #feedfeed @thefeedfeed #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #thekitchn #cookCL #f52grams #eattheworld #huffposttaste #foodwinewomen #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodstyling #foodphotography #bhgfood #saveurmag #marthafood #mycommontable #onmytable #bareaders #theartofslowliving #realsimple #mywilliamssonoma #megiswell ⠀
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These Stir-Fried Mushrooms with Garlic and Ginger are in the spring rolls AND on top of the congee a couple of posts ago. Because I love them and they're fast.⠀
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2 ounces bourbon⠀
0.5-ounce gum syrup ⠀
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters⠀
2 dashes of Orange Bitters⠀
2-inch strip of orange peel⠀
large ice cube⠀
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Place a large ice cube in a rocks glass.⠀
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Pour the bourbon and simple syrup in and add the dash of bitters. Stir for 15 seconds.⠀
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Add the freshly peeled strip of orange, twisting it above the glass to release its aromatics. Drop it in the glass and stir for 15 seconds. Serve.⠀
⠀
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