This kimchi spaghetti with tomato recipe is a great way to use up sour kimchi. Fresh vine-ripe tomatoes and a little cream makes this Korean-Italian fusion style pasta dish very delicious!

Kimchi Spaghetti with vine ripe tomatoes is garnished with a fresh basil.

A friend of friend of friend of mine has a little farm up in the highland of Malaysia, grow tomatoes and other vegetables. So I got a box because my heart was telling me that I should. I made kimchi tomato spaghetti with the tomatoes and it was so delicious.

They are good, juicy and flavorful. I have been eating tomatoes for breakfasts, for lunches, for snacks, and used them in the recipes for dinners in the past few days. I fed to my husband and my kids, and even take some as a housewarming gift to a friend who invited me for lunch.

And I still see lots of tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter. I think I am so tomato-fied. 

So today, I would like to present the kimchi tomato spaghetti recipe that I enjoyed. Yes, it is a Korean-Italian fusion dish. If you like Korean fusion recipes, this recipe will make your happy.

Fun Fact About Tomato

Farm fresh tomatoes are washed clean.

Did you know that it was only in the late 1800’s that tomatoes were used in food, such as pasta and pizza? Ironically it was about the same time period that chilies were used in kimchi.

As much as the invention of tomato sauce has brought a great sensation in Italian cuisine, chili has changed the way that Korean make their kimchi. Interestingly, both tomatoes and chilies were from South America, the new world.

I have to tell you this.  Tomatoes and kimchi are so good together.  It is hard to describe the combined flavor but I was quite happy about the outcome of this fusion pasta dish. And as you can tell from the tutorial below, it is ridiculously easy and quick to make.

The taste? Even my little not-so-kimchi-loving-son liked it. That means something.

How to make Kimchi Spaghetti with Tomatoes

Sour kimchi and fresh tomato makes a good combination in Korean fusion style dishes.

Here are very fermented kimchi and tomatoes. Let’s start cooking up!

Spaghetti noodles are ready to cook.

First, boil water and dump your spaghetti and cook according to the package direction.

Slice kimchi into strips.

Slice your kimchi. No need to chop.

Prepare onion, tomato, basil, and sliced garlic in a plate.

Slice the tomatoes, onion and garlic, too. You will also need a little bit of fresh basil leaves.

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onion and garlic until onion gets soft and garlic slices turns slightly gold.

Add kimchi to onion garlic mixture in a pan

Dump your kimchi and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add tomato slices to the kimchi mixture in a pan.

Add 2/3 of the tomatoes. Continue to cook one more minute.

Here is a joke. What did macaroni say to tomato? “Don’t get saucy with me!”  Ha ha ha…! I guess I am the only one who is laughing at my own joke.

Add a little bit of cream to make kimchi tomato spaghetti.

Add cream.

Addition of kimchi liquid makes the pasta dish more savory and robust.

And kimchi juice.

Simmer kimchi tomato pasta sauce until thickened.

Simmer until the sauce gets thicken a little. The tomatoes will get very soft. Season with salt, if needed, and pepper.

Add the cooked spaghetti noodles into the kimchi tomato sauce in a pan.

Add the hot spaghetti,

Toss kimchi tomato spaghetti with a kitchen tong until everything is well mixed.

Toss well.

Sprinkle a few torn bail leaves to finish off the Korean fusion style kimchi tomato spaghetti dish.

Add the rest of the tomatoes, basil leaves and toss everything well. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

I can picture some grilled chicken, shrimp, crumbled bacon, or anything you like to be added in this dish. This is the basic fusion and the possibilities are somewhat endless.

Okay, I’m gonna share another joke.

‘Did you know why tomato did go out with prune?’

‘Because he couldn’t find a date.’

You are supposed to laugh at this. But I don’t imagine anyone laughing. As you can tell, I am very bad at telling jokes. Maybe next time, I will come up with some kimchi jokes to see if that works.

Hope some of you can try this fusion dish. You will be surprised.

More Pasta Recipes

Spaghetti is cooked with kimchi, fresh tomato, and a little bit of cream.
kimchi tomato spaghetti

Kimchi Tomato Spaghetti

Servings: 3
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Kimchi tomato spaghetti is a great to use up sour kimchi. Fresh vine ripe tomatoes and a little cream makes this Korean-Italian fusion style pasta dish so creamy and delicious.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 lb vine ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 1/4 cup sour cabbage kimchi, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup kimchi juice
  • salt and pepper
  • a few fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, optional
  • 8 oz spaghetti pasta

Instructions 

  • Cook spaghetti in a boiling water according to your package direction.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until onion is soft and garlic is slightly brown.
  • Add kimchi and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 2/3 of the tomatoes and continue to cook 1 minutes.
  • Pour cream and kimchi juice and stir. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce to thicken a little bit. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
  • Drain the spaghetti from the water and add to the sauce in the skillet. Add the remained tomatoes and toss all together. Sprinkle basil leaves and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: grilled chicken, shrimp, or crumbled bacon would be nice addition.

    Cuisine: Korean Fusion
    Course: Noodles
    Author: Holly Ford
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @beyondkimchee on Instagram. I love to see your masterpiece.