Much as we enjoy kimchi, it’s easy to get stuck on how we eat it, usually as a side dish, pancake, or in fried rice. 

Creating dishes for Starter Sisters, we kept in mind that creamy food is the perfect counterpoint to kimchi’s sharp, tangy flavor and crunchy texture. Think of the popular (non-vegan) pairing, fried egg and kimchi. 

This led us to make our vegan kimchi mac and cheese and this variation on avocado toast, which is so good to have over breakfast and so easy to make. While we used bagel for this kimchi avocado toast, feel free to use sandwich loaf or pandesal if that is what you have in your pantry. 

We decided to add an extra creamy element to the kimchi avocado bagel by making our own vegan cream cheese, but again you’re free to leave it out–it’s still delicious with ripe avocado. You can also use store-bought vegan cream cheese, or even just a schmear of plant-based butter. 

Ingredients

• 1 bagel
• 1/4 cup kimchi, drained
• 1 ripe avocado
• cream cheese
• sesame seeds

For the cashew cream cheese

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Slice the bagel in half and toast it in a toaster or oven.

2. While waiting, chop your drained kimchi. (Use a chopping board that you’re not precious about because the kimchi will stain it.)  

3. Slice your avocado in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Mash the avocado flesh in a bowl using a fork.

4. When your bagel is ready, assemble your kimchi toast by schmearing it with the cashew cream cheese, followed by a layer of mashed avocado. 

5. Add the chopped kimchi and garnish with sesame seeds. 

6. To make the cashew cream cheese: drain and rinse the cashews then tip into a high-speed blender with the water, onion powder, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, this may take a while–just be patient. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the blender and continue to blend until smooth. Do not be tempted to add more water.

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