April 5, 2026
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Posted in: bread, Japanese, korean, tiktok, viral
Crispy, soft, pillowy, and bursting with butter, these Korean salt bread rolls are the best rolls you’ll ever make.
Do you ever just want a small amount of bread and are too lazy to go to the bakery to get it? Do you want to try making bread for the first time? If so, salt bread is for you.
I’m obsessed with salt bread. When I see it, I want it. Salt bread that’s just out of the oven is amazing and if you’ve ever wandered past a salt bread bakery and seen a line up of eager bread lovers, I hope you joined it. You’ll never forget your first salt bread. The crispy crust, the soft and tender insides, the little melted pool of butter waiting for you like a secret. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but it really is just that good.
The trend is real
Salt bread is one of those things where once you’ve had one roll, you immediately want another. Coming out of Korea, via Japan, salt bread, or sogeum-ppang, is a super popular bakery bread roll that showcases the simple flavors of butter and salt.
What is salt bread?
The name is deceptively simple and descriptive. Salt bread is literally bread. With salt. Don’t discount its deliciousness though. The addictiveness of salt bread lies in the textural contrast: crunchy, crispy butter-fried bottoms with soft, light, pillowy tops. The centers tend to be hollow with a surprise pool of butter waiting for you. Essentially, salt bread is a crescent roll, if crescent rolls were actually good. The basic recipe for salt bread is a milk bread dough, cut into individual portions, rolled up around a frozen baton of butter. When the bread bakes, the butter melts and pools, creating a pool of butter for the bottom of bun.
Where is salt bread from?
The consensus on the origin of salt bread is that it’s a Korean take on the underrated Japanese shio-pan: a salty, buttery bun. Most people now tend to think of salt bread as an “Asian” bread, one that you can find at Asian bakeries like 85°C or dedicated salt bread bakeries. Thanks to the internet, even a humble bun can be viral and that’s where we are now, with people lining up in timed intervals for freshly baked salt bread in Seoul.
How to make salt bread
Now that you’re convinced, let’s make salt bread! If you’ve made bread before, you’ll find this relatively easy. You start out with a regular milk bread dough, then divide it and shape each piece into an extra-long tapered triangle. The essential step is adding a small rectangle of butter on the wide end of the dough and roll it up like a croissant. As the bread bakes, the butter melts slowly while the crust firms up, becoming thin and crisp.
Salt bread ingredients
- flour - bread flour is your friend and if you’re going to endeavor to make salt bread, do yourself a favor and get the bread flour. The difference between all-purpose and bread flour lies in the protein percentage. Bread flour has higher protein which allows it to develop more gluten, leading to a better network of elasticity. More gluten equals more chew and rise, which is what we want in bread.
- water and milk - all bread needs liquid and here we’re going for a mix of water and milk. You can go with all water if you don’t have milk, but the milk adds a nice delicate milky fragrance. If you love shokupan or other Asian breads, it’s probably because it’s milk bread.
- egg - the egg in the dough makes this an enriched dough, giving the salt bread more flavor as well as helping it bake up golden brown.
- yeast - all bread needs yeast! No special yeast needed here, just go for instant. If you have active dry, that’s okay too, it just might take longer for your bread to rise. We’re using instant yeast because its smaller granules means we don’t need to activate it in liquid and can just add it directly to the flour mix.
- sugar - a bit of sugar adds sweetness and helps with browning.
- butter - it wouldn’t be salt bread without butter. We’re doing two additions of butter, once in the dough so it stays soft and rich, and once when we shape the salt bread so we get that hollow centre. You’ll need softened butter and a straight from the fridge butter block. For the encased butter in the salt bread, you need to cut the butter into little rectangular batons about 3 inches by 1/2 inch and freeze them.
- salt - duh! Regular fine sea salt in the dough and a sprinkle of flaky salt on top to finish.
Step by step salt bread
Most bread recipes have you mix together all the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet ones, but after a bunch of experimenting, I’ve found that adding all the liquid ingredients to the bottom of your bowl, then putting the dry ingredients on top makes for a more even mix, especially when you’re using a stand mixer. By layering the dry ingredients on the wet, you don’t have to scrape the bowl down as much and you don’t end up with any dry bits at the bottom of the bowl. It’s my all time favorite trick for bread making! Here is the step by step:
1. Add
To the bowl of your stand mixer, add in this order: water, milk, egg, yeast, sugar, butter, flour, and salt.
2. Knead
Mix on low for 5 minutes with the dough hook, then turn up to medium and knead for 15 minutes minimum. You want to knead until you reach the windowpane stage: take a bit of dough in your hand and stretch it out, if you can stretch it out thin without it breaking, you’re good to go.
3. Proof
Gather all the dough into a ball and let it take a nap and puff up.
4. Cut
While the dough is sleeping, take a block of cold butter and cut it into little rectangles about 3 inches in length by 1/2 inch in height and width. Place the rectangles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pop them into the freezer to firm up.
5. Shape and proof again
When the dough has tripled, punch it down and divide it into 9 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 6 inch long teardrop/tadpole shape then cover and let rise for another 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, take a portion of dough and on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll it out: you want a super long triangle that’s about 3 inches at the base and 1.5 feet in length. Take a rectangle of frozen butter and place it at the base. Tuck in the sides and then roll the butter up from the base to the tip. Place the shaped salt bread on a lined baking sheet, cover and shape the rest of the buns. Cover the salt breads and let them rise again until doubled, about 90 minutes.
6. Bake
When the buns are puffy and tall, use a spray bottle to spray them with water then sprinkle on some salt. Bake until golden and delicious then remove from the oven. Once you take them out, use a pastry brush and some of the butter that’s pooled on the tray to brush the tops to make them nice and shiny. Cool slightly on a wire rack and enjoy!
Other breads you can make if you loved this
That’s it!
Whew, I admit, this was a journey, what with three proofs and all, but it’s really worth it, I promise! Just take a day or afternoon to yourself, turn on some binge worthy show in the background and make some bread. It’s so wholesome and homey. I hope salt bread makes it to your table this holiday season. It truly is the BEST bread roll you can make and would be such an elite move as your bread course at any dinner. Happy baking!
-xoxo steph
Salt Bread
Crispy, soft, pillowy, and bursting with butter, these are the best rolls you’ll ever make!
- 80 g water (warm)
- 40 g milk (warm)
- 57 g egg (lightly whisked (1 egg is about 57g))
- 6 g instant yeast
- 24 g sugar
- 20 g butter (room temp)
- 270 g bread flour (see notes)
- 5 g salt
- 1/2 cup butter (to fill)
- flaky sea salt (as desired, to finish)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the following order: water, milk, egg, yeast, sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Mix on low speed with the dough hook for 5 minutes until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Continue to knead on medium for 15 more minutes. Do the windowpane test: take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and stretch it out between your fingers and thumbs. If you can stretch it without the dough breaking, you’re good to go. The dough will be very soft and tacky - try to resist adding flour.
With floured hands, shape into a ball and transfer to a clean lightly floured bowl, cover and let proof until about tripled in size, about 1 hour.
While the dough is rising, cut the butter into batons, about 1.5 inches long and 1/2 inch tall and wide. Place the butter batons on parchment and place in the freezer until ready to use.
When the dough is ready, punch down the dough and divide evenly into 9 portions. Working with one portion at a time, shape each piece into a 6 inch log. Taper one side of the log by using the palm of your hand and slight pressure to make a tadpole shape. After shaping, cover the pieces with a clean kitchen cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
Use a rolling pin to roll out each portion of dough into a long acute isosceles triangle, about 2 inches in width at the base and about 16 inches in length. Place the frozen butter on the wider end and roll it up, pinching the sides of the dough and encasing the butter entirely. Continue to roll up to the tip of the dough. Place the shaped salt breads on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, with the sharp point of the bun seam side down. Leave at least 3 inches between each bun. Cover and proof until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375°F, on convection mode. When ready, use a kitchen spray bottle to evenly spray the surfaces of the buns. Sprinkle on a generous amount of flaky sea salt and bake for 15 minutes, or until baked through and golden brown — the bread should come to an internal temp of 189°F if you have an instant read thermometer.
When the buns are ready, remove from the oven and immediately use the butter pooled on the tray to brush the tops of the rolls. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool slightly, then enjoy!
Notes: I make my own bread flour at home with all purpose flour and vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is the protein found in wheat and what changes the protein percentage of your flour. If you want to use all purpose flour and add vital wheat gluten to up the protein content for this specific recipe, you’ll need to add 2.67 grams of vital wheat gluten to the all purpose flour. No need to change the flour measurement.
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April 4, 2026
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Posted in: mac and cheese, tiktok, viral
Tini’s viral mac and cheese is an absolute dream and so rich and delicious.
Three kinds of cheese and corkscrew pasta are a match made in heaven. If you’re a mac and cheese lover, this is the recipe you need to try. It's the creamiest, richest, most over the top mac and cheese you may ever make.
What is Tini’s mac and cheese?
Tini’s mac and cheese is a viral
Tiktok with over 60 million views and counting. It’s
viral in the way people wish their videos could go viral. Everybody and their aunt made her mac and cheese for Thanksgiving, so if you want to give it a try, I’ve detailed it for you below. It’s probably the best thing you can bring to Easter or a potluck or a cookout or a summer BBQ, for real, for real.
How to make Tini’s mac and cheese
- Cook the pasta: in a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta over high heat according to the package directions then drain well.
- Make a roux: melt 3 tablespoons of butter in large non stick pan. When it’s melted, add half of the seasoning and stir it around to release the aromatics. Stir in 3 tbsp flour and stir and cook until everything starts bubbling and the raw flour cooks.
- Add the evaporated milk: slowly stream in one can of evaporated milk and whisk immediately. It should start to thicken slightly.
- Add the heavy cream: stir in the heavy cream, whisking it in completely. Whisk in the remaining seasoning and 1 tbsp of Dijon. Let the sauce thicken slightly, whisking occasionally.
- Add the cheese: Add in 1/2 of the cheese, by the handful, whisking in and letting each handful melt before adding more cheese.
- Stir in the pasta: Stir in your cooked pasta making sure all the sauce coats every single noodle.
- Layer the mac and cheese: in an oven safe casserole dish, layer the pasta. Add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the pan, spreading it out evenly. Then add 1/2 of your remaining shredded cheese. Add the rest of the mac and cheese and finish the top with the last of the shredded cheese.
- Bake: Pop the casserole into a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25-30 minute or until the top melts and it’s golden and bubbly.
- Broil: Finish it off by broiling for 2 minutes so the mac and cheese gets a nice little crust.
- Enjoy! Add some sliced chives if you want (Tini does!), then scoop and enjoy!
Tini’s viral mac and cheese ingredients
- pasta - Tini uses corkscrews aka cavatappi (pictured above) aka the best pasta for mac and cheese because the sauce goes into the center of the tube and when you bite into it, you’re biting into pockets of cheesy creaminess. You can find corkscrews at most grocery stores or online.
- cheese - there are three kinds of cheese in Tini’s mac and cheese: mozzarella, colby jack, and sharp cheddar. Buy blocks of cheese and grate them yourself. After your shred all your cheese, mix them up and divide them into 2 equal portions.
- butter - you need butter to make a roux or white sauce, go for unsalted.
- flour - flour is the other ingredient in roux. The regular all purpose flour in your pantry is perfect.
- evaporated milk - one can of evaporated milk makes everything super creamy.
- heavy cream - using heavy cream instead of milk makes this mac and cheese even creamier and richer.
- seasonings - salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika. The garlic powder adds garlickiness and the smoked paprika adds a hint of smokiness in the background. Mix up all the seasonings together in a small bowl so it’s easy to add to the pan.
- Dijon mustard - most people don’t know this but almost all mac and cheese recipes contain some kind of mustard. Tini opts for Dijon, which cuts through the richness of the cheese and adds balance to the entire dish.
Who is Tini?
Tini is a cook (she was also on Next Level Chef with Gordon Ramsey) with a popular Tiktok account with over 5.5 million followers.
Mac and cheese tips and tricks
Shred your own cheese - Pre-shredded cheese usually has cellulose in it to make sure the shreds don’t clump and the cellulose makes your mac and cheese grainy.
Layer - Just like lasagna, layering mac and cheese is a pro move. You get pockets of melty cheese and a crispy cheese top.
Season - Don’t skip the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and mustard! They really add that extra bit of oomph and flavor that takes this mac and cheese over the top. Trust me, you don’t really taste any of the seasonings in particular, instead they just meld together into a really nice flavor note that makes you want to eat more and more.
Make ahead mac and cheese
You can make this entire recipe ahead of time up until the point where you bake it. Cover it tightly and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking. To bake it, cover it with foil and bake it for 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake until the mac and cheese is heats through. Finish by broiling.
Do you need to use corkscrews?
I've made this many times now and corkscrews are good but so are traditional macs,
mini penne, and rotini. Really any pasta shape you love will be just as good because this mac and cheese is so decadent it won't matter, the pasta is just the vehicle to transport the gooey cheesy deliciousness.
Is this too rich/complicated/expensive?
Try this luscious homemade scratch Velveeta mac and cheese as an easy to make alternative that will hit all right notes too. Or for a more refined take, try this
Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese from our
noodle cookbook.
Happy mac and cheesing friends!
xoxo steph
Tini’s Mac and Cheese
If you’re a mac and cheese lover, this is the recipe you need
- 1 lb pasta (corkscrew/cavatappi preferred)
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb colby jack cheese
- 1/2 lb cheddar cheese (sharp preferred)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 12 oz evaporated milk (~1 can)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp mustard (Dijon preferred)
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. When done, drain well.
While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta cooks, shred the cheese. Grate the cheese with the coarse side of a box grater. Once you finish grating, mix all the cheese together in a large bowl, then divide into two even portions and set aside.
Make the seasoning mix: in a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Set it aside.
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/2 of the seasoning mix. Stir, bringing out the aromatics. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until everything bubbles slightly and looks incorporated.
Slowly stream in the evaporated milk while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Next, add the heavy cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in the Dijon and remaining seasoning mix. Let the sauce come to a simmer and thicken, giving it an occasional whisk.
Add HALF of the cheese. Turn the heat to low (or remove it from the heat if needed) and slowly melt in 1/2 of the cheese, handful by handful, making sure the cheese melts before adding more.
Stir in the drained pasta, making sure to coat all the noodles in sauce.
Grab your casserole dish and add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the bottom of the dish, spreading evenly. Layer on 1/2 of the remaining cheese then the remaining mac and cheese.
Finish by evenly layering on the last of the shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top melts and bubbles. Broil for 2 minutes to give it a crispy crust, the remove, let sit for a bit so you don’t burn yourself, scoop and enjoy!
Serves about 10 as a side or 5-6 as a main dish.
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April 3, 2026
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Posted in: easter, mac and cheese
Mac and cheese is the BEST comfort food and if it’s not on your Easter table, what even is the point of making an Easter feast?
My dream Easter brunch would be a mac and cheese buffet, with all the various macs just waiting to be scooped up into my mouth, no plates needed.
Mac and cheese is one of those things that people feel very strongly about and everyone has their very own favorite recipe. Not me though — I’m not a purist. I am a mac and cheese, how shall we say, equal opportunity lover. I will happily eat a bowl of boxed mac as well as an absurdly expensive artisanal concoction. Cheesy noodles, come to me! Anyway, here are 5 off-beat mac and cheese recipes to inspire you for your Easter feast.
Tini's mac and cheese
Tini’s is an elevated version of the ultimate classic: rich and delicious, with a golden cheese crust giving way to luscious creamy corkscrews aka cavatappi. This is the recipe you make when you want to impress your guests and yourself.
Tini’s Mac and Cheese
If you’re a mac and cheese lover, this is the recipe you need
- 1 lb pasta (corkscrew/cavatappi preferred)
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb colby jack cheese
- 1/2 lb cheddar cheese (sharp preferred)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 12 oz evaporated milk (~1 can)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp mustard (Dijon preferred)
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. When done, drain well.
While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta cooks, shred the cheese. Grate the cheese with the coarse side of a box grater. Once you finish grating, mix all the cheese together in a large bowl, then divide into two even portions and set aside.
Make the seasoning mix: in a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Set it aside.
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/2 of the seasoning mix. Stir, bringing out the aromatics. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until everything bubbles slightly and looks incorporated.
Slowly stream in the evaporated milk while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Next, add the heavy cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in the Dijon and remaining seasoning mix. Let the sauce come to a simmer and thicken, giving it an occasional whisk.
Add HALF of the cheese. Turn the heat to low (or remove it from the heat if needed) and slowly melt in 1/2 of the cheese, handful by handful, making sure the cheese melts before adding more.
Stir in the drained pasta, making sure to coat all the noodles in sauce.
Grab your casserole dish and add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the bottom of the dish, spreading evenly. Layer on 1/2 of the remaining cheese then the remaining mac and cheese.
Finish by evenly layering on the last of the shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top melts and bubbles. Broil for 2 minutes to give it a crispy crust, the remove, let sit for a bit so you don’t burn yourself, scoop and enjoy!
Serves about 10 as a side or 5-6 as a main dish.
Creamy mac and cheese
This is the mac of your childhood, but ten times better. Creamy, smooth, spoonable comfort food at its best. Serve up a glossy bowl of this cheesy goodness and settle into a cheese dream.
Velveeta Mac and Cheese
If you’re looking for the creamy mac and cheese of your childhood, this is it.
- 8 oz macaroni (about 2 cups dry, or other small pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1.5 cups milk (of choice)
- 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese (cubed)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Cook the macaroni in a large pat of salted water according to the package directions and drain well. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, stir in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard, until smooth and incorporated.
Pour the milk into the pan in a thin stream while whisking, until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 3-5 minutes.
Add the cubed Velveeta and shredded cheddar and stir until melted and creamy.
Add in the drained macaroni, mixing until evenly coated, taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
To bake: Scoop the mac and cheese into a oven safe casserole dish, top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers and bake at 350°F until the cheese melts and is golden and crisp, 20-30 minutes.
Pumpkin-y mac and cheese
It’s spring, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the earthy, sweet taste of pumpkin.
The flavors of pumpkin and sage are grown up enough for all the mac haters out there while sneaking in some pumpkin nutrients for the kids. The crispy sage is what takes this over the top, so make extra!
Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese
This cozy mac and cheese is all about classic fall flavors.
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- 20-25 leaves sage
- 2 cups milk (whole preferred)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 8 oz ziti (or macaroni noodle of choice)
- 2 1/4 cups cheddar (grated)
- 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until crisp, 5 to 15 seconds, depending on the size of the leaves. Remove the crisp leaves to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
Whisk the flour into the melted butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is a blond color and the mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk in a thin stream, continuing to whisk until any lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth and quite thick, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the remaining 1 cup of milk along with 2½ cups of water, as well as the garlic, mustard, and onion powders. Add the uncooked ziti and stir until wisps of steam come up, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Let cook, gently bubbling, until the ziti is tender and the sauce starts to thicken, 9 to 10 minutes. (It will still be quite saucy at this point—adding the cheese will thicken it up.)
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and pumpkin puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand for a couple of minutes; the sauce will thicken as it rests. Crumble the crispy sage leaves on top, and serve hot.
Top with freshly grated nutmeg and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Spicy mac and cheese
A bit of spice is always nice and the smokiness of the green chile makes you want to eat it more and more as the heat builds up. It’s not overly spicy, just nicely warm and smoky, and all things delicious. The fire roasted Hatch chiles pairs perfectly with Monterey jack and tender noodles.
Creamy Spicy Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Creamy, spicy, comforting mac and cheese.
- 8 ounces pasta of choice (about 2 cups small macaroni)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups grated cheese of choice (I used a mix of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
- 1 cup diced fire roasted hatch chile peppers (or to taste)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In another large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for about three minutes, until completely smooth and incorporated.
Pour in 1 cup of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking and it will smooth out into a thick paste. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Cook the pasta according the package, then drain well.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add the salt and pepper, diced hatch chile, and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add the drained pasta and gently mix. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed and enjoy hot.
If you’re going to roast your own chile, you need about 3-4 depending on size. Rub them with a bit of oil, place on a sheet pan and broil on high until black and soft, flipping once. Place in a bag and seal (or put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap) and let steam. Skin, stem, de-seed, and chop. You can also use canned chopped green chile.
Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main. Estimated nutrition is for a side serving
Over the top
A long time ago, I came up with the genius idea of combining two of my great loves:
mac and cheese and shepherd’s pie (aka cottage pie because ground beef instead of lamb). Cheesy and creamy noodles on top of savory seasoned ground beef with onions, carrots, and peas. It’s just the kind of weird esoteric food combination I love (and Mike hates). All good though, because I can eat this whole dish.
Mac and Cheese Pie
I think you'll be addicted to this
Beef base
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 small onion (diced)
- 1 small carrot (diced)
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Mac and cheese
- 1 cup pasta (macaroni preferred, of course)
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a skillet, heat up a bit of oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the beef until deeply browned. Drain off excess fat, if needed. Stir in the onions, carrots, and frozen peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the beef mixture into a oven proof dish and set aside while making the macaroni and cheese.
Cook the pasta according to the package, drain and set aside.
Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes, until smooth. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. When smooth, add the rest of the milk. Keep on medium heat and stir for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of cheddar. Add the drained macaroni and stir to coat.
Top the beef and sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy warm.
BONUS: Crispy Mac and Kimcheese
Kimchi and cheese are a match made in heaven, no cap. The acidity and spiciness of kimchi and the creamy richness of cheese play off each other in the best way. This is as glorious mess of flavors plus a crunchy cheese crust thanks to a hot stone bowl a la a Korean dolsot. Seriously good. This is the one I would make if I wanted to make someone fall in love with kimchi.
Mac and Kimcheese Dolsot Bibim-mac Recipe
Mac and cheese with a kimchi twist in a hot stone bowl
- 1 cup pasta (macaroni preferred, of course)
- 1 1/2 butter
- 2 flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (plus extra to top)
- 1/2 cup kimchi (chopped)
- 1 sac mentaiko (optional, see notes)
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (optional)
Heat up a stone bowl, lightly oiled, over medium-low heat.
Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain and set aside.
In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about three minutes, until completely smooth and incorporated. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking and it will smooth out into a thick paste. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the macaroni.
Sprinkle some cheese into the dolsot then add the macaroni and cheese. Top with more cheese, the chopped kimchi, and the mentaiko, if using. Mix it all up and push the macaroni against the sides of the bowl. The cheese will form a crispy frico/socarrat. The longer you wait, the crispier it will get. Enjoy, adding some gochugaru for an extra kick!
To scoop out the mentaiko: cut it open with a knife, then use a spoon to gently scoop out the insides. Discard the membrane.
This is a pretty sauce-heavy mac and cheese, which is needed because you’re heating it up in the dolsot. You can make this without the dolsot, just mix everything up and enjoy! Or you could try frying it up in a cast iron pan as well.
Hoppy Easter, friends!
-steph
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April 3, 2026
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Posted in: cucumber, salad, summer, tiktok, viral
The viral Tiktok Cucumber Salad that seems like it’s pretty much everywhere thanks to the Tiktok cucumber guy.
It's heating up around here and that means cold salads and food that doesn’t make you overheat. Cucumber salad fits perfectly into that category and it’s no surprise that it’s viral. He’s created a whole cucumber community. I hope cucumbers won’t start selling out at the grocery store.
Who is the TikTok cucumber guy?
Logan Moffitt–aka
@logagm–is a seemingly normal dude from Canada who loves to eat cucumbers and kimchi. A lot of his videos are of him making kimchi or eating Korean food, especially cold Korean noodles. Even before he made this cucumber salad, I came across his Tiktoks. He does collabs with K-POP bands and other viral Tiktokers. He was pretty popular before the cucumber thing, but now he’s even more popular. His cucumber videos are in the millions. Not just the one video, every single cucumber video has millions, even up to 10s of millions of views. People really, really love his cucumber salads.
What is the viral cucumber guy recipe?
I’m not certain, but the very first cucumber
recipe I saw Logan make was a classic garlicky, soy-sesame cucumber salad. It’s savory, a tiny bit sweet, crunchy, and super refreshing. It’s where I first heard his what seems to be catchphrase: “Sometimes you just NEED to eat a whole cucumber.” I mean, he’s not wrong!
How to make the Tiktok cucumber guy salad
- Slice - thinly slice your cucumber. Use a mandolin if you have one, it makes slicing cucumbers a breeze. Slice them right into a deli quart container.
- Add - add soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, grated garlic, sliced green onions, and toasted sesame seeds to the cucumber slices.
- Toss - put the lid on your container and shake until mixed.
- Enjoy - take off the lid and enjoy the cucumber salad right out of the deli container, using chopsticks for maximum enjoyment, just like Logan.
Ingredients for Tiktok cucumber salad
- cucumber - you need a cucumber and it’s got to be a whole seedless English cucumber, aka the cucumbers you see at the grocery store.
- soy sauce - soy sauce is going to add saltiness and umami. Use whatever brand you have at home, hopefully, it’s naturally brewed.
- toasted sesame oil - it’s got to be toasted sesame oil, not un-toasted. Toasted sesame oil is nutty, aromatic, and so delicious.
- fish sauce - fish sauce is going to add an extra boost of flavor. Fish sauce is truly the best and I love that there’s a viral recipe that has fish sauce it in.
- sugar - just a little bit of sugar is going to balance out the savoriness of all the umami-forward ingredients and make it so you just can’t stop eating cucumbers.
- MSG - a lil sprinkle of MSG is going to make this cucumber salad even more addictive. There is so much misinformation and literature on MSG out there. but all you need to know is: it’s naturally derived and exists in tomatoes and parmesan cheese and you eat it all the time. If you don’t have any MSG in your pantry, I recommend the Ajinomoto panda because it’s so cute.
- garlic - garlic and cucumbers just go together.
- green onions - green onions add a fresh, slightly sharp bite.
- toasted sesame seeds - toasted sesame seeds for crunch and nuttiness.
Equipment needed for Tiktok cucumber salad
The truth is, you don’t need any special equipment to make this cucumber salad, but if you want to do it like the kids, here’s what you’re going to get:
- deli quart containers with lids - I love quart containers for storing leftovers and they truly are amazing for shaking up a whole cucumber salad. These deli containers are the most popular on Amazon and they have great reviews.
- mandolin - if you’re going to be eating a lot of sliced cucumber salads, do yourself a favor and get a mandolin. Just make sure you watch your fingertips as you’re slicing. We have trusty OXO Good Grips one but I’ve always wanted a classic Japanese Benriner. Benriners are beloved by those in the food industry because they’re no nonsense, sharp, and boast a minimalist aesthetic.
- microplane - a microplane will give you tiny little gratings of garlic, which is perfect for distribution in your salad. To be honest, we almost always use a garlic press, but this little ginger and garlic grater is SO CUTE,
I kind of want it. Update: Mike got it for me and I love it!
Cucumber salad variations
Cucumber guy has gone viral for the recipe in this post, but since he has a whole cucumber community, he has SO MANY other cucumber recipes. It’s cucumber of the day, every day. Every single recipe starts with a while cucumber, a mandolin, and a deli quart container. The cucumber possibilities are endless.
Other cucumber salads
That’s it! I can attest to the deliciousness of this salad! I love cucumbers in all formats and this salad is a winner: crunchy, cold, savory, and super satisfying.
Happy cucumber-ing!
xoxo steph
TikTok Cucumber Guy Recipe
The viral cucumber salad from tiktok
- 1 cucumber (sliced)
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- sprinkle msg
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Use a mandolin to directly slice the cucumber into a deli quart container. Alternatively, use a knife to thinly slice a cucumber and place it in a bowl.
Add the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, garlic, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds to the container (or bowl).
Place the lid on the container and shake until the cucumber slices are coated evenly with all the ingredients. If your cucumbers are in a bowl, toss well.
Enjoy immediately, or place in the fridge and marinate for a couple of hours then enjoy. The cucumbers will be crunchier the faster you eat the salad, so if you want a fresh cucumber salad, enjoy immediately. If you want more of a quick pickled cucumber salad, let marinate for 1-2 hours before enjoying.
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