Korean cucumber salad, an oi muchim recipe, is a refreshing and delicious salad that you can find in any Korean restaurant. It's a great side dish your favorite fried rice or Korean barbecue.
Ready in 15 minutes!
Korean Cucumber Salad
I love these spicy cucumbers with glazed salmon bites, easy hot honey shrimp, or as a side for ANY Asian-style dinner; it's always so yummy!
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Ingredients
- English cucumbers - Thinly sliced. Persian cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers, or Kirby cucumbers can be used instead of English cucumbers.
- Gochujang paste - This paste has a deep red color and can be found in most Asian grocery stores, Asian markets, and Korean supermarkets. You could use Thai red curry paste or thicker dark sriracha sauce instead.
- Fresh garlic - fresh, no jarred stuff!
- Toasted sesame oil
- Scallions - Thinly sliced. Prepare more for serving.
- Rice vinegar - Apple cider vinegar would be a good alternative to rice wine vinegar, but I don't recommend using white vinegar as this is too overpowering.
- Salt - Used in the salting process to drain excess water from the cucumber slices.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Korean Cucumber Salad
- Sprinkle salt over the sliced cucumbers and gently massage into them.
- Let cucumbers soak in salt for 15 minutes in a large bowl or airtight container.
- Rinse with cold water at least 3-4 times to completely remove the salt. Strain and set aside.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Pour sauce over cucumbers and gently mix. Enjoy!
- We love to serve it with healthy Korean pancakes or Korean BBQ fried chicken.
For more Asian flavors, try Cucumber Carrot Salad, Asian Cucumber Salad, Mediterranean Salad, or these Cucumbers in Vinegar.
Tips
- If you can, buy your cucumbers directly from a farmers' market for the best cucumbers.
- I like to use quality toasted sesame oil; it will add to the flavor of this salad.
- To intensify the flavors, I recommend letting your salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- You can use this delicious Korean cucumber salad as a base, adding other ingredients such as nuts or shredded chicken, or beef strips.
- This salad is best enjoyed immediately at room temperature. Leftovers won’t keep well for long since the cucumbers will release more liquid as time goes on.
- The Gochujang paste contains spicy flavors. You could add extra heat to this Korean salad by adding Korean red pepper flakes, Korean chili flakes, Korean chili powder, or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
Julia's Tip
Instead of Gochujang you can use thicker Sriracha sauce or a good quality and trusted Thai Red Curry paste.
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. I will usually consume it right away. This salad shouldn’t be stored in the fridge for longer than 2 days. Cucumbers will release too much water and will start to lose their crispy texture.
- To Make Ahead. To intensify the flavors, allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to enjoy. Also to prep, you can leave the cucumbers to soak in salt for up to an hour.
Easy Side Dish Salad Recipes
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Recipe Card
15 Minute Korean Cucumber Salad (Spicy Cucumber Salad)
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 English cucumbers, about 2 cups sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste, Korean chili paste or sub with Thai red curry paste or thicker dark sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic, freshly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon scallions, thinly sliced + more for serving
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt to drain water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Sprinkle salt over the sliced cucumbers and gently massage into them. Let cucumbers soak in salt for 15 minutes in a large bowl or airtight container. Rinse with cold water at least 3-4 times to completely remove the salt. Strain and set aside.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Pour sauce over cucumbers and gently mix. Enjoy!
VIDEO
NOTES
- Using the best quality toasted sesame oil will really add to the flavor of this salad. Use whatever quality brand you enjoy the most.
- This salad is best enjoyed immediately at room temperature. Leftovers won’t keep well for long since the cucumbers will release more liquid as time goes on.
- The Gochujang paste contains spicy flavors. You could add extra heat to this Korean spicy cucumber salad by adding Korean red pepper flakes, Korean chili flakes, Korean chili powder, or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Korean Cucumber Salad: FAQs
Yes! Korean cucumbers have a delicious crunch - ideal for raw salads.
Cucumbers are high in water and electrolytes, providing a replenishing snack or side dish. Cucumbers are also naturally loaded with vitamin K.
Korean cucumbers are thinner and longer than most varieties of cucumbers. They are popular when making pickles, side dishes, and salads.
The skin on cucumbers provides a great source of fiber as well as other vitamins and minerals. For maximum nutritional benefit, I always leave cucumbers unpeeled for salads like this Korean cucumber side dish.
Dana
Tasted great even without the salt bath. Loved it!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
so good right! thank you!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
we love to serve this salad with rice bowls and stir fries!