Easy Korean Cucumber Salad (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

Name: Easy Korean Cucumber Salad (Spicy Cucumber Salad)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
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 1/2 teaspoon salt to drain water

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Korean cucumber salad, an oi muchim recipe, is a refreshing and delicious salad that you can find in any Korean restaurant, but today, you get to make this spicy Korean cucumber salad recipe in the comfort of your kitchen as a side dish to your favorite Asian-inspired main course or Korean barbecue.

Enjoy this Korean cucumber salad with rice dishes and other Korean cooking.

Enjoy this spicy cucumber salad as an easy appetizer, easy lunch, or a refreshing side dish.

⭐ Looking for more refreshing cucumber salad recipes? Try our Asian Cucumber Salad, Mediterranean Salad, or these Cucumbers in Vinegar.

There is a skip-to-recipe button in the top left corner along with a clickable table of contents list (just below) that will quickly take you to the part you are more interested in. Enjoy!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Recommended Equipment
Tips
Freezing And Storing Instructions
FAQs
Easy Side Dish Salad Recipes
Easy Korean Cucumber Salad (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

Ingredients

My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!

The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.

ingredients for spicy korean cucumber salad

English cucumbers - Thinly sliced. Persian cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers, or Kirby cucumbers can be used instead of English cucumbers.
Gochujang paste - You could use Thai red curry paste or thicker dark sriracha sauce instead. This paste has a deep red color and can be found in most Asian grocery stores, Asian markets, and Korean supermarkets.
Honey
Fresh garlic - Chopped.
Sesame seeds
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.

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.

slices of cucumber in a bowl with red dressing on top

Pour sauce over cucumbers and gently mix. Enjoy!

Recommended Equipment

Tips

Buy your cucumbers directly from a farmers' market for the best cucumbers.
Always check your cucumbers for any marks, bruises, or blemishes.
Using the best quality toasted sesame oil will really add to the flavor of this salad. Use whatever quality brand you enjoy the most.
To intensify the flavors in this simple salad, allow it to 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.
Leftover Korean cucumber salad can be added to a leafy green salad so that nothing goes to waste!
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.

📋 JULIA'S TIP instead of Gochujang you can use thicker Sriracha sauce or a good quality and trusted Thai Red Curry paste.

Freezing And Storing Instructions

To Store. This Korean cucumber salad shouldn’t be stored in the fridge for longer than 2 days as the leftover salad will start to lose its crispy texture.
To Freeze. You can't freeze this.
To Make Ahead. To intensify the flavors in this cucumber salad, 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.

FAQs

Can you eat Korean cucumber raw?

Yes! Korean cucumbers have a delicious crunch - ideal for raw salads.

What are the health benefits of Korean cucumber salad?

Cucumbers are high in water and electrolytes, providing a replenishing snack or side dish. Cucumbers are also naturally loaded with vitamin K.

How is Korean cucumber different?

Korean cucumbers are thinner and longer than most varieties of cucumbers. They are a popular choice when making pickles, side dishes, and salads.

Is it better to eat cucumber in the skin or without the skin?

The skin on cucumbers provides a great source of fiber as well as other vitamins and minerals. I always leave cucumbers unpeeled for salads like this Korean cucumber side dish for maximum nutritional benefit.

Easy Side Dish Salad Recipes

ALL SALAD recipes.

💗I hope you'll enjoy this Korean Cucumber Salad recipe, please leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo of your food and tag me on Instagram @theyummy_bowl. I love seeing your creations! 💗

Happy Cooking,

Love,

Julia