Korean cucumber salad is a popular side dish (banchan) served at Korean barbecue restaurants. The refreshing crunch of cucumber combined with the smoky and salty flavors of gochugaru make this salad a delightful side to enjoy with meats or as part of a Korean meal. And 15 minutes is all it takes to make!
About This Recipe
Korean cucumber salad, called oi muchim (오이무침) in Korea, is a simple dish made of sliced cucumber dressed in a smokey and tangy dressing of gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The outcome is an explosion of spicy, tart, savory, slightly sweet and crunchy.
Korean cucumber salad is often served as a side dish to complement a main, most likely a meat dish of some kind. My recipe is very simple and easy to follow. Only 4 steps are needed to make it and most of the ingredients are easy to find.
Note on gochugaru: Gochugaru is the only ingredient in the list that cannot be purchased at a regular supermarket. But do not despair as it is fairly easy to find! Either try your local Asian supermarket (Korean supermarket, preferably), or order it online here.
Table of contents
Ingredients Needed
- Cucumber: Cucumber is the main ingredient of this dish and gives the salad a refreshing taste and crunch. Scroll down to find out which cucumbers are the best to use for this salad.
- Green Onions: You only need one chopped green onion for this recipe. It imparts an oniony essence that is fresher and less intense than mature onions.
- White Distilled Vinegar: White vinegar has a sharp bite that delivers a real edge to the overall dish. If you like milder, sweeter flavors you could substitute rice vinegar instead.
- Soy Sauce: We’re not going for salty in this dish, but just a hint of savory and umami. I use regular Japanese soy sauce but you can also use Korean or Chinese soy sauce.
- Garlic: A small clove of minced garlic adds an earthy taste and pungent aroma to this Korean salad.
- Salt and Sugar: Just a half teaspoon of each.
- Gochugaru: Gochugaru are Korean red pepper flakes. And while there’s some inherent spice, gochugaru’s flavor is far more smokey and nuanced than regular chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Sesame Seeds: A teaspoon of sesame seeds adds a subtle toasted nuttiness to this otherwise assertive cucumber salad. And they just happen to look nice as well!
Best Cucumbers To Use
Kirby cucumbers are the best cucumbers to use for this recipe. Generally, they are the best type to make cucumber pickles because they are very sturdy and crunchy. If you cannot find kirby cucumbers, look for Japanese cucumbers which are thin and long.
Cannot find Japanese cucumbers either? No worries, English cucumber also work well for this salad. To ensure that the salad doesn’t become too watery, scoop out the center part where the seeds are.
Steps To Make It
Scroll all the way down to the recipe card to read the full recipe.
- First, slice two kirby cucumbers crosswise into pieces that are about ⅛ inch thick. Place those cucumber slices into a mixing bowl along with a chopped scallion.
- Then in a separate small bowl, mix 1½ teaspoons white distilled vinegar with a teaspoon of soy sauce and a minced clove of garlic. In the same bowl, stir in a half teaspoon each of salt and sugar – and keep stirring until both have dissolved in the liquid.
- Next, just pour the sauce over your scallions and cucumber slices.
- Finally sprinkle about two teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) and a teaspoon of sesame seeds over the top and mix well.
Recipe Variations
- Add extra heat: Mix a little gochujang – about 1 teaspoon – to the dressing.
- Add some sweetness: Add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the dressing and mix well until the sugar has dissolved.
How To Store It
Fridge: Store the leftovers in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The consistency of the cucumber will be softer but the salad will still taste good.
Time saving tip: Part of this salad can be made ahead of time so it can be quickly put together the day you decide to serve it.
- The dressing can be made ahead of time and saved in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The cucumbers can be pre-sliced and saved in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
In terms of heat, this salad isn’t spicy. The gochugaru adds smokiness to the salad but very little heat. It’s safe to say that this salad can be served to those who cannot handle food that’s medium spicy to very spicy.
The type of cucumber used makes a big difference is how watery the cucumber salad is. By using kirby cucumber you can rest assured that your salad will not be too watery. Also, it’s worth noting that the longer cucumber slices sit in salt or vinegar, the more watery they will become. This is why cucumber salads taste best when they are freshly made.
No, this salad isn’t gluten-free because it contains soy sauce. To make it gluten-free, simply swap regular soy sauce for gluten-free soy sauce, tamari sauce, or liquid aminos.
Yes you can! Napa cabbage or regular cabbage both work well with this recipe, as well as bean sprouts and thinly sliced carrots.
What To Serve With It
As previously mentioned, this Korean cucumber salad pairs well with grilled meats and other Korean sides. But it’s also delicious with fish and tofu dishes, and I also love to eat this cucumber salad together with a bowl of rice because the grains soak up the nutty and savory flavor of the dressing so well.
Dishes That Pair Well With This Salad:
- Korean chive pancakes (buchujeon)
- Korean Sticky Chicken
- Egg fried rice
- Korean seaweed soup (tofu miyeok-guk)
- Skillet dolsot bibimbap
Other Asian salad recipes you might like to try: Japanese watercress salad, Japanese coleslaw, Korean spicy daikon radish salad, Korean bean sprout salad, hijiki salad, shiraae (mashed tofu salad), wood ear mushroom salad.
Did you like this Korean cucumber salad recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Print
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: makes about 1.5 cups 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
This Korean cucumber salad recipe is packed with spicy, tart, savory, and slightly sweet flavors, with the most satisfying crunchy!
- 2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into 1/8-inch thick pieces
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Mix the vegetables: Place the cucumber slices and chopped green onion in a medium or large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Stir in sugar and salt and keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Combine the dressing with the veggies: Pour the dressing over the cucumber slices and green onions and toss.
- Add smokiness and serve: Sprinkle the Korean chili pepper flakes and sesame seeds and toss until the cucumber slices are evenly coated. Serve.
This spicy Korean cucumber salad will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight storage container.
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 32
- Sugar: 2.3g
- Sodium: 729.8mg
- Fat: 1.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4.7g
- Fiber: 1.2g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Questions and Reviews
I think I will love this recipe for a bridal shower I am hosting for my Korean daughter-in-law to be. Is this served cold?
Hi Sue! Yes, it is served cold 🙂
Simple and delicious even I can do it
Tripled recipe using home grown cukes. About 2 1/2 – 3 lbs. Added 2 tsp. sesame oil. OMG! This was sensational.
Thank you so much Anthony! 🙂
One of my all time favorite dishes! Love your recipe, thank you for sharing.
Hi Caroline,
Enjoy all your recipes very much. I have a question about the Korean Cucumber salad, and is that when looking at the picture, I noticed the red seasoning that looks very much as Gochujang and not as gochugaru. Am I mistaken? or it is also acceptable to use gochujang instead of the latter.
Thanks for all your great recipes!
Hi Joe! I’m using gochugaru for this recipe so the salad isn’t too crazy spicy. I don’t know if using gochujang would work since it’s a paste. You might be able to use a little, like a teaspoon, and dissolve it before adding tossing the sliced cucumber. If you do make it that way, let me know how it turns out!
Made this today and i love it! Nice light healthy snack! Will definitely be making this often!
May I recommend listing the 2 Kirby cucumbers by weight? That way the total calories at 32 would be accurate. Not all Kirby cucumbers are created equal. 🙂
That said, I used some Thai Red Curry Paste for the heat. Liked it a lot. I also like that I can play with the ingredients some without adding many calories.
The fact that the calories are so low is a blessing for me as I face the horrors of a 5:2 Fast Diet twice a week. 🙁
Thx.
P.S. I notice that there is not an email notification for replies. That would be a nice feature.
This looks like it’s a one-person serving at 1.5 cups and 31 calories, correct?
Thx.
Hi Paul, yes you are correct 🙂
I have made this twice now. I love it!!!
I really enjoy this recipe, a mixture of spicy with sweet and tangy. Is there a way to Can/Preserve this recipe? I want sure if I added more liquid and water bathed the jars, if there is enough vinegar for canning or if the soy sauce will cause any issues.
Hi Chole! I think the only way to can this recipe would be to use uncut kirbie cucumbers. Once the cucumber is cut it softens too much and gets all soggy after a while. If you do try to can it, please let me know how it turns out! I might do the same 🙂
This looks so nice! Im going to try it tonight 🙂
Can you substitute white vinegar with red wine or rice vinegar?
Hi Nancy, if you have plain rice vinegar (seasoned is too sweet) it will work for a substitute since the recipe doesn’t call for a lot of it 🙂
If I can’t find gochugaro locally, can I substitute normal red chili flakes?
Hi Amber, I would recommend using red pepper powder or chipotle powder instead. Red chili flakes would be too hot for this recipe, gochugaru is more smokey than spicy 🙂
I made this tonight. Easy recipe and my husband loved it. Thank you for sharing.
I just made the recipe!
Delicious
Thank you for sharing!