Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim 오이무침)

The perfect summer side dish, our refreshing Korean Cucumber Salad is crisp, tangy, with a kick of spice. Quick, easy, and explosively flavorful, this salad adds a delightful crunch to any meal!

Prep Time5

Total Time35

Servings

Calories16

Author: Mandy Applegate

Ingredients

1 tsp Salt
2 Korean cucumbers any thin cucumber will work
1 tbsp Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes
1 Scallion sliced
½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp Garlic minced
1 tsp Rice wine vinegar
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp Sesame oil

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Thinly slice the cucumbers and toss them gently with salt, and set them aside for 25 - 30 minutes.
1 tsp Salt
Drain excess fluid, and gently toss with gochugaru, scallion, sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, and sesame oil, ensuring that the cucumbers are evenly coated. Serve and enjoy.
2 Korean cucumbers, 1 tbsp Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes, 1 Scallion, ½ tsp Sugar, ½ tsp Garlic, 1 tsp Rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp Sesame seeds, 1 tsp Sesame oil

Notes

Gochugaru: These are spicy Korean chili flakes that can be found in Korean markets, some Asian markets, and online. It's essential for this simple Korean cucumber salad, but you'll also find Korean red chili flakes in other dishes like kimchi. If you can't find Gochugaru try regular chili pepper flakes, chili powder, or chipotle powder instead.
Cucumber: Korean cucumbers are long, thin, crunchy cucumbers that are great for pickling and making side dishes such as this Korean cucumber salad recipe. Other fresh cucumbers would work perfectly as well, like English cucumber, Persian cucumbers with their thin skin, Kirby cucumbers, or pickling cucumbers. Make sure they are thinly sliced so that the excess liquid is easier to drain.
Vinegar: If you don't have rice vinegar on hand, use white vinegar instead. Add half of the amount in the recipe with a splash of soy sauce for some umami.
Sugar: You can use maple syrup or honey instead of sugar for another layer of flavor.
Toast sesame seeds: We highly recommend toasting the sesame seeds before adding them to the Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad. It really brings out their nutty flavor and adds a slight crunch. All you have to do is pop the sesame seeds in a skillet over low-medium heat, and stir them with a wooden spoon until they turn golden brown. It takes about 2 minutes!

Nutrition

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