Korean Cucumber Salad

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5 from 32 votes

This spicy Korean Cucumber Salad comes together in only a few minutes and is crisp and delicious!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Korean

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1 lb cucumber English or Persian
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp gochugaru
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 green onions chopped
3 cloves garlic grated
1/4 white onion thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice ends off of your cucumber then thinly slice them into 2-3 mm disks.
Add the cucumbers to a bowl, then mix together with salt and let them rest for 10 minutes. Drain out the excess water and taste for seasoning. If too salty, rinse and pat them dry with a paper towel before continuing to step 3.
In the same bowl with the drained and dried cucumbers, combine with soy sauce, korean red pepper flakes, sugar, sesame seeds, onion, scallion, grated garlic, and sesame oil. Mix the cucumbers and seasonings until well combined and the cucumbers turn a deep red color.
Marinate the cucumbers for 10 minutes in the dressing before serving and enjoy!

Notes

Cucumbers: I recommend you use a seedless variety, such as English or Persian. Seedless cucumbers will help keep the sliced cucumbers crisp for longer. If you can't find a seedless cucumber, cut your cucumber lengthwise and before you begin slicing, remove the seeds in the middle with a spoon. (It doesn't have to be perfect, just scrap out what you can.)

I like to cut these into 1/8" thin discs (2-3mm) because they're thin enough to soak up the dressing, while being thick enough to stay crunchy. However, you can cut them to whatever thickness or even shape you prefer - there is no wrong way! Other popular shapes I've seen are: half moons, thick round slices, and 2" thin diagonal slices.

Salting the cucumbers will draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which helps keep them crisp in the final salad. Make sure to let the salted cucumbers rest for 10 minutes to really draw out the moisture.

PLEASE drain the excess water from the salted cucumbers - this will help the cucumber salad doesn’t become watery and soggy! The salt acts as an agent to draw out excess water from the cucumber as well as keep them crisp in the salad. Do not skip this step!

Gochugaru is Korean red chili pepper flakes (or powder, depending on which version you purchase). It's vibrant in color and smoky in flavor, and while the heat level varies, it's definitely on the spicy side. Adjust the amount used based on your own spice tolerance level. There isn't a great substitute for this ingredient, I'm sorry!

STORAGE

Store your Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Please note that as they continue to sit, the cucumbers will lose water. This can lead to excess liquid, sometimes dilution of the flavors, and the cucumbers become softer. I like to eat my Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) within the first 1-2 days, as I prefer my cucumbers on the crunchier side. You may not mind this (my wife likes them softer, with the flavors more melded together.)

Nutrition