Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (2024)

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Are you looking for the perfect recipe to make a spicy Korean cucumber salad? Then you are at the right place. This salad is super easy to make, requires only 6 ingredients and is ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (2)

This salad is perfect to serve on a summer day (when we need something refreshing) or to use as a side dish with an oat schnitzel or chickpea nuggets.

Before you jump into the kitchen to make this recipe I suggest you read this blog-post carefully. In fact, I will explain important details such as how to substitute ingredients or how to store the leftovers.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Substitutions
  • Variations
  • Equipment
  • How to store
  • Top tip
  • Related recipes
  • Leave a comment
  • Pin the recipe
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Food safety
  • 💬 Reviews
Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (3)

Ingredients

Making this Korean cucumber salad is super easy and requires only a handful of Ingredients. To make it you'll only need the following:

  • baby cucumbers
  • Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
  • rice vinegar
  • light soy sauce
  • garlic cloves
  • roasted sesame seeds
Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (4)

Instructions

Making this salad is super quick and easy. Here's a quick visual explanation on how to make it:

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (5)

Start by placing a cucumber between two chopsticks and cut it diagonally (with a 45° angle). The chopsticks will prevent you from cutting through. Then flip the cucumber and cut it straight. If you need more help take a look at this video (00:50-1:30).

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (6)

Place cucumbers in a bowl and set aside.

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (7)

In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until combined.

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (8)

Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and stir. Allow to rest for 15 minutes and serve straight away.

Hint: When you stir the cucumbers be gentle, you do not want to break them.

Substitutions

Before we go to the actual recipe let me explain to you how to substitute some ingredients:

  • Korean chili flakes - You can find them in any Asia store and on the internet. They are not so easy to substitute because they have a very special taste. That said the thing that comes closest to them is sweet paprika powder.
  • Rice vinegar - use the same amount of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
  • Garlic - If you don't like it you can leave it off or replace it with garlic powder (it will taste less like garlic).
Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (9)

Variations

Sometimes we do not have the time to finely chop cucumbers into "accordions". In this case we can finely slice them into rounds and then mix them with the sauce. The result will still be absolutely delicious!

Also, if you want to be a little extra you can top them with crushed peanuts and the green part of a spring onion (thinly sliced).

Equipment

For this spicy Korean Salad all you need are 2 bowls, 2 chop sticks and 15 minutes of time.

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (10)

How to store

If you have any leftovers don't throw them away.

You can place the salad in an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for 1 day.

Top tip

If you want to add an extra touch of crunchiness you can top your salad with a teaspoon of crushed peanuts and the green part of a spring onion (thinly sliced)!

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (11)

If you love this recipe I'm sure you'll love these as well:

  • Sesame crusted Mushroom Pie
  • Vegan Chickpea Nuggets
  • The Ultimate Vegan Wellington
  • Vegan Mushroom Pasta

Leave a comment

If you try this recipe please let me know! Leave a comment at the end of this blog-post, rate the recipe in the recipe card below and don't forget to tag a photo or video with #carlocao or #vegaliciously on Instagram or Tiktok.

Pin the recipe

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📖 Recipe

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (12)

Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

Carlo Cao

This Korean cucumber salad is super easy to make, requires only 6 ingredients and is ready to serve in less than 30 minutes! If you need a refreshing side-dish that's the way to go!

4.84 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Resting Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Korean

Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 6 Kirby pickling cucumbers

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 rablespoon light soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 splash of water

Instructions

  • Place a cucumber between two chopsticks.

  • Cut straight slices from top to bottom, the chopsticks create a barrier to prevent you from cutting through.

  • Then flip the cucumber so that the uncut side faces up and cut slightly diagonal this time.

  • Repeat with the remaining cucumbers.

  • Grind sesame seeds in a mortar (or blender).

  • For the sauce, mix all the ingredients (including sesame seeds) in a bowl.

  • Pour over the cucumbers, mix and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

  • Enjoy!

Keyword cucumber salad, spicy

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Judy Rowen says

    Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (13)
    This was exactly as I remember! I found baby, seedless cucumbers at my grocery store and tried this recipe. Easy and delicious! Thanks!

    Reply

Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (spicy, easy, vegan) - Carlo Cao (2024)

FAQs

What to put on Korean cucumber salad? ›

Add the sliced cucumbers to a large mixing bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients: minced garlic, sliced green onions, gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes), toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and a little bit of sugar.

What is the difference between a Korean cucumber and a regular cucumber? ›

Description/Taste

The flesh is moist, crisp, and pale green to white with small, soft, edible cream-colored seeds scattered throughout the center. When raw, Korean cucumbers are crunchy, aqueous, and sweet without the bitterness associated with other varieties of cucumber.

How do you keep cucumber salad from getting soggy? ›

Happily, salting cucumbers requires only 20 minutes or so and virtually no effort: You just put them in a colander or strainer, toss them with a big pinch of salt or two — the exact quantity doesn't matter, since most of the salt will flow away with the liquid — and let osmosis do its thing.

How to mash up cucumber? ›

Directions. Wrap each cucumber in plastic wrap to minimize splattering. Place on a work surface and pound with a flat object (like a meat pounder) until cucumbers crack and are slightly flattened.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp in cucumber salad? ›

How to Crisp Cucumbers
  1. Cut the cucumbers.
  2. Place the slides in a colander.
  3. Put the colander into a bowl.
  4. Add salt and ice to the cucumbers.
  5. Place the bowl and colander into the refrigerator.
  6. Remove the cucumber from the refrigerator and pat dry.

How long can you keep Korean cucumbers in the fridge? ›

Storage and make-ahead

Keep oi muchim in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although the cucumbers will get watery over time, the marinade is delicious. You can drizzle it over rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds and scallions before serving.

Which cucumber is best for salad? ›

Persian Cucumbers

They have a mild flavor and thin skins, so they're great sliced or chopped for salads and snacking, or even tossed in the blender to make a Spicy Cucumber Margarita.

What is the best tasting cucumber in the world? ›

A few favorites include 'Beit Alpha,' which is grown for its sweet flavor and exceptionally thin skin. 'Suyo Long' is a seedless, mild-flavored variety from northern China that grows about 18 inches long. 'China Jade' has striking yellow-green flesh and long, thin-skinned fruit.

What are number 1 cucumbers? ›

1 consists of cucumbers which are fairly well colored, fairly well formed, not overgrown, and which are fresh, firm, and free from decay, sunscald and from damage caused by scars, yellowing, sunburn, dirt or other foreign materials, freezing, mosaic or other disease, insects, cuts, bruises, mechanical or other means.

Why is my cucumber salad bitter? ›

A cucumber's bitterness is caused by cucurbitacin, a bitter chemical that protects the plant from predators. Usually, cucurbitacin stays in the stem and leaves, but it can work its way into the fruit. A cucumber's bitterness is caused by cucurbitacin, a bitter chemical that protects the plant from predators.

Can dogs eat cucumbers? ›

Can Dogs Have Cucumbers? Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs to eat, and offer a low-calorie, crunchy snack that many dogs love. Cucumbers only contain about 8 calories per one-half cup of slices, compared to the 40 calories in a single medium dog biscuit. Cucumbers are also very low in sodium and fat-free.

Why soak cucumbers in salt water? ›

Cucumbers are often soaked in salt water to remove some of the naturally high water content. Cucumbers will otherwise give up water and dilute the salad dressing. Unpeeled cucumbers are higher in nutritional value as fiber and vitamin A are lost by peeling.

What can you put on cucumbers to make them taste good? ›

Marinating cucumbers can infuse them with a burst of flavour. Slice the cucumbers and place them in a bowl with a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and your choice of herbs and spices. Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

What goes good on cucumber? ›

Salt – It draws moisture out of the cucumbers, giving them a crisp, pickle-like texture. It also makes the flavors in this salad pop! Fresh dill and chives – Dill is a classic ingredient in a cucumber onion salad, as its sour flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet and tangy vinegar dressing.

What flavor compliments cucumber? ›

Spices: Cucumbers pair well with spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Fruits: Cucumbers pair well with fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, and berries. Meats: Cucumbers pair well with meats such as chicken, salmon, and tuna. Seafood: Cucumbers pair well with seafood such as shrimp, crab, and oysters.

What do you eat Korean radishes with? ›

Chicken mu is Korean pickled radish that is specifically for pairing with Korean fried chicken, but it is also a great side dish for pretty much anything. It's sweet, tangy, crunchy, and totally necessary with Korean fried chicken in my opinion! Mu is Korean radish, and it is used to make MANY things in Korean cuisine!

What does a cucumber salad contain? ›

This easy cucumber salad consists of nothing more than the cucumbers, some rice vinegar, either dill or basil, and salt and pepper. You don't even really need the herbs! Cucumbers are crunchy and cool with just some vinegar, salt, and pepper.

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