Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
This Korean cucumber salad is crisp, spicy, and tangy, made with thinly sliced cucumbers tossed in a bold gochugaru and gochujang dressing with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. A classic Korean banchan side dish ready in 20 minutes!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound Persian or English cucumbers thinly sliced into 1/8 to 1/4-inch rounds
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon gochujang Korean red pepper paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 serrano or Korean green pepper thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into thin rounds, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Place in a colander, toss with the kosher salt, and let sit 10 to 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry gently with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and garlic until the gochujang is fully incorporated.
- Add the drained cucumbers, green onions, and fresh chili pepper if using. Toss well until every slice is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust - more gochugaru for heat, vinegar for tang, or sugar for balance.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately for best crunch, or refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes for more developed flavor.