This Korean Cucumber Salad (oi muchim) recipe is so delicious! Spicy, crunchy, and full of flavor, it is an Asian Cucumber Salad made with gochugaru, which is Korean red pepper flakes. It's quick to make and comes together in just a few minutes. Perfect to serve when entertaining, or great as a side, or I love it as a snack!
Why This Recipe is the Best
This is my favorite Korean side dish. I tried it for the first time at a Korean BBQ in Seoul, Korea, and fell in love and knew I had to figure out how to make it at home. I tested this recipe over and over to try to get it as close as I could to what I ate in Korea.
This would go great as a side to our Asian Chopped Salad Chicken Wrap or even our Gluten Free Orange Chicken. We love to serve it when we're having fried rice, bibimbap, Korean BBQ, or bulgogi.
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Key Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for the best results.
- Cucumbers - cucumbers are the highlight of this dish! I used an English cucumber. Other types of cucumber also work great, just make sure they are a variety without a lot of seeds, or they will get mushy.
- Rice vinegar - the rice vinegar adds the tanginess and is the main liquid for this sauce.
- Gochugaru - the star of the show, and adds the spice! It also adds a hint of smokiness and a slight hint of sweetness. There isn't a great substitution for gochugaru other than gochujang. See the "substitution" section below for some ideas.
- Sugar - just a touch of sugar gives it that added sweetness for that spicy/ slightly sweet flavor and accents the other ingredients. When testing this recipe, I tried it without sugar, and it wasn't the same. It needs that subtle sweetness.
- Sesame seeds - the sesame seeds also add a finishing flavor and texture, wrapping it all up into one delicious dish.
How to Make Korean Cucumber Salad
Use these process shots to help get the results you want. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for the best results.
- Slice cucumbers into ⅛" slices. If making the "make ahead" version, place cucumbers in a sieve. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the top and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with water, then blot off the water with a tea towel or similar.
- Pour the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and minced garlic over the sliced cucumbers in a bowl. OR place in a small, separate bowl.
- Pour the gochugaru over top and mix until well combined. OR add the gochugaru to the small bowl of spices and whisk together to combine. Then pour over the cucumbers and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds over the top and serve!
Hint: If you're in a hurry, you don't have to mix the ingredients in a bowl first. You can simply measure them over the cucumber and give it a good stir.
Common Mistakes
One time when testing this recipe, I made it around lunch time with the intent to serve it with dinner. I ate some with my lunch, and it was perfect. Dinner time rolled around, and it was mushy. I did more research and figured out how to keep the cucumbers crunchy longer!
After slicing the cucumber, place it in a sieve or strainer, pour 1 teaspoon salt over the top, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with water, then squeeze out any excess water. Finish the recipe as directed. This will keep the cucumbers crunchy.
Top tip
Use the "make ahead" directions to draw the water out of the cucumbers if not serving immediately. This will help keep the cucumbers crisp and from getting mushy.
Recipe
Korean Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber about 300g
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce I used low sodium
- 1 Tablespoon gochugaru korean red pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
To garnish:
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Slice cucumber into ⅛"-¼" slices.
- Mix together rice vinegar, soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar and minced garlic together in a small bowl. Pour over the cucumber and combine well. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve.
To Make Ahead:
- After slicing the cucumber, place in sieve or strainer and pour 1 teaspoon salt over top and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with water, then squeeze out any excess water. Finish the recipe as directed. This will keep the cucumbers crunchy.
Video
Notes
- You can easily double, triple or even 10 times this recipe for more.
- We have used black sesame seeds in this recipe when I ran out of white and it was delicious! It added a stronger sesame flavor, but everyone still enjoyed it.
- Most cucumber varieties work in this dish, but we recommend a variety with few seeds. The varieties that have lots of seeds tend to be mush pretty quickly in this dish.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Mix it around before eating.
- It is not recommended to freeze this recipe
Nutrition
Substitutions
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations and substitutions for something a little different.
- Sugar Free - make this sugar-free by skipping the sugar. You'll miss that hint of sweetness that goes in its flavor profile, but it is still delicious.
- Cucumbers - you can use any type of cucumber desired; you just want about 250 - 300g of cucumber. You can use Persian, cucumber, pickling, and more!
- Gochugaru - There isn't a good substitute for gochugaru, other than gochujang, which is gochugaru in paste form. If needed, you can use red pepper flakes instead. It isn't a great substitute, and you'll need a lot less. Start with ½ teaspoon, then add to taste. While not a great substitute, it will still taste delicious. You can also try mixing some cayenne pepper with smoked paprika for a similar taste.
- Black Sesame Seeds - Use black sesame seeds instead of white for a stronger sesame taste and a few more antioxidants.
Storing Cucumber Salad
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. We recommend eating this fresh, but if storing or serving later, we recommend following our "make ahead" directions to keep the cucumbers from getting mushy.
FAQ
Thinly chop the cucumber. Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and gochugaru in a bowl. Pour on top of the cucumber and mix until well coated. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
It lasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We highly recommend using salt to draw out the moisture in the cucumbers before making if not serving them immediately. This will prevent the cucumbers from becoming mushy.
Oi Muchim will usually last about 3 days in the refrigerator. Re-mix all the ingredients together if they've separated at all before serving. If not eating Oi Muchim immediately, we recommend using salt to pull out the moisture from the cucumbers before making.
Nicole says
Korean Cucumber Salad is my new favorite way to eat cucumbers. It's light, fresh, spicy and so yummy! Love Love LOVE the gochugaru