Description
This spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet Korean cucumber salad is packed with bold flavors. It pairs perfectly with BBQ, rice dishes, or as a refreshing side.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large Persian or English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt (for sweating the cucumbers)
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free option)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Salt & sweat the cucumbers – Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes. This helps remove excess water.
- Drain & rinse – After 10 minutes, drain and rinse the cucumbers thoroughly to remove extra salt.
- Make the dressing – In a separate bowl, mix gochugaru, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic.
- Combine & mix – Add the cucumbers to the dressing and toss well.
- Garnish & serve – Top with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
✅ Adjust the spice level – Use less gochugaru if you prefer a milder version.
✅ Let it marinate! – This salad tastes even better after 30 minutes in the fridge.
✅ Pair it with Korean BBQ – Serve alongside grilled meats or rice dishes for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 min
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 55 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0