Korean Cucumber Salad is a spicy, flavorful side dish to pair with all of your favorite Korean main dishes. It’s made with thinly sliced cucumbers, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes for a kick of spice!
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As mentioned in my recipe for Korean Bean Sprout Salad, I have really developed a love for the flavors in Korean cuisine. This Korean Cucumber Salad is an example of a spicier side dish with robust flavor from added rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.
I really like it paired with Beef Bulgogi (recipe coming soon!), but it’s an excellent choice to complement a variety of main dishes including ones from other cultures too. Any dish that could benefit from a spicy burst of flavor is going to go great with this salad.
Why This Recipe Works
It’s a quick recipe to prepare. There is about 10 minutes of hands-on preparation. For the best results, the cucumbers should be mixed with a little salt to pull some of the excess water out of them, which takes about 15 minutes.
This is a very flavorful dish. Rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes all contribute strong flavors to this salad.
You can pair it with a huge variety of different meals, even other types of cuisines other than Korean, or with simple dishes like grilled chicken and rice.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 1-2 cucumbers (sliced 1/4-inch thin, about 2 cups): English, Kirby or pickling cucumbers work best.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 scallion (sliced thin)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (omit for a mild version)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted): if you can’t find toasted sesame seeds at the store, you can lightly toast them in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Slice the cucumbers about 1/4-inch thin and thinly slice the white and green parts of the scallion.
Create!
Combine the sliced cucumbers and salt in a bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain the water out, rinse and pat dry with a kitchen towel and place in a bowl.
Meanwhile, whisk together the scallions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sugar and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Pour over the cucumbers and gently toss to combine. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Present
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tips and Techniques
- You can skip salting the cucumbers if you are planning to eat all of this salad immediately. If you expect leftovers or are planning to make it ahead of time, it’s best to salt the cucumbers or the salad will get watery as it sits for a longer period of time.
- If you can’t find toasted sesame seeds at the store, you can lightly toast them in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until they start to turn light brown.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator. Consume within 2-3 days, though the cucumbers will be the most crisp the days it’s made.
More Asian Dishes
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Korean Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1-2 cucumbers (sliced 1/4-inch thin, about 2 cups, English, Kirby or pickling)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 scallion (sliced thin)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (omit for a mild version)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine the sliced cucumbers and salt in a bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain the water out, rinse and pat dry with a kitchen towel and place in a bowl.1-2 cucumbers, 1 teaspoon salt
- Meanwhile, whisk together the scallions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sugar and sesame seeds in a small bowl.1 scallion, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Pour over the cucumbers and gently toss to combine. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- You can skip salting the cucumbers if you are planning to eat all of this salad immediately. If you expect leftovers or are planning to make it ahead of time, it's best to salt the cucumbers or the salad will get watery as it sits for a longer period of time.
- If you can't find toasted sesame seeds at the store, you can lightly toast them in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until they start to turn light brown.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator. Consume within 2-3 days, though the cucumbers will be the most crisp the days it's made.
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