If you’re craving something crisp, zesty, and utterly refreshing, you can’t go wrong with Korean Cucumber Salad. This bright and vibrant side dish packs a flavor-punch with its tangy-sweet dressing and gentle heat, making it the perfect partner for any meal where you want a little extra zing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Vibrant, Fresh Flavors: Each bite is cool, crunchy, and bursting with a lively mix of savory, tangy, and spicy notes.
- Super Quick to Make: This Korean Cucumber Salad comes together in just minutes, perfect when you need a speedy side.
- Incredibly Adaptable: Easily adjust the spice and seasoning to suit your taste or your pantry.
- Light & Healthy: It’s a naturally low-calorie, hydrating dish you’ll actually crave!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of Korean Cucumber Salad is just how simple (yet absolutely essential) its ingredients are—each one lending crunch, brightness, or a hint of toasted nuttiness that makes this salad so irresistible. Don’t skip a thing if you want the full flavor experience!
- Mini cucumbers (or regular cucumbers): These give the salad its unbeatable crunch and refreshing bite. If using regular cucumbers, try to remove large seeds for best texture.
- Salt: Essential for drawing out excess moisture from the cucumbers and amping up the flavor.
- Soy sauce: Adds deep savory notes and that classic umami base.
- Minced garlic: Brings aromatic punch and a subtle heat.
- Rice vinegar: Lends brightness and the signature tang that awakens all the other flavors.
- Chili oil: For a gentle or robust spicy kick—totally customizable to your spice tolerance.
- Sugar: Just a touch balances all the acidity and heat.
- Sesame oil: Delivers a toasty, nutty aroma that makes the dish sing.
- Sesame seeds (optional): A pretty garnish with crunch, and bonus nuttiness.
- Green onions (optional): Fresh pop of color and extra mild onion flavor.
Variations
Don’t be shy about making this Korean Cucumber Salad entirely your own! It’s incredibly forgiving and just as delicious with a few creative tweaks, whether you need to accommodate what’s in your fridge or play around with new flavors.
- Go Gluten-Free: Swap in tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free version that keeps all the savory goodness.
- Make It Milder or Spicier: Adjust the chili oil to taste, or add fresh sliced chilies for an extra fiery kick, or leave it out for a totally mild, kid-friendly salad.
- Add Crunch: Toss in thin slices of radish or carrot for even more color and snap.
- Mix Up the Herbs: Try tossing in a handful of cilantro or mint for a fresh twist on the classic flavor profile.
How to Make Korean Cucumber Salad
Step 1: Make the Flavorful Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, and finely chopped green onions. Pour in the rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil, then stir everything until the sugar dissolves and you have a fragrant, punchy marinade. The aroma alone might make your mouth water!
Step 2: Prep and Salt the Cucumbers
Wash the cucumbers and slice them thinly—if you want to add some playful flair, use a spiralizer to make fun spirals (it makes the salad even more addictive). Sprinkle the slices with salt and let them sit for about 8 to 12 minutes. This draws out excess water, ensuring your salad stays snappy, not soggy.
Step 3: Rinse and Dry the Cucumbers
After the cucumbers release some moisture, rinse them thoroughly under cold water to get rid of excess salt. Gently pat them dry with paper towels—this step is the secret to a salad that stays crunchy, even after tossing with the dressing.
Step 4: Toss and Serve
Add your cucumbers to a serving bowl, pour over the tangy dressing, and toss everything to coat. Finish with an extra sprinkle of sesame seeds and more scallions, then serve right away for maximum crispness and flavor.
Pro Tips for Making Korean Cucumber Salad
- Salting for Extra Crunch: Letting the cucumbers sit with salt ensures they stay super crisp—don’t rush this step!
- Slice Evenly: Use a mandoline or sharp knife to get thin, uniform cucumber slices for the best texture and flavor absorption.
- Adjust the Heat: Start with less chili oil and add more until you hit your perfect spice level—remember, some chili oils are hotter than others!
- Serve Immediately: For the crunchiest Korean Cucumber Salad, toss with the dressing just before serving.
How to Serve Korean Cucumber Salad
Garnishes
A final flourish of toasted sesame seeds and bright green onions makes Korean Cucumber Salad not only prettier but extra flavorful. You could even add thinly sliced red chili or a tiny drizzle of extra chili oil for both heat and color contrast.
Side Dishes
This salad is a standout side with bulgogi, grilled meats, bibimbap, or as part of a classic Korean banchan spread. It also shines next to spicy barbecue, rice bowls, or anything where you want a refreshing palate cleanser.
Creative Ways to Present
Serve Korean Cucumber Salad in individual ramekins for dinner parties, tuck it into lettuce wraps for a fusion vibe, or pile it up inside rice paper rolls for a colorful appetizer. Spiralized cucumbers are especially eye-catching on a big platter!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
To keep leftover Korean Cucumber Salad tasting fresh, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will stay crisp for up to 2 days, though it’s at its absolute best served the same day you make it.
Freezing
This salad isn’t a great candidate for the freezer—cucumbers turn mushy after freezing and thawing. It’s definitely worth making fresh or enjoying your leftovers cold from the fridge.
Reheating
No reheating needed! In fact, Korean Cucumber Salad is best enjoyed cold—just give the leftovers a quick toss to redistribute the dressing and enjoy straight from the fridge.
FAQs
-
Can I make Korean Cucumber Salad ahead of time?
Yes! You can prep the cucumber slices and dressing a few hours in advance, but for the crunchiest result, wait to toss them together until right before you’re ready to serve.
-
Which cucumbers work best for this salad?
Mini (Persian) cucumbers or English cucumbers are ideal for Korean Cucumber Salad due to their thin skins and delicate seeds, but any firm, fresh cucumber will work—just remove large seeds if necessary.
-
How spicy is this salad?
The heat level is totally customizable! Start with 2 teaspoons of chili oil for gentle warmth and add more for extra kick. You can also use mild oil or omit it entirely if you don’t like spice.
-
Can I add other vegetables to this salad?
Absolutely—thinly sliced radishes, carrots, or bell peppers are all delicious additions that bring more color and crunch to your Korean Cucumber Salad.
Final Thoughts
If you’re searching for a dish that’s as cheerful and satisfying as it is effortless, Korean Cucumber Salad is it! I hope you’ll give this zesty, colorful side a try—once you’ve tasted its crispy tang, you’ll be dreaming up new excuses to make it all season long.
Print
Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Marinating
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Korean Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and tangy dish that makes a perfect side for any meal. Crisp cucumbers are marinated in a flavorful blend of soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, and chili oil, then topped with sesame seeds and green onions for added depth of flavor.
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2–3 tsp chili oil
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 3 tbsp green onions, diced (optional)
Salad:
- 5 mini cucumbers or 2-3 regular-sized cucumbers (about 4 cups)
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, and green onion. Add rice vinegar and all of the oil. Mix well to coat.
- Prepare Cucumbers: Using a spiralizer or a knife, slice the cucumbers thinly. Salt the cucumbers and let sit for 8-12 minutes. Rinse with water, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the cucumbers in a bowl. Pour the rice vinegar marinade over the cucumbers and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve: Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of chili oil to suit your preferred level of spiciness.
- For added crunch, you can leave the cucumbers slightly under marinated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
