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    Home » Recipes

    Sweet & Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

    Published: Oct 25, 2022 · Modified: Jul 11, 2024 by Audrey Sommer · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments · 1633 words. · About 9 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    When I was growing up, my mom always made the best Korean cucumber salad recipe to go with dinner. It was one of my favorite side dishes she made, as cucumbers were one of my favorite vegetables at the time. They still are. She always called it cucumber relish and soaked raw cucumbers in rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper. She would then serve this Asian cucumber salad with freshly steamed white rice, kimchi, and whatever stir fry she was making that night.

    I love making this Asian cucumber salad today because it reminds me of the Korean food I ate growing up, and is super nostalgic for me. Not only that, but Korean cucumber salad is super quick and easy to make. It requires no cooking and takes no more than 5 minutes to assemble. It’s chilled and ready to serve in 30 minutes.

    In this spicy cucumber salad recipe, I’ll show you how to make easy Korean cucumber salad, the ingredients you’ll need, and tips to make it the best.

    Korean cucumber salad in small bowls with kimchi

    Table of Contents

    • What is Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)?
    • What are Korean Cucumbers?
    • Should I Use Korean Cucumbers in This Recipe?
    • Is Korean Cucumber Salad Healthy?
    • Ingredients for Easy Korean Cucumber Salad
    • How to Make Asian Cucumber Salad
    • Can You Meal Prep Cucumber Salad?
    • How Long Will Cucumber Salad Last?
    • What to Serve with Asian Cucumber Salad
    • More Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try
    • Other Salad Recipes to Try

    What is Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)?

    Korean Salad is a quick pickled cucumber salad that is a very popular side dish to Korean classics, like Korean BBQ and Kimchi Tofu Stew. You mix sliced raw cucumbers in a vinegar dressing with sesame oil, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar.

    In Korean, Oi means “cucumber”, and Muchim means “to season” or “to coat”. So, Oi Muchim literally means to season or coat cucumbers.

    What are Korean Cucumbers?

    Korean cucumbers can be found in your local Korean grocery store. They are longer and thinner than regular cucumbers. They are commonly used for raw salads.

    korean cucumbers

    Should I Use Korean Cucumbers in This Recipe?

    No, you don’t! If you don’t have easy access to Korean cucumbers, then English, Persian, and pickling cucumbers work great. When I make this recipe, I usually use English or Persian cucumbers.

    If you want to use Korean cucumbers in this salad, then I recommend going to your local Korean grocery store if you have one nearby. You can find one by googling “Korean grocery store near me” or “Asian grocery store near me”.

    Is Korean Cucumber Salad Healthy?

    Yes, Korean cucumber salad is extremely healthy for you! Cucumbers in general are full of water and fiber and help you stay hydrated and regular. They also contain high amounts of vitamin K and A, which helps with the health of your bones, vision, immune system, and reproduction.

    Rice vinegar can also have many benefits for your health. It can improve your digestive system and can help with fatigue. The amino acids in rice vinegar can help manage weight, improve your immunity, and increase your cardiovascular health.

    chopped cucumber

    Ingredients for Easy Korean Cucumber Salad

    Cucumbers: Cucumbers are the star of this dish. You can use Korean cucumbers, English cucumbers, Persian or pickling cucumbers. It’s also common to use a variety of cucumbers if you want.

    Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar will pickle the cucumber and give it that tangy, sour taste. Plus, it will slightly preserve it and make it last longer.

    Salt: Salt has a couple of uses for this Korean cucumber salad. In many classic recipes, you can add salt to the raw, freshly-cut cucumbers and let them sit for 30 minutes. This will draw out the extra water from the cucumbers. After the cucumbers sit, you’ll mix the dried-out cucumbers with the vinegar mixture. In my recipe, I don’t ask you to soak the cucumbers in salt first, as that can increase the time it takes to make the salad. However, you can do it if you want. Salt is used to also bring out the flavors of the sauce ingredients, like gochugaru, sesame oil, and vinegar.

    Soy Sauce: Soy sauce will add umami flavor to the salad, and add darkness of color as well.

    Honey: Sugar is the classic ingredient to add sweetness to this Korean cucumber salad. However, I replace sugar with honey in this recipe to make it healthier.

    Gochugaru: Gochugaru is ground Korean red peppers with a uniquely sweet, spicy, and smoky flavor. The peppers are sun-dried, de-seeded, and coarsely ground. It’s most commonly found in Korean or Asian grocery stores. You can also order it online if you don’t have Korean grocery stores near you. Gochugaru is hard to substitute, but if you must, you can replace it with red chili pepper flakes or chili powder.

    Ground Black Pepper: Adding pepper will be similar to salt. It will add extra flavor and spice to the raw salad.

    Sesame Oil: I love sesame oil. In this Asian cucumber salad, sesame oil will add a nutty and smoky flavor that will make it taste so much better.

    Other optional ingredients you can add to this cucumber salad in vinegar are minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and scallions.

    dressing ingredients
    These are the brands of products I like for the Korean cucumber salad dressing.

    How to Make Asian Cucumber Salad

    Cut the cucumbers: Cut 1 cucumber into 1-inch disks. Place them in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.

    Make the dressing: Using a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt, honey, soy sauce, ground black pepper, and gochugaru.

    Pour the dressing over the cucumbers: Pour the dressing over the cucumbers. Stir the cucumbers with a spoon, so that all the cucumbers are evenly coated with the dressing.

    Refrigerate for 30 minutes: Cover the bowl of cucumbers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then serve with your favorite Korean dishes. Try my Korean Beef Rice Bowl with it! You can skip this step and serve it right away if you’re in a hurry.

    Finished Korean cucumber salad

    Can You Meal Prep Cucumber Salad?

    Yes! This is a perfect salad for meal prep. I usually make a big batch of this and store it in the fridge for the whole week. This way, I can have it with all my meals or as a snack.

    Store the salad in an air-tight container and put it in the back of the fridge to maintain maximum freshness.

    How Long Will Cucumber Salad Last?

    This Korean cucumber salad can last up to a week in the fridge. However, just note that more water will excrete from the cucumbers over time. So, I recommend using a slated spoon when you serve it, to get rid of the excess water and vinegar.

    It will continue to pickle over the week. If you want to freshen it up, you can add more fresh cucumbers or choose to garnish the Korean salad with scallions (green onions) or sesame seeds. I personally add more fresh cucumbers to my bowl of vinegar when the cucumber levels get low. This adds freshness and gives me more spicy cucumber salad.

    Korean cucumber salad up close

    What to Serve with Asian Cucumber Salad

    You can serve cucumber salad with your favorite Asian-Inspired dishes or Korean recipes. I personally love it with my Korean Beef Rice Bowl, served with freshly steamed white rice and kimchi. You can also serve it with Bibimbap, Japchae, Kimchi Tofu Stew, or Bulgogi. It’s particularly yummy with beef dishes.

    You can also serve this quick Korean cucumber salad with other Asian dishes, like stir fry, dim sum, noodles, sweet and sour soup, fried rice, and sushi.

    Korean cucumber salad in small bowls

    More Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try

    • Chicken Green Bean Mushroom Stir Fry
    • Korean Beef Rice Bowl
    • Easy Teriyaki Chicken
    • Chinese Chicken Salad

    Other Salad Recipes to Try

    • Healthy Greek Quinoa Salad with Simple Lemon Vinaigrette
    • Recipe for Strawberry Salad [with Basil and Lemon]
    • Green Goddess Dressing
    • Quick Pickled Beet Salad
    • Garden Garbanzo Bean Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
    • Best Cucumber and Beetroot Salad
    Korean cucumber salad in a bowl

    Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

    Audrey Sommer
    This Korean Cucumber Salad is a simple and quick-to-make raw cucumber salad. It's a popular Korean side dish or banchan. Made with cucumbers and dressing made of rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil, honey, and black pepper.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 2 minutes mins
    Refrigeration Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine Korean
    Servings 4
    Calories 31 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 English cucumber or 4 Persian cucumbers
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • ½ cup rice wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp. soy sauce
    • 1 tsp. honey
    • 1 tsp. gochugaru
    • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
    • ½ tsp. sesame oil

    Instructions
     

    • Taking a knife, cut the ends of the cucumber off. Then, cut the cucumber in half length-wise and into one-inch pieces. If you’re using Persian cucumbers, just cut them into 1-inch rounds.
    • Place the cut cucumbers in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
    • In a small bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, gochugaru, salt, honey, sesame oil, and ground black pepper. Stir together with a whisk.
    • Put the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers, making sure the cucumbers are fully covered by the vinegar mixture. You can mix everything together with a spoon to make sure the vinegar dressing is evenly coating the cucumbers. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid.
    • Refrigerate in the fridge for 30 minutes or preferably overnight. If you’re strapped for time, then skip the 30 minutes of refrigeration. You can either chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes or serve it right away. However, chilling it will yield the best result.
    • When you serve the cucumber salad, I recommend using a slotted serving spoon to drain the vinegar from the cucumbers.

    Notes

    • If you want more of a pickle, then double the recipe for the vinegar mixture, and allow it to refrigerate overnight.

    Nutrition Facts

    Nutrition Facts
    Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
    Serving Size
     
    4
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    31
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    0.1
    g
    1
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    0.4
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    0.3
    g
    Sodium
     
    330
    mg
    14
    %
    Potassium
     
    142
    mg
    4
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    5
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    446
    IU
    9
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    2
    mg
    2
    %
    Calcium
     
    20
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Calories
    31
    Serving Size
     
    4
    Nutrition Facts

    These values were taken from a nutrition calculator.

    Keyword Asian cucumber salad, cucumber pickle, cucumber salad in vinegar, easy, healthy salad, Korean cucumber salad, meal prep, quick, spicy korean cucumber salad recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen

      October 26, 2022 at 12:31 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I am obsessed with cucumber salad and love this Korean twist! The flavor is fresh, healthy and leaves you wanting more and more! Great for meal prepping too. Will make again!

      Reply
      • Audrey Sommer

        October 28, 2022 at 9:28 pm

        I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Deanna | Life By Deanna

      October 26, 2022 at 3:06 am

      I love cucumbers so I need to make this!!

      Reply
    3. Matej @ CookWeWill.Com

      October 26, 2022 at 12:47 pm

      5 stars
      This salad was SO simple to prepare but the combination worked surprisingly well. I'm amazed how so few ingredients turned into something this good 🙂

      Reply
      • Audrey Sommer

        October 28, 2022 at 9:27 pm

        Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. amy liu dong

      October 26, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      Such an easy, simple, delicious, and healthy dish to make for me tonight. Perfect for my diet.

      Reply
    5. Oscar

      October 26, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      Korean is my favorite cuisine and I have had this in restaurants many times but never made it. This turned out even better than I've had in restaurants and was so flavorful. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Audrey Sommer

        October 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm

        Of course! I'm glad you liked it

        Reply
    5 from 4 votes

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    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Audrey! I've been cooking and developing recipes for over 10 years. I've always been passionate about sharing healthy food with others. I started cooking when I was very young. I would help my mom in the kitchen, and that's when I started my love of food.

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