Description
This Korean Cucumber Salad is a refreshing, tangy, and slightly spicy side dish featuring crunchy cucumbers tossed in a flavorful marinade of rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and chili oil. Perfect as a light appetizer or accompaniment to Korean meals, it’s quick to prepare and bursting with vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 5 mini cucumbers, or 2-3 regular cucumbers (about 4 cups), sliced thin or spiralized
- 1 tsp salt
Marinade
- 1.5 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2-3 tsp chili oil (adjust to spice preference)
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnish (optional)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp diced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, and diced green onions. Add the rice vinegar along with chili oil and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated and the sugar starts to dissolve.
- Slice the cucumbers: Using a spiralizer to create funny spirals or a sharp knife to slice the cucumbers thinly, place them in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let them sit for 8 to 12 minutes. This step helps remove excess water and crisp the cucumbers.
- Rinse and dry cucumbers: After the waiting period, rinse the cucumbers under cold water to remove the salt. Lay them onto paper towels and pat dry to absorb excess moisture. This prevents the salad from becoming watery.
- Toss cucumbers with marinade: Place the cucumbers back into a clean bowl. Pour over the prepared rice vinegar marinade. Toss everything gently but thoroughly so that the cucumbers are evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving plate or bowl. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and diced green onions on top if desired. Serve immediately or chilled for enhanced flavors.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chili oil to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder salad.
- Using a spiralizer adds a fun texture, but thin slices work beautifully as well.
- Allowing cucumbers to sit with salt helps reduce water content, keeping the salad crisp.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to a day.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 3.5g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
