Korean cucumber salad recipe
Korean cucumber salad, Oi Muchim, is an easy & refreshing side dish. Quick pickled cucumbers tossed with a keto-friendly spicy cucumber dressing. Easy to make and delicious!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz. Persian cucumbers Korean, Japanese, Kirby, English, or pickling cucumbers
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
For the spicy cucumber salad dressing:
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 0.35 oz garlic cloves grated, 2 large
- 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp Gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp honey white sugar, or keto honey
Instructions
- Dice the cucumbers into ½-inch round cylinder-shaped pieces. In a large mixing bowl, toss them with salt and let rest for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the salad dressing in a bowl. It should taste garlicky, tangy, and a little spicy. Store it in the fridge.
- Rinse the cucumbers 2-3 times to remove the salt. The cucumbers should taste a little salty but not too salty. Pat them dry with a clean towel.
- Add the cucumbers to a large bowl and pour in the dressing. Toss well and serve!
Video
Notes
- Store: If the cucumbers are mixed with the dressing, the salad will last up to a week in the fridge.
- Make-ahead: Slice, salt, and pat dry the cucumbers. Store them in a container lined with clean paper towels in the fridge for up to 2 days. Before serving, toss them with the dressing.
- Best cucumbers for Korean salad: Korean cucumbers, Kirby cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers, or Persian cucumbers work well.
- Keto/Sugar-free option: Use keto honey as a substitute.
- Gochugaru substitute: There’s no perfect substitute for Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). Do not use Italian red pepper flakes, as they have a different flavor. If needed, substitute with gochujang paste.
- Non-spicy version: Simply skip the gochugaru for a milder salad.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg