A staple in the arsenal of Korean side dishes, this easy Korean cucumber salad will be gobbled up in seconds. I've put my spin on it and made a healthier version; it's a little spicy, aromatic, crunchy, and sweet all at the same time.
Do you love going out to Korean BBQ restaurants? It's one of my favorite past-times and present day enjoyments.
While we lived in San Diego, we would go constantly. However since living here in Temecula, we do not go very often as we are over an hour away now.
Obviously, I love going to Korean barbecue spots for their food, but one of the main highlights for me is Banchan (Korean side dishes.)
They are typically served cold and include items such as (but not limited to): pickled radishes, scallion pancakes, fish cakes, kimchi, cold potatoes and/or potato salad, and my personal favorite: Korean cucumber salad.
Although this is something that is traditionally made with Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), I have made my recipe wiht Gochujang because 1) It's delicious and 2) it's more accessible.
You can find everything you will need for this salad at an Asian market but if you are near a Trader Joe's and shop there, you can get everything you need there (including the Gochujang- wow!)
Why you'll love this recipe
There are so many reasons you are going to fall in love with this cucumber salad.
First one being is how quick and easy it is to make. Anything that I can throw together in under 5 minutes is a huge win for me.
I love anything that is low maintenance- you simply dump everything together into a vessel, shake it up, and set it into the fridge and forget it.
In addition, leafy salads can get a bit boring for me. Also, if the dressing isn't served on the side, they quickly become soggy.
The magical thing about this Korean cucumber salad, the longer it sits and marinates, the more delicious it becomes.
It is typically gone within 24 hours anyway but if it were to sit in the fridge for a few days, it would be very, very yummy still.
Ingredients
Cucumbers: Any cucumber that is slim will work.
Coconut aminos: I love using coconut aminos in my Asian dishes. They are naturally gluten free and have a sweeter, less salty flavor than soy sauce does. No, they do not taste like coconut.
Rice vinegar: You can alternatively use white vinegar in this dish, but rice vinegar is my preference.
Toasted sesame oil: If you can get your hands on toasted sesame oil instead of regular sesame oil, it has more flavor and more complexity to it, but it's not a must.
Honey: Use regular honey instead of raw honey as it is thinner in consistency and will mix better into the sauce/marinade.
Gochujang: Gochujang paste is so wonderful in this dish. Alternatives would be gochugaru which are Korean red pepper flakes.
Sesame seeds: You can use white or black sesame seeds.
Cilantro: This is optional but wonderful as a garnish at the end.
Can you eat Korean cucumber raw?
You absolutely can and should.
Cucumber salad is always a dish that is eaten raw.
If you were to go to a Korean restaurant, marinated cucumbers would be served with the rest of Banchan (all typically served cold.)
You can serve it with any favorite protein of yours:
- Grilled shrimp or meat
- Rice and noodle dishes
- Barbecue dishes
This would traditionally be served alongside any Korean dish you'd find at a restaurant. You can also include kimchi as another side, marinated potatoes, fish cakes, etc.
How to make gochujang cucumber salad
Add sliced cucumbers into a large vessel that you can shake vigorously.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Put a lid on it and shake very well until everything is well combined.
Transfer to a shallow Tupperware container so the cucumbers are covered by the marinade well.
Put the container into the refrigerator and let it sit for at least 4-6 hours but overnight is best.
Serve with extra black or white sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
What cucumber to use for Korean cucumber salad?
Feel free to use whatever kind of cucumbers you can get your hands on.
I used Persian in this recipe because they are widely accessible.
However, you can use Korean cucumbers as well or any long and slim cucumber will work.
The thicker cucumbers will need to be peeled and release too much liquid, so I would steer clear of those.
Additionally, thick cucumbers hold a lot of seeds, and that would not bode well to the texture and flavor of the finish product.
Love this cucumber salad recipe? Here are more you may enjoy:
Easy Korean Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Persian cucumbers sliced into ¼" rounds
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 2.5 tablespoon Gochujang
- 3 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
- black sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Add sliced cucumbers into a large vessel that you can shake vigorously.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Put a lid on it and shake very well until everything is well combined.
- Transfer to a shallow Tupperware container so the cucumbers are covered by the marinade well.
- Put the container into the refrigerator and let it sit for at least 4-6 hours but overnight is best.
- Serve with extra black or white sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Cucumbers: Using Persian cucumbers or any long and slim cucumber will work well.
- Coconut aminos: I love using coconut aminos in my Asian dishes. They are naturally gluten free and have a sweeter, less salty flavor than soy sauce does. No, they do not taste like coconut.
- Toasted sesame oil: If you can get your hands on toasted sesame oil instead of regular sesame oil, it has more flavor and more complexity to it, but it's not a must.
- Honey: Use regular honey instead of raw honey as it is thinner in consistency and will mix better into the sauce/marinade.
- Sesame seeds: You can use white or black sesame seeds.
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