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Crunchy Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

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Korean flavors are everywhere—and this crunchy, spicy cucumber salad is one of the easiest ways to bring them into your kitchen. Refreshing, flavorful, and ready in minutes.

Crunchy Korean spicy cucumber salad (oi muchim) made with gochugaru, sesame oil, and scallions served in a bowl.

If you love crisp, refreshing textures with a pop of heat, this Korean Crunchy Spicy Cucumbers recipe will become your new go-to. It’s bright, crunchy, mildly spicy, and endlessly versatile—pairing beautifully with rice bowls, Korean BBQ, bulgogi, grilled chicken, noodles, tofu, seafood, tacos, and any rich dish that needs a refreshing lift. With Korean flavors trending everywhere, this easy banchan brings the excitement of modern Korean cooking straight to your table.

About the Recipe

This dish is inspired by traditional Korean banchan, the small side dishes served with every Korean meal. In Korean homes, banchan is as essential as rice—meals feel incomplete without them. They offer balance, variety, texture, color, and nutrition, and they reflect the heart of Korean cooking: harmony and abundance.

Cucumber banchan (oi muchim) is especially beloved because it’s incredibly easy, customizable, and always refreshing. The star ingredient, gochugaru, is one of the most important condiments in Korean cuisine. It provides gentle heat, a touch of natural sweetness, and a vibrant red color. You can find gochugaru at almost any H-Mart or Korean grocery store—and increasingly at stores like Whole Foods or Wegmans as Korean cooking becomes more mainstream.

This is the dish I reach for when I want something fast, flavorful, and energizing—especially with my Easy Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowls. But it truly pairs well with nearly everything: rice bowls, grilled meats, stir-fried noodles, and even tacos.

 

Why This Recipe Works

⭐ The salt step matters

Salting draws moisture out of the cucumbers, resulting in incredible crunch and concentrated flavor. Skip this step and your cucumbers will turn watery and bland.

⭐ The seasoning is balanced

Korean cooking is rooted in harmony—sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, and umami working together. Here, vinegar adds brightness, sesame oil gives richness, sugar balances heat, and garlic + sesame seeds bring depth.

⭐ It gets better as it sits

Serve immediately for maximum crunch or chill for 20 minutes to let flavors meld. Either way, the texture stays crisp and refreshing.

Nutrition Spotlight

Cucumbers are naturally hydrating and rich in minerals. Their high-water content provides gentle fiber that supports digestion, gut comfort, and steady energy.

Gochugaru contains antioxidants like vitamin A and carotenoids that support immunity, skin health, and inflammation balance. Its mild heat also promotes gastric motility and satisfaction.

Together, the hydrating cucumbers + antioxidant-rich spice blend create a dish that’s energizing, refreshing, and supportive of gut health.

 

So Easy to Make

Ingredients:

4 Persian cucumbers (or 2 English cucumbers), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar (or honey)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Salt the cucumbers
Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently and let sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry.

Make the seasoning
In a separate bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, sugar (or honey), garlic, and sesame seeds.

Combine
Add the cucumbers to the seasoning mixture and toss until fully coated.

Finish with scallions
Top with sliced scallions and adjust seasoning to taste.

Chill (optional)
Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes for even better flavor and crunch.

 

Variations & Tips

For more umami: Add a splash (1 tsp) of soy sauce or fish sauce.

For extra crunch: Use Persian cucumbers; add thinly sliced onions or julienned carrots.

For sweetness: Replace sugar with honey or agave.

For citrus brightness: Add a squeeze of lime or lemon.

Meal Prep & Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Best enjoyed within the first 24 hours for peak crunch.

Do not freeze—cucumbers lose all texture when frozen.

Because YOU Matter 💚

Food should make you feel energized, cared for, and excited to eat—and this simple Korean cucumber banchan is a perfect reminder. When you take that first crunchy, spicy, refreshing bite, remember: nourishing yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. The simplest recipes often give the most back.

You deserve meals that make you feel good and support your energy for the moments that matter most.

Because YOU matter. 💚

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Crunchy Korean spicy cucumber salad (oi muchim) made with gochugaru, sesame oil, and scallions served in a bowl.

Crunchy Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

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  • Author: Coco Park
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

A bright, crunchy, lightly spicy Korean cucumber salad (Oi Muchim) tossed with gochugaru, garlic, vinegar, and sesame oil. This refreshing banchan adds flavor, heat, and texture to bowls, BBQ, noodles, and quick weeknight meals — ready in minutes and naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, low sugar, and low carb.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 Persian cucumbers (or 2 English cucumbers), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (or honey)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
 

Instructions

1️⃣ Salt the cucumbers
Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry.

2️⃣ Make the seasoning
In a separate bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, sugar (or honey), garlic, and sesame seeds.

3️⃣ Combine
Add the cucumbers to the seasoning mixture and toss until fully coated.

4️⃣ Finish with scallions
Top with sliced scallions and adjust seasoning to taste. Add more gochugaru. More tang? A splash more vinegar. This is your dish.

5️⃣ Chill (optional but recommended)
Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes for even better flavor and crunch.

 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 55 kcal
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 340 mg
  • Fat: 3.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Picture of Haesung Park

Hi, my name is Coco

Creating delicious recipes for optimal energy is my passion and life's mission.

Life moves fast. You need simple, nutrient-dense recipes to keep your energy up. I’m so glad you’re here to explore delicious, wholesome meals with me!
ABOUT COCO
HEALTH BENEFITS
BH
Brain Health
DF
Dairy Free
GF
Gluten Free
GH
Gut Health
HF
High Fiber
HP
High Protien
LC
Low Carb
V
Vegeterian

Real Food for Real Energy