Description
A quick and easy Korean cucumber kimchi or spicy Asian cucumber salad recipe that’s spicy, sweet, and tangy. A crisp, refreshing side dish that’s ready in minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb Persian or English cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or your preferred sweetener
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
- 1 tablespoon Korean red pepper flakes or your choice of chili peppers
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wash and prep: Rinse cucumbers well, trim the ends, and slice thinly (thickness is up to you). I’m using a mandoline slicer for even thickness.
- Salt the cucumbers: Add the slices to a medium bowl and toss with salt (1 tsp) until evenly coated. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Gently squeeze out most of the water and excess salt, but do not rinse. Transfer to a clean mixing bowl.
- Add seasonings: Mix in soy sauce (1-1/2 tsps), sugar (1 tsp), rice vinegar (1-1/2 tsps), sesame oil (1-1/2 tsps), garlic (2 cloves, minced), and Korean red pepper flakes (1 tbsp). Taste and adjust as needed.
- Finish: Mix in roasted sesame seeds (1 tbsp) and serve right away for the best texture. You can also store it in the fridge in a closed container for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: No cook
- Category: side dish
- Cuisine: Asian, Korean