Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

This gently spicy Korean cucumber salad is so easy to make and ready in 10 minutes. This easy recipe retains the refreshingly crisp and crunchy texture of cucumber even a few days after you made. Korean cucumber salad makes an excellent side dish to any of your main dishes.

When it comes to the bounteous summer where I see lots of garden fresh cucumbers, I often make this crisp Korean spicy cucumber salad as an easy side dish to complement my Korean Main dishes or other Asian dishes.

In Korean, cucumber salad is called oi muchim (오이무침). Oi means ‘cucumber’, and muchim is a cooking action of ‘tossing with seasoning by hand’. It is a Korean traditional way of tossing various vegetable salad with seasoning. You will find the muchim techniques in this easy recipe and how to work it.

Since it is one of the simplest Korean side dishes and it only takes just a few minutes from start to finish, you might make this salad routinely throughout the summer or even in the middle of winter. It’s gently spicy – of course, tangy, sweet and crunchy, this cucumber salad will be a great companion to my 30-minute Crispy Beef Bulgogi, LA Galbi, or Chicken Bulgogi. I guarantee that everyone will enjoy this refreshing salad.

Also, you can adjust the amount of spiciness by reducing the amount of Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) according to your taste. How good is that?

Which Cucumbers are best for making Korean cucumber salad

• Korean cucumber – the best option
• Kirby cucumber (pickling cucumber)
• English cucumber
• Persian or Lebanese cucumber

Korean cucumber is the best option if you have an access to it. It is light in green color and slender and bumpy with thin skin. They contain less seeds and very crispy, which makes a perfect choice for cucumber salad.

The next best option would be Kirby cucumber (aka pickling cucumber), English, Persian, or Japanese cucumber.

If you only have waxy American cucumber, you should peel off some of the skin. The skin of waxy cucumber are too thick and fibrous, it makes salad unpleasant and bitter in taste.

What makes this recipe different?

Two things I recommend to try to get the best result.

1. Pre-season the cucumber slices with a little amount of salt fro 5 minutes to extract the water out of cucumber. By removing some of the moisture, it helps cucumber to remain its crispness all the way and prevent the seasoning from being diluted after salad is tossed. I also recommend to wack your cucumber gently 2-3 times before you slice.
2. Add a tiny amount of Korean chili paste (gochujang) along with Korean chili flakes (gochugaru). It is optional but the gochujang adds thickness to the seasoning, which helps the seasoning to bind with cucumbers better.

How to make Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

Step 1: Wack the cucumber gently 2-3 times using a meat hammer or rolling pin to loosen it up.

Step 2: Slice cucumbers into thin slices. around 1/8-inch, and put them in a bowl. Toss the cucumber slices with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Step 3: When you see some water being extracted from the cucumber, drain the water off.

Step 4: Add the thinly sliced onion (or chopped green onion), Korean chili flakes, Korean chili paste, vinegar, garlic, sugar, Korean soup soy sauce (or tuna sauce), sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds.

Step 5: Using your fingers and thumb, rub the Korean chili paste to loosen up and mingle with other seasoning ingredients.

Step 6: Start tossing the cucumber all together until cucumber slices are well coated with the seasoning. Taste and add more salt if needed

Serve this cucumber salad right away or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This cucumber salad should always be stored in the fridge up to 5 days.

More Cucumber Recipes

• How To Make Best Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-sobagi)
• Quick Beef and Cucumber Stir-Fry
• Korean Chicken Salad (Dak Nangchae)

This recipe was originally posted in June 2010. I’ve updated the recipe with a few changes, new photos, and more information.

Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

Holly Ford

This spicy Korean cucumber salad is cool and refreshing. It retains its crunchy texture for a long time and makes a perfect side dish to any Korean or Asian Main dish.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Comment

Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Korean

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Korean cucumber, English cucumber, or 2 Kirby cucumbers
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 small onion, thinly sliced or 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
• 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 2 tsp Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
• 2-3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil optional
• 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• kosher salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Wack the cucumber gently 2-3 times using a meat hammer or rolling pin to loosen it up.
• Slice cucumbers into thin slices. around 1/8-inch, and put them in a bowl. Toss the cucumber slices with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes. When you see some water being extracted from the cucumber, drain the water off.
• Add the thinly sliced onion (or chopped green onion), Korean chili flakes, Korean chili paste, vinegar, garlic, Korean soup soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds.
• Using your fingers and thumb, rub the Korean chili paste to loosen up and mingle with other seasoning ingredients and start tossing the cucumber all together until cucumber slices are well coated with the seasoning. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Serve this cucumber salad right away or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This cucumber salad should always be stored in the fridge up to 5 days.

Keyword cucumber, cucumber salad, Korean cucumber salad, Korean cucumber side dish, oi muchim, spicy cucumber salad, summer

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