Description
This Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and vibrant dish that combines cool cucumbers with a tangy, spicy dressing. Perfect as a side dish or a light appetizer, it’s easy to make and packed with flavor!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–3 English or Kirby cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more, depending on the amount of cucumber)
- 2–3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2–3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar (granulated sugar works best)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
Instructions
- First, wash your cucumbers thoroughly. For English or Kirby cucumbers, leave the skin on for extra texture and nutrients. If using thicker-skinned varieties, peel them.
- Slice the cucumbers into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick rounds or cut them lengthwise in half, then slice them into 1/4-inch thick half-moons.
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl. Sprinkle them generously with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss well to ensure all the cucumber slices are coated.
- Let the cucumbers sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Transfer the cucumbers to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Squeeze them firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the extracted liquid.
- While the cucumbers are salting, prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine gochugaru, minced garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onions.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Adjust the taste if needed.
- Add the thoroughly squeezed and dried cucumber slices to the bowl with the prepared dressing.
- Using your hands or a spoon, gently toss the cucumbers with the dressing until every slice is coated.
- Your Koreanischer Gurken Salat is ready to be enjoyed immediately! For the best flavor, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra sesame seeds or sliced green onions just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No cooking required
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Choose English or Kirby cucumbers for the best texture. Don't skip the salting step to ensure a crisp salad. Adjust the dressing ingredients to suit your taste preferences.