If you’re looking for a quick, flavorful side dish, this spicy Korean cucumber salad (Oi Muchim) is one recipe you’ll want to keep on repeat. Thinly sliced cucumbers are tossed with gochugaru, garlic, green onion, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds for a salad that’s crisp, refreshing, and packed with bold Korean-inspired flavor. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, and comes together in just 15 minutes.
A Note From Kristen
I’ve been tweaking this Korean cucumber salad for years, making small adjustments to the dressing until every bite had the balance I was looking for. I wanted plenty of garlic, the nutty richness of toasted sesame oil, enough gochugaru to bring warmth without overwhelming the cucumbers, and just the right amount of tang from the rice vinegar. This is the version I keep coming back to, and I hope you love it as much as we do!
~Kristen
What is Korean Cucumber Salad?
Korean cucumber salad, also known as Oi Muchim (오이무침), is a classic Korean side dish, or banchan, made with crisp cucumbers tossed in a flavorful dressing of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. It’s known for its refreshing crunch and the perfect balance of spicy, tangy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors.
Unlike cucumber kimchi, Oi Muchim is not fermented and is meant to be enjoyed fresh. It’s commonly served alongside steamed rice, Korean barbecue, grilled tofu, or other Korean-inspired meals, making it one of the easiest and most popular Korean cucumber recipes to prepare at home.
Key Ingredients
A few quick notes on the ingredients that matter most. Find the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Korean Cucumber Salad
How to Store Spicy Cucumber Salad
Store any leftover Korean cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
My Favorite Ways to Serve
- Serve as a traditional banchan. Pair it with steamed rice and other Korean side dishes like cucumber kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, pickled vegetables, sautéed bok choy, or radish salad.
- Round out a Korean-inspired meal. It’s delicious alongside grilled tofu, my Korean BBQ baked beans, bibimbap, rice bowls, dumplings, or noodles.
- Add crunch to sandwiches and wraps. Tuck it into veggie wraps, burgers, or my Kimchi Grilled Cheese for a spicy, refreshing bite.
- Pile it onto tacos or quesadillas. The bright, tangy flavors pair surprisingly well with cheesy dishes!
- Use it as a topping. Spoon it over pizza, loaded fries, grain bowls, or baked potatoes for an easy burst of flavor.
- Enjoy it on its own! It’s just as delicious as a light snack straight from the refrigerator.
My Favorite Variations
- For a milder salad, reduce the amount of gochugaru.
- Add more brown rice syrup or your favorite sweetener for a sweeter flavor.
- Stir in a teaspoon of gochujang for a richer, bolder dressing.
- Add thinly sliced carrots or radishes for extra crunch!
More Delicious Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy
Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
Ingredients
- 2 Korean, Kirby or Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 green onion, white and green parts thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru Korean chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown rice syrup or Korean rice syrup or any sugar/sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds you can toast raw sesame seeds for a few minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat or buy pre-toasted sesame seeds
Method
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced cucumber and salt. Toss to coat, then allow to sit for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, squeeze the cucumbers with your hands and discard all excess liquid.
- Add the garlic, onion, gochugaru, sesame oil, brown rice syrup, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame seeds.
- Toss to coat and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.
I’ve made what I call Cucumber kimchee for years. I use Any cucumber and garlic and sesame oil and Gochugaru
We all love it.
It’s so good, isn’t it? Thanks so much for stopping by!
so easy to make and enjoy this delicious recipe.
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and share! 🙂
Please sub out the brown rice syrup for any other sweetener (I use honey). Brown rice syrup is really not great for you. Otherwise great recipe!
Hi, Belle! Thank you for stopping by. Yes, brown rice syrup has a high glycemic index, but I wanted to note here that it is a staple in Korean cooking and is used in this specific recipe to hold close to tradition. 🙂 I’m happy you enjoyed it!
I am a fan of spicy food and so, I had to make this salad immediately! It was super easy to make and took no effort! I ate the whole bowl by myself, it was that good. I served it as a side to stir fry and rice.
I grow cucumbers and always search for new recipes. This one is a keeper, I love the Korean chili flakes that add a nice spicy kick to the salad.
I loooved the spicy kick to this recipe, and the whole dish had such amazing authentic flavor. Loved every bite, and so did my guy! Yum!
Oh I loved this salad. i made for our lunch and everybody. loved it. This inspired me to cook more often Korean food.
This is my new favourite salad! I have it even for a snack sometimes. It is so easy to make and packs easily for my work lunch.
Mmm. This sounds fantastic! I mostly use gochugaru on a grilled zucchini recipe we love, but I am so glad to have another great way to use it!
This was the best version of cucumber salad I have made at home! I usually make a fairly simple version, but it will definitely be getting replaced with this from now on!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I love the spice and the crunch of this salad. I had no trouble just eating the whole bowl!
I made this as a side with chicken, bok choy and rice, and it brought everything together! It was just the right amount of spice and flavor, so even my spice-avert husband enjoyed it
Your cucumber salad recipe tastes amazing!! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Cucumber salad is always a favorite and I loved this Korean cucumber salad. Love all the flavors and the spicy kick. Yum!
These are all the flavors I absolutely love! I’m always needing good cucumber recipes as we get so many in the garden, and this is perfect. Thanks!
I had to get the last few ingredients from my local Asian grocery store but I’m glad I did! I looooved this salad! It was fresh, crunchy, a bit spicy, and tangy. So good!