Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
This Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad is the ultimate summer side dish—crunchy, refreshing, tangy, and perfectly spicy. Smashed cucumbers soak up a bold, umami-packed dressing made with gochujang, garlic, sesame oil, and scallions. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and ready in under 30 minutes. Serve it as a cold side dish, light appetizer, or pair with rice for a complete meal.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 24 ounces 680g cucumbers (Persian, Japanese, Korean, or English)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 2 scallions sliced on a bias (separate whites and greens)
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds toasted
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chile paste
- ½ tablespoon gochugaru Korean red chile flakes
- 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar or organic cane sugar
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
Instructions
- Wash and dry cucumbers. Slice off ends and cut lengthwise.
- Smash cucumbers using the flat side of a heavy knife. Tear into bite-sized pieces.
- Transfer smashed cucumbers to a colander. Sprinkle with kosher salt and toss.
- Weigh cucumbers down with a bag of ice or frozen peas. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
- After resting, shake off or squeeze excess water from cucumbers.
- Slice shallot thinly and slice scallions on a bias. Separate greens for garnish.
- In a bowl, whisk together gochujang, gochugaru, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sweetener, and garlic.
- Add cucumbers, scallion whites, and shallots to the dressing. Massage dressing into cucumbers for about 1 minute.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallion greens. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Best cucumbers: Persian, Korean, or Japanese for crunch and ease of smashing. Avoid pole cucumbers.
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–4 minutes until golden.
- Use 1 tablespoon of gochujang for less heat, or adjust to your taste.
- Leftovers stay flavorful even with water release. The extra sauce is great over rice.
- This salad is best served cold and fresh, but keeps well in the fridge for 1–2 days.
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–4 minutes until golden.
- Use 1 tablespoon of gochujang for less heat, or adjust to your taste.
- Leftovers stay flavorful even with water release. The extra sauce is great over rice.
- This salad is best served cold and fresh, but keeps well in the fridge for 1–2 days.