Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
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5.0
183 reviews
Excellent
Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
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Crafted with ease and taste in mind, this recipe is a great choice.
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Ingredients
Salad
- 24 ounces (680g) cucumbers* (Persian, Japanese, Korean, or English cucumbers)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced on a bias
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted or roasted**
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean red chile paste)***
- ½ tablespoon Gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)
- 1 ½ 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 crushed with a press
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Instructions
- Smash the cucumbers. Wash and dry the cucumbers and slice off the ends. Slice in half lengthwise. Grab your largest, heaviest knife (if you have a cleaver knife, use it) and smash the cukes by pressing the flat side of a heavy knife against them, using the heel of your palm (right above your wrist) to press down, similar to smashing down on a garlic clove to peel it.NOTE: If using large cucumbers like English cucumbers, it's hard to smash them whole. First, chop the cucumbers into 2- to 3-inch segments, then smash them.
- Salt the cucumbers. Tear the smashed cukes into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a colander fitted over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle the cucumbers with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and use your hands to toss until well coated. Place a resealable bag filled with ice and cold water (or a bag of frozen peas) on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down—this forces more water out. Rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or or up to 4 hours. Discard accumulated water and shake off excess water from the cucumbers.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallot. Slice the scallions on a hard bias, separating the dark greens for the garnish.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, gochugaru, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and garlic until well combined.
- After the cucumbers have rested, squeeze a handful of them until no water is dripping out, like you would a washcloth. Repeat with remaining cucumbers. Alternatively, you can run the cucumbers in a salad spinner afterwards.*****
- Assemble. Add the cucumbers, scallion whites/light greens, and shallots to the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the cukes for about a minute. Before serving, add the sesame seeds and scallion greens and toss gently.
Notes
- *I don't recommend using a pole cucumber, as they're less sweet and have a lot of seeds. Persian cucumbers, which are small, are the easiest to smash.
- ** You can buy pre-roasted sesame seeds, or toast raw sesame seeds yourself. To toast them, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sesame seeds and toast, stirring from time to time to prevent burning, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
- *** For moderate heat, use 1 tablespoon of gochujang.
- *** Toasted sesame oil imparts a rich, nutty flavor. I have tried many brands, and Ottogi is my favorite toasted sesame oil (affiliate link).
- Ottogi is my favorite toasted sesame oil
- **** If you are serving all of the cucumber salad at once, you can skip the step of wringing out the smashed cucumbers.
- General Notes
- This salad is best served chilled. It should be pretty chilled from the cucumbers resting in the fridge.
- If keeping leftovers, the cucumbers will release more water over time. Don't be alarmed—it doesn't water down the flavor, and the resulting sauce is delicious. Pour the sauce over cooked rice for an easy flavor boost.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
123kcal
(6%)
Carbohydrates
16g
(5%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Sodium
857mg
(36%)
Potassium
365mg
(10%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
551IU
(11%)
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Calcium
64mg
(6%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 123 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 123kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 857mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 365mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 551IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
183 reviews
Excellent
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