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Called “oi muchim” in Korean, this easy Korean cucumber salad recipe is crunchy, spicy, and refreshing. It’s also paleo, keto, and vegan-friendly! It comes together quickly and is an easy make-ahead side dish that can be spruced up with fresh green onions and sesame seeds.
What is Oi Muchim?
Oi means cucumber and muchim means mixed with seasoning or dressing. If you are a bit intimidated by Korean cooking, this is one of my favorite quick and easy vegan Korean recipes that also happens to be paleo, Whole30, and keto.
This Korean cucumber banchan (banchan means side dish) has always been a part of my life growing up. It’s very common in many Korean households and is typically eaten with a bowl of rice and a main dish. Every household has its own oi muchim recipe with various amounts of spices and ingredients added to each.
Oi muchim is often served with Korean BBQ, so if you want to make this side dish, try pairing it with one of these yummy recipes: Korean BBQ short ribs or Korean pork ribs.
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
What Makes This Recipe Great
I love that you can make this Korean cucumber salad in just 30 minutes. Leftovers also keep well in the fridge, so I like to make a double batch to eat throughout the week.
The flavors are spicy, crunchy, and refreshing, with a bit of sweetness, and it’s just so wonderful served with rice and a meat dish. I think you’ll really enjoy my healthy version of oi muchim recipe!
How to Make Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
If you don’t count salt, you just need 6 main ingredients for this Korean cucumber salad recipe! It also takes just 5 minutes to prep, so you’ll make this delicious side in no time at all!
Ingredient Notes
- cucumbers: You’ll need 1 lb of crunchy cucumbers sliced thinly.
- garlic: This is NOT one of those recipes where you can triple the amount of garlic stated. Just 1 clove will add a powerful punch of flavor.
- gochugaru: These are Korean red pepper flakes, used commonly in Korean cooking. You can find them at a local Asian market or online.
- rice vinegar: You can also use apple cider vinegar if you don’t have this on hand.
- coconut aminos: A soy-free alternative to soy sauce, coconut aminos give a very similar flavor with a slight natural sweetness added in.
- sesame seeds: Use toasted sesame for the best flavor.
- chopped green onion: Optional, for garnish.
- coconut sugar: Another optional ingredient is coconut sugar since some recipes add a bit of sweetener to their oi muchim. It’ll give a nice balance of flavors, but omit it if you are in the middle of the Whole30 challenge.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers so they are about 1/8 inch thick. I like to use a mandolin slicer for consistency. Place the slices in a bowl.
- Add salt to the cucumber slices, then toss to coat. Let this sit for 20 minutes so the cucumbers can sweat.
- Drain any liquid released by tilting the bowl over the sink. Don’t squeeze the cucumbers.
- Add garlic, green onion, gochugaru, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and sesame seeds, then toss well to combine.
- Taste to adjust the seasoning: add more gochugaru for spice, vinegar for tanginess, and/or coconut sugar for a bit of sweetness.
- Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- The Best Cucumbers: The crunchier the better! I like to use Kirby or pickling cucumbers since they still hold their crunch even after getting salted. If you have other types of cucumbers, they’ll still work but know that they may lose their crunch.
- Make-Ahead: This dish is easy to make ahead because it stores well in the refrigerator and the flavors continue to meld together and become even tastier! Make it the day before an event or make a big batch to eat throughout the week. Toss it and garnish before serving.
Storage Tips
- To save the leftovers, place the oi muchim in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not freeze this salad, since the cucumbers will get soggy once defrosted.
Recipe FAQs
Unfortunately, the flavor just isn’t the same without gochugaru. The good news is that they aren’t too hard to find at a local Asian grocery store these days or even online.
However, if you don’t have it on hand, you can just omit it completely from this recipe. It won’t have the same Korean flavors, but it’ll still turn into a nice and refreshing cucumber salad.
Yes! This important step removes excess water from the cucumbers so they are extra crunchy! If you skip this step, your cucumbers might end up a bit soggy.
Try These Korean Side Dishes
Kkakdugi – Korean Radish Kimchi (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegan Option)
Korean-Style Scallion & Potato Pancakes
Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
Paleo & Whole30 Korean Steak Bites – Stovetop or Air Fryer (AIP Option)
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Easy Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb cucumbers, Kirby or pickling (about 2-3)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 tsp gochugaru, Korean chili flakes
- 2 tsp rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp coconut sugar, omit for Whole30
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers so they are about 1/8 inch thick. I like to use a mandolin slicer for consistency. Place the slices in a bowl.
- Add salt to the cucumber slices, then toss to coat. Let this sit for 20 minutes so the cucumbers can sweat.
- Drain any liquid released by tilting the bowl over the sink. Don't squeeze the cucumbers.
- Add garlic, green onion, gochugaru, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and sesame seeds, then toss well to combine.
- Taste to adjust seasoning: add more gochugaru for spice, vinegar for tanginess, and/or coconut sugar for a bit of sweetness.
- Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.
Notes
Expert Tips
- The Best Cucumbers: The crunchier the better! I like to use Kirby or pickling cucumbers since they still hold their crunch even after getting salted. If you have other types of cucumbers, they’ll still work but know that they may lose their crunch.
- Make-Ahead: This dish is easy to make ahead because it stores well in the refrigerator and the flavors continue to meld together and become even tastier! Make it the day before an event or make a big batch to eat throughout the week. Toss it and garnish before serving.
Storage Tips
- To save the leftovers, place the oi muchim in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not freeze this salad, since the cucumbers will get soggy once defrosted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Looks amazing! Can we use red pepper flakes if we donโt have gochugaru?
It won’t have the same Korean flavors but it’ll work!
I did the cucumber salad and I had to say it was one of the best I ever had! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much, Radu!
I’m so glad that I decided try out this Korean Cucumber Salad. It has wonderful flavor and tasted oh so fresh! I will definitely be making it again. It paired well as a side to Kongnamul Bap from the Korean Paleo cookbook.
So tasty. Great use for all the cucumbers weโre picking from our garden daily. Will be making this over and over again.
Thank you so much!! I bet it’s so much tastier from your own garden.
So easy and delicious! Thereโs plenty of flavor even without any sugar. I went the Whole30 version. Sure it would pair well with some rice or a protein as well. Refreshing too since itโs a cold ban chan โบ๏ธ Definitely putting it in rotation.
I’m so glad you liked it, Monica! Definitely a refreshing and delicious ban chan for any meal. ๐