Korean Marinated Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)

5 from 6 votes

on May 03, 2021, Updated Aug 14, 2024

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Spicy Korean marinated cucumber Salad! (Oi Muchim!) We LOVE to keep these handy in the fridge. This Asian cucumber salad recipe is best served with your favorite meats and vegetables (my choice is Hanger Steak in Lettuce Wraps! Soaked and salted cucumbers are tossed with gochugaru and vinegar. They taste SO good and the perfect crunch and the perfect side dish.

What are Korean pickles?
Ingredients you need for your spicy Korean cucumber salad
How do you make this cucumber side dish?
What do you serve with this Asian cucumber salad recipe?
Korean Marinated Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) Recipe

What are Korean pickles?

These marinated cucumbers (also can be called cucumber kimchi and Oi Muchim) are an extremely popular Korean side dish (type of cucumber pickles), also called Banchan. Banchan means “side dish” in Korean, traditionally there are many different Banchan served in traditional Korean food like cabbage kimchi, pickled radishes and more!

Whenever I’m eating at a Korean bbq restaurant, I will always re-order the cucumber kimchi – the perfect bite and refreshing crunch, and the most delicious recipe. Additionally, sometimes I’ll even just have over rice with a fried egg/soft boiled egg and some seaweed, delicious!

Ingredients you need for your spicy Korean cucumber salad

Persian cucumbers: Kirby cucumbers and English cucumbers will do, but I definitely prefer Persian or Japanese cucumbers for this!
kosher salt
scallions/green onions
clove of garlic
*Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, Korean red pepper flakes) or red pepper chili powder, chili flakes work too
sesame seeds
rice vinegar
sugar
sesame oil
Fish sauce and soy sauce (optional) we are omitting in this recipe, but feel free to add a few dashes to the pickling mixture if you prefer!

What is Gochugaru?

Gochugaru is a Korean red pepper flake. I recommend the finer flakes for this recipe, but you can use course if you prefer. If you can’t access these flakes, red pepper/chili flakes work as well.

How do you make this cucumber side dish?

Prep your cucumbers

First, slice cucumbers in rounds. In a medium bowl, toss and season cucumbers with salt for 20 minutes to let the excess moisture and excess liquid come out.

After that, rinse out the liquid, draining well in a colander and dry well. ⁠

Mix cucumbers ⁠with your pickling mixture

Second, add your cucumbers in a bowl with grated garlic, gochugaru, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Marinate for 30 minutes, serve!

Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. ⁠

What do you serve with this Asian cucumber salad recipe?

I would serve these with Steak Ssam with Spicy Pickled Cucumbers or Korean Roasted Chicken with Ginger Scallion Sauce, you can’t go wrong with either!

If you do make these Korean Marinated Cucumber Salad (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!

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Chopped cucumbers marinated with Korean spices and sesame seeds in a bowl.

5 from 6 votes