Korean cucumber salad with gochugaru

If you’re craving Korean flavors in the evening, but you don’t feel like paying restaurant prices and driving – then this is it Korean cucumber salad with gochugaru exactly the right thing for you. It’s on the table in ten minutes, tastes like our favorite Korean in the Ruhr area and saves every quick end of the day with a touch of Asia.

Even though I’m not the biggest salad lover, I love cucumber salads in any form. There are so many variations that I like – from the classic one with dill to the sweet and creamy grandma’s cucumber salad to this hot and spicy banchan classic. Cucumber is simply incredibly versatile and can be thought of in many different directions in just a few minutes. If you are looking for even more inspiration for fresh salads, you will also find what you are looking for in our Asian coleslaw with peanut dressing or the classic cucumber salad.

After several test evenings with different types of chili, amounts of vinegar and steeping times, we can say: This version hits the sweet spot between spiciness, sweetness and umami. Not too fiery, not too mild – just right to delight your guests who would otherwise be fine with spicy food. Our colorful carrot salad is similarly fresh and quick.

With this recipe everything depends on the quality of the few ingredients. Because the dressing is so minimalistic, you can taste every nuance – so it’s worth doing a quick double take when shopping.

Gochugaru are Korean chili flakes that are coarsely ground and have a fruity, smoky note. In contrast to classic chili powder, they taste milder and more complex – not just hot. We tried it out for a long time and can say: With Gochugaru the salad turns out well, with normal chili flakes it is usually just spicy. You can get Gochugaru in Asian stores, online and now also in well-stocked supermarkets. If you can’t find anything, use sweet paprika powder plus a pinch of cayenne pepper – not identical, but the best emergency solution.

Be sure to use toasted sesame oilnot the light yellow refined sesame oil. Only the roasted version brings the typical nutty aroma that makes the salad taste like Korea. A good shot is enough – too much makes the salad greasy and is simply too much in terms of taste.

A classic cucumber salad works great. If you get snack cucumbers, they are more flavorful and have fewer seeds. The most important thing is that the cucumber should be crisp and fresh – even the best dressing won’t save a soggy cucumber. With our classic cucumber salad, you can also try a cucumber, which we present differently here.

The be-all and end-all is preparing the cucumber. If you skip this step, you will end up with a watery salad with diluted dressing – and that would be a shame for the good gochugaru.

Salt, wait, drain water. Roughly chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and season generously with salt. After about ten minutes, liquid will come out of the cucumber – pour this water off. This way the cucumber stays crunchy and can fully absorb the dressing.

Don’t cut too finely. Oi Muchim lives from the bite. Bite-sized, coarse pieces (not thin slices) ensure that each cucumber gets the dressing and still remains crunchy.

Mix dressing separately. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl before adding them to the cucumber. This way the sugar dissolves cleanly and the chili flakes are distributed evenly – no hot spots, no uneven results.

Brewing time: short but effective. Letting it steep for five to ten minutes is enough. The cucumber will become soft longer and the lettuce will float in the water. For us, it has proven to be a good idea to chill the salad for a moment immediately after mixing and then serve it.

We tested countless variations before this one became our favorite. The crucial point: The perfect balance between spiciness, sweetness and umami – without one note overpowering the others. Many recipes are either too spicy or too sweet. Ours holds the middle.

We also set things up consciously only six ingredients. No garlic, no spring onions, no ginger – anyone who knows the original from Korea knows: sometimes less is more. The pure combination of cucumber, gochugaru and sesame oil needs no frills.

And best of all: the recipe is ready in ten minutes. When you come home after a long day, hungry and still want something fresh – this salad is your salvation. No cooking, no oven, no long handling.

This Korean cucumber salad with gochugaru is our little consolation when the nearest Korean BBQ location is too far away. Be sure to try it with a hearty barbecue evening – or with our Bulgogi grill skewers – and experience how Korea comes to your plate. We often read in the comments and on Instagram how much you enjoy our Asian recipes – feel free to send us your picture with @gernekochen, we are thrilled as always!