Description
This traditional Korean Spicy Cucumber Kimchi is a quick and flavorful kimchi-style salad made with crisp baby cucumbers, carrots, and onions tossed in a bold mix of gochugaru, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce. It’s the perfect spicy side dish to elevate any meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound seedless baby cucumbers (about 4 cups), sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
- ½ cup thinly sliced onions, quartered
- 1 tablespoon sliced basil leaves
- 1–2 tablespoons Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2–3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into thin rounds. Thinly slice carrots, onions (quartered first), and basil leaves.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cucumbers, carrots, onions, and basil.
- Add 1 tablespoon gochugaru, minced garlic, ginger, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Toss everything well to combine.
- Cover and let the mixture rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Taste and add more gochugaru or soy sauce as needed for preferred spice and saltiness.
- Serve immediately or within 2–3 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate for later use.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 1 week for best flavor and texture.
- Start with the lower amounts of chili flakes and soy sauce, then adjust to taste.
- This is a quick kimchi-style salad, not a fermented kimchi. It’s meant to be eaten fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.5 cup
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 225mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
