When I lived in Korea, I was shown this Korean Cucumber salad, made with cucumbers, green onions, and sesame seeds. Goes good with Bulgogi (Korean Barbecued Beef) from this site!!
This is excellent. The second time I made it I used sesame oil instead of vegetable, Rice vinegar and added some Gari (pickled ginger) Brought it to work and everyone raved!
Read MoreThis is alright, but not great. The recipe should specify RICE vinegar as white vinegar is to pungent. There should also be some honey as is traditionally use in Korea. The sesame seeds don't need to be fried, just toast them in a dry pan. Replace the vegetable oil with dark sesame oil and add directly to the sauce mixture.
Read MoreThis is alright, but not great. The recipe should specify RICE vinegar as white vinegar is to pungent. There should also be some honey as is traditionally use in Korea. The sesame seeds don't need to be fried, just toast them in a dry pan. Replace the vegetable oil with dark sesame oil and add directly to the sauce mixture.
This is excellent. The second time I made it I used sesame oil instead of vegetable, Rice vinegar and added some Gari (pickled ginger) Brought it to work and everyone raved!
This was a nice, refreshing and easy "banchan" (korean sidedish). I often make it without the carrots, but increase the green onion. I like it with a little bit of sugar added, but it's nice as is.
This was really yummy. We made it a whole meal by pairing it with two other recipes from this site, Korean BBQ Beef and Korean squash as well as some jasmine rice. I added about 1tsp of sugar and next time I won't use quite as much red pepper flakes...Rachel
I really liked this dish. I used carrot sticks in mine and marinated mine for several hours before serving. I will have to cut down on the red pepper flakes next time, because it was a tad bit too spicy for me, but I will be making this again. Oh, and I got ahead of myself and didn't saute the sesame seeds (just threw all the ingredients in a container) oops. But it still came out good. It was the perfect compliment to rice and beef bulgogi, also from this site. Thanks!
This was great. I used rice vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic chili sauce instead of white vinegar, vegetable oil and red pepper flakes. It turned out perfect!
I can't speak to the authenticity of this recipe, having never experienced the real thing before, but I know what I like, and the dressing for this salad was far too astringent. I would increase the oil and choose sesame over vegetable, use rice vinegar, and add a teaspoon or two of sugar. Otherwise, the dressing is extremely unbalanced, resulting in something tart and sour.
These were good. I am a wimp when it comes to hot stuff but I was able to handle the red pepper. It was offset by the vinegar and it went well with the Korean Squash and the Korean Beef recipes from this site.
This was very tasty and a good side dish to serve with Korean BBQ Beef from this site.
I really liked this recipe - cukes, carrots with a twist. I added a little zucchini and red pepper since they were left over in the fridge. I served it with BBQ chicken and thought it was a nice, refreshing yet spicy side.
Nice! I really like the heat of this. I used rice vinegar instead of white because it made sense to me. Otherwise made as written and we all really enjoyed it. Thanks!
I added more hot pepper flakes. This went very well with the "Firey Pork Skewers" recipe I found on this site. I made sure it was served icy cold, for contrast.
We liked the tangy taste of this salad, but I do think it needs a bit of sugar added to even it out. It was better the next day, so next time, I will make it in advance. We had little ones joining us for dinner, so I left out the red pepper flakes, but have no doubt that they would add really nice heat to this salad, which I think it needs. Will use them for sure next time. I toasted my sesame seeds in the oven (a single layer on a 9" cake pan @ 375 for about 5-7 minutes) to skip the oil and that worked out great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I used rice wine vinegar and a 1/2 t sugar to make a sweet and hot dish that got rave reviews. I also marinated it for several hours. The white vinegar was too acidic.
Wow, what a firecracker of a recipe! My husband said it was very like what he ate when he did his tour of duty in South Korea. Thanks for the memories, as Bob Hope would say!
very nice counterpoint to a richer asian meal. i used half white vinegar, half rice vinegar. the white vin. gave it the zing and the rice vin. gave it the right flavor profile. used a dash of sesame oil instead of veg. oil. tasty
It was good, but I felt that there was far to much white vinegar. I did add some sugar, but I don't think that was what was needed, next time I'll try some of the other suggestions. I did not find it to be bland, the Korean's are great at making foods taste like themselves but with spunk. The cucumber was awesome!
Great recipe to start from but I thought it was too vinegary - I toned down the vinegar by a little bit, added brown sugar and sesame oil and it was a great side dish to the Korean BBQ marinade chicken and the Bulgogi from this site. Yum!
I would have rated this with more stars except I think that this recipe would be 5 stars if one were to use rice wine vinegar rather than just plain white...that's the only thing I would change.
Thanks for all the tips - I made this using seasoned rice vinegar. Because I like things spicy I toasted the sesame seeds with chili oil and didn't need any red pepper flakes. Wow it sure had a kick - but sooo good!!
Seemed like it was missing something. I tried a bit of sugar, not quite but better. Tried ground peanuts, still not it. I'm looking for something more in the dressing but I dont know what it is.
I used sesame oil instead of vegetable oil, and added a bit of sugar to balance out the acidity. Very refreshing side dish. I served it with pork pot stickers and Thai Cocunut Soup (from this site) for our Anniversary dinner. Yum!
Pretty good, but the kids couldn't handle the heat. I had to substitute red onions for green onions, only because my green onions had wilted. I will make it again with green onion.
Smells wonderful and tastes great! I only gave this recipe 4 stars because I ended up tweaking it a little. The sesame seeds and red pepper flakes were so overpowering I ended up adding another cucumber and carrot to balance out the flavor. Next time I make it I will only use 1 tbs sesame seeds and 1/4 tsp or less of the red pepper flakes. Other than that it goes great as a side to any Korean BBQ dish and compliments kimchi wonderfully!
This was just ok. I did use rice vinegar versus white and I am sure that helped a tad. It really needed sesame oil (which I didn't think about until after the fact) I also wasn't too keen on the Red Pepper Flakes being in this recipe. A chili oil would probably have suited this a bit better. I will say that after trying I did add a dash of salt and that helped the flavor a bit. I do feel it is a good 'starting point' to put my own spin on things but that's not how we rate the recipes here....
This was just ok. I did use rice vinegar versus white and I am sure that helped a tad. It really needed sesame oil (which I didn't think about until after the fact) I also wasn't too keen on the Red Pepper Flakes being in this recipe. A chili oil would probably have suited this a bit better. I will say that after trying I did add a dash of salt and that helped the flavor a bit. I do feel it is a good 'starting point' to put my own spin on things but that's not how we rate the recipes here....
This is an awesome salad. My husband and I made this last night and we just loved it. We ate it with Korean BBQ Beef from this site, like suggested. The only change that we made was we added more pepper's.... yum .... Thanks Kiatta
Made exactly per recipe. Good but....needed salt. I was surprised by how spicy (hot) this was. I eat a lot of Indian, hot curry, so wasn't too spicy for me, but if you don't like hot, might want to cut back on red pepper.
I made it exactly as written except I browned the sesame seeds in half sesame oil and half olive oil. Once it was all put together, I tasted the result and the flavor of vinegar was overpowering. I added more olive oil and sesame oil to the mix and I added half a red bell pepper for color. Can't say I'll make this again, but that doesn't mean others shouldn't give it a try.
Good, easy salad to make. My wife loved it, I was more just ok with it. Light and fresh
I was stationed in Korea during my military days and this is one of my favorite Korean dishes. Thanks for sharing. Very authentic.
Pretty tasty. I followed the recipe except I used thai bird peppers. Spicy, but good if you have something bland like rice or noodles to eat with it.
I will make this again using less vinegar, and probally use the rice wine vinegar instead. The vinegar was way too strong, but still worth attempting again. =)
This recipe was just OK for me. It was pretty bland and boring. I won't make it again.
This was ok, but I felt that something was missing, but not sure what. If I try this again, I would probably go with the rice vinegar as others suggested, and maybe some sesame oil or sugar or something. We ate it, it just wasn't our favorite, but thanks for sharing!
Pretty good! I used a little less than the recommended sugar, added romaine lettuce to fill it out, and sirrachi hot sauce for color.
We ate this, but the vinegar was pretty strong. I guess that's the way it's supposed to be. We served this with bulgogi and kimchee.
This is a light and refreshing salad that is a must to complement the Chef John Korean Fried Chicken and Korean Fried Chicken Sauce recipes on this site!! Recommend letting the cucumbers marinate in the vinegary dressing for about an hour. I did make a few more changes to suit my and my family's tastes: reduced amt of white vinegar and topped up with seasoned rice wine vinegar; added a splash of sesame oil; and 3/4 tsp of sugar. We all just loved this crunchy, cooling cucumber treat. Yummy!!
Holy Cow!!!! This is now my favorite cucumber salad. So light and refreshing. A few tweaks: 1)used rice vinegar instead of white vinegar. 2)used pre-toasted sesame seeds, eliminating the oil. 3)used freshly ground black pepper 4)used a long English cucumber Definitely allow time for the flavors to come together before serving. I set it aside for an hour and it was sooooo good! I went back into the kitchen and made a double recipe of just the dressing. I only put 1 T of sesame seeds since I don't know how much vinegar they may absorb. Keeping it in the fridge, so it is ready to go for the next few days. Keeping presliced veggies on standby. Gonna put it all together for lunch at work and share with coworkers. Yummy, can't wait to enjoy it again.
This is a very light salad, great for those hot summer days. I made it almost as written. I used rice vinegar, three medium cucumbers and omitted the use of oil. It was great with the Bulgogi and rice.
It was not Asian enough for me so I substituted toasted sesame oil for the oil and seasoned rice vinegar for the vinegar. I also toasted the sesame seeds in a hot skillet...........
I substituted radish in place of the carrots and this made a wonderfully refreshing side dish. I served it beside bulgogi, rice, and kimchee. I will definitely make this again.
I use rice vinegar, 1 tsp of white sugar, a few splashes of sesame oil, red pepper flakes, sliced white onion and a little pepper. I skip the sesame seeds - they're too much trouble to toast and I find it a weird texture when mixed into the liquid. Might be better if they were just sprinkled on top when serving.
this was very tasty the only thing i would change is i would put a quarter of the recommended amount of sesame seeds.
It was good...I took other reveiwers. Suggestions and add sugar to vinegar, grated fresh ginger. I think the ginger took it to a whole nother level. I didnt roast the seasame seed because the ones I have dont requier.
I used sesame oil instead of seed, and reduce the EVOO, just a splash of EVOO. I used RICE VINEGAR instead of what she wrote. I added a slash of simple syrup or honey... So yummy!
spicy and delicious. If you have someone who doesn't like spicy food, cut back on the red pepper flakes, they pack quite a punch.
Oh my gosh! This is so good! My husband and I loved this and it was a great compliment to the Korean BBQ Beef. I will definitely be making this again.
Easy, delicious and pretty! You can add more sesame seeds if you choose or add red pepper flakes! -Paula Akbari
This Recipe is great over white Rice and topped with a bit of soy sauce! A friend of mine made this back in 1993 and shared with me. I crave it every other month... I lost it but now it's found!
It was okay, but it wasn't like any of the cucumber salads I ate while living in Korea.
This was just okay. The vinegar was overwhelming and overall, it was lacking in flavor. I tried doctoring it up with some sugar and a little salt. It helped a bit. As others have suggested, I would use rice wine vinegar.
I've given the recipe 5 stars based on a few changes I made. The changes were made only because I was missing ingredients. I used ground red pepper (a few shakes, taste, and then a little more), extra pepper because I like it, a little extra sugar because I like that too, no carrots because I didn't have enough and skipped the sesame seeds so justed added in sesame oil instead. I love cucumber salads and I'll be making this one again.
This salad was good but I had to add a little bit of honey for a hint of sweetness.
Following suggestions, I subbed rice wine vinegar (1/8c), added 1t sugar, & less red pepper (1/4t). I marinated a few hours. It's not so Asian flavored, which was the attraction to making this. Using less & rice wine vinegar instead, it wasn't so vinegar-y either. No points off for that. ;) It didn't seem much different than an American cucumber dish. For sure, sub sesame oil for the oil - if you try it.
When all is ready, add a dash or 2 of sesame oil. It makes a great salad better and so appetizing !!
I followed this recipe to the letter and we thought it was the perfect side dish for the beef bulgogi. I wouldn't change a thing, and our dinner guest also thoroughly enjoyed it and even went back for seconds. Terrific summertime crispy veggie salad and the spice is just right!
Make this all the time and I’ve always love this Korean dish. It’s even good on hardroll sandwiches. My mom always had this at the table, and we’re Pueerto Rican. Filipinos and Japanese people love this too.
I used rice wine vinegar instead of white and chili garlic sauce instead of the red pepper. We really really enjoyed this kind of a fridge pickle with a twist. I will be making this one again!!
Yum! Used rice vinegar like others suggested and added a little white sugar and honey. Super good!
Very good! Subbed sesame oil for vegetable oil and used a whole carrot and whole green onion. Ate the whole batch myself! Will definitely make again and next time I'll share it!
This stuff was great. Only things I did different were: used rice vinegar instead of white, added a pinch of sugar, and halved the red pepper flakes. My boyfriend and I agreed this was the best we have ever had!
I really liked this salad! Out of respect for my 4-year-old, I cut the red pepper to 1/4 tsp. and thought there was plenty of heat. Next time, I will try using rice vinegar and scale back the black pepper just a bit. Overall, a refreshing addition to my veggie rotation.
Made this for a party. Anyone that tried it took one bite, and left the rest. Too spicy. inedible. would not make this again.
We like this with Kal-bi at home. It's simple and deliciously refreshing to pair it with the bbq. We also get a little bit of steamed rice in the mix to make it a complete meal. Thanks for this one!
EASY VERY FRESH. I liked the rice wine , sesame oil, touch of sugar combo. I felt even with a few red pepper flakes it was a little bland. I served to kids who like cucumber but not onion. I put a few tomato wedges around edge of dish. Next time I will add a bit of onion and maybe red pepper just to pick it up a bit. Very nice.
This is so easy and very good! Served it with Asian Lettuce Wraps from here. This will be a staple on our menu!
Made this for a side to go with Bulgogi. Was a nice fresh dish. I left out the sesame for diet reason. I will make it again.
This was good. I doubled the recipe and added some salt. (Doubling the recipe, I used 1/4 tsp.) I omitted the green onion in favor of dehydrated onion (was out of scallions). A bit of sugar would have brought these flavors together nicely, I think, and I would add that in the future. Thanks for the recipe!
Used seasoned rice vinegar and instead of chili flakes used ginger only because my Korean friend can't east spicy.
I thought this was pretty tasty. Only problem was too much on the vinegar side for me. I added 2-3 packets of Splenda and this helped balance out the overwhelming vinegar. Also I sub'd black sesame seeds, which were lovely. The red pepper was great-- nice kick.
We really enjoyed this salad recipe. It is quite simple and easy to make, but has a lot of good flavor. This went very well with a Bibimbop bowl to celebrate the Winter Olympics!
This was really pretty good, as are a number of other recipes for cucumber salad on this site.
TOO MUCH RED PEPPER. Aside from that, the recipe is tasty and simple. Next time, I'll cut back on the red pepper...since I probably will make it again...but maybe increasing the black pepper.
I make a lot of Korean foods since I am Korean and this dish not only tastes authentic, but its very healthy! I used sesame oil instead of veggie oil and added a bit of sugar. The longer it marinates in the refrigerator, the better it tastes! Great recipe! :)
This was a good base for the recipe, but I had to make some changes to make it resturant style.
If I make this again, I'll use half the pepper. This wasn't very flavorful--just hot!
I fixed this as written and it was very yummy. Nice change from the usual cucumber salad. My husband noticed the subtle heat and really liked it.
just not enough flavor to go along with the heat. I think it needs a good amount of rice vinegar to get something going on your taste buds. Would not make this again.
Awesome salad! Very refreshing on a hot day. I used small zucchini since my husband doesn't groove on cukes, and I toasted my seeds in a dry pan rather than use oil, but otherwise, followed the recipe exactly. This is going to be one of my go-to recipes at the height of zucchini season when I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out what to do with the little buggers!
I liked it, but I thought it was missing something. I liked it because it was rather easy to make.
My husband, my Korean exchange student, and I all thought this was disgusting. She said she had never eaten it before, and It tasted like bitter spicy vinegar.
This is so great! My whole family loves this salad. I serve it with Bulgogi and rice, or just fix it for quick snacks.
I really loved this recipe. I used Korean red pepper powder instead and I didn't sauté the sesame seeds. The flavors were really great!! Will be making this again very soon!!
