Korean Pickled Cucumbers
Whether you like pickles or not you are sure to love these Korean Pickled Cucumbers. A spicy salty sweet pickle marinade turns cucumbers into a crunchy satisfying treat. Inevitably each summer I end up with more cucumbers than I can eat and wonder what to do with them all. Once I discovered this flavor combination for a quick Korean cucumber salad I welcomed each and every cucumber that turned ripe on the vine. You can adjust the spice to make this as hot as you want. Now it’s hard to keep cucumbers around long enough to share this pickled cucumber dish with friends and family before we eat them all.
Korean Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 3 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1-3 tsp gochucharu (Korean chile flakes)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted black or white sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup green onions
Instructions
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You don't typically need to peel English cucumbers but I like to peel cucumbers leaving thin strips of green skin between so it looks like a green and white candy cane. Halve cucumbers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. This can be done with a spoon or melon baller.
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Slice cucumbers into half inch slices. You'll have pretty green striped half moon shapes.
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In a large bowl mix cucumbers and salt, pour into a colander and set aside to drain.
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In the large bowl add the sugar, vinegar, gochucharu and sesame oil and stir until combined. *Use 1 tablespoon gochucharu for a less spicy pickle or up to 3 teaspoons for a spicy kick.
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Add the cucumbers back to the large bowl with the spice mixture and stir until combined.
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Thinly slice the green onions and add these and the sesame seeds to the bowl. Stir until combined.
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Let sit for at least 20 minutes for flavors to combine. Stir before serving.
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This can also be made a day in advance. The longer it marinates the spicier it gets.
Delish and so easy to make
I’m so glad you like these. I always try to have a batch in the fridge.