Korean cucumber kimchi ferments in just 24 hours because cucumbers release water faster than cabbage, creating instant probiotics.
Spicy Cucumber Kimchi
Get ready to spice up your dinner table with this zesty Spicy Cucumber Kimchi! Bursting with crunchy cucumbers and a kick of gochugaru, this vibrant side dish adds a delightful crunch and a burst of flavor to any meal. Quick to whip up, it's the perfect accompaniment for your favorite Korean dishes or as a bold snack on its own!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 7 Persian cucumbers
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (15 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tbsp salt (7.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1.5 tbsp gochugaru (22.5 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Use a peeler to peel your cucumbers into long strips.
- 2
Lightly salt your cucumber strips and place them in a bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.
- 3
Drain all the excess cucumber liquid from the bowl, lightly rinse off the cucumber strips with water, and pat dry your cucumber strips with a paper towel.
- 4
In a bowl combine rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and gochugaru and salt to taste and mix.
- 5
Add your cucumber strips into the marinade and mix.
- 6
In an airtight container, add your spicy cucumber kimchi strips to save and enjoy for later!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Salt cucumbers with 1 tablespoon kosher salt per pound and let sit exactly 20-30 minutes to draw out 15-20% of their water content through osmosis, preventing diluted kimchi.technique1 tbsp salt per pound, 20-30 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1:1 ratio of rice vinegar to sesame oil to soy sauce as your marinade base because this creates the optimal pH of 3.5-4.0 for fermentation and preservation.ingredient3:1:1 ratio, pH 3.5-4.0
- ✓Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan at medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden to activate their oils and increase nutty flavor compounds by 300%.technique2-3 minutes, 300% flavor increase
- ✓Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours before serving because cucumber cell walls need time to absorb the marinade while maintaining their crisp texture through controlled dehydration.timing2 hours minimum
- ✓Use a vegetable peeler held at 45-degree angle and apply consistent pressure to create uniform 1/8-inch thick strips that maximize surface area for marinade absorption.technique45-degree angle, 1/8-inch thick
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Korean cucumber kimchi ferments in just 24 hours because cucumbers release water faster than cabbage, creating instant probiotics.
Spicy Cucumber Kimchi
Get ready to spice up your dinner table with this zesty Spicy Cucumber Kimchi! Bursting with crunchy cucumbers and a kick of gochugaru, this vibrant side dish adds a delightful crunch and a burst of flavor to any meal. Quick to whip up, it's the perfect accompaniment for your favorite Korean dishes or as a bold snack on its own!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 7 Persian cucumbers
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (15 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tbsp salt (7.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1.5 tbsp gochugaru (22.5 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Use a peeler to peel your cucumbers into long strips.
- 2
Lightly salt your cucumber strips and place them in a bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.
- 3
Drain all the excess cucumber liquid from the bowl, lightly rinse off the cucumber strips with water, and pat dry your cucumber strips with a paper towel.
- 4
In a bowl combine rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and gochugaru and salt to taste and mix.
- 5
Add your cucumber strips into the marinade and mix.
- 6
In an airtight container, add your spicy cucumber kimchi strips to save and enjoy for later!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Salt cucumbers with 1 tablespoon kosher salt per pound and let sit exactly 20-30 minutes to draw out 15-20% of their water content through osmosis, preventing diluted kimchi.technique1 tbsp salt per pound, 20-30 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1:1 ratio of rice vinegar to sesame oil to soy sauce as your marinade base because this creates the optimal pH of 3.5-4.0 for fermentation and preservation.ingredient3:1:1 ratio, pH 3.5-4.0
- ✓Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan at medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden to activate their oils and increase nutty flavor compounds by 300%.technique2-3 minutes, 300% flavor increase
- ✓Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours before serving because cucumber cell walls need time to absorb the marinade while maintaining their crisp texture through controlled dehydration.timing2 hours minimum
- ✓Use a vegetable peeler held at 45-degree angle and apply consistent pressure to create uniform 1/8-inch thick strips that maximize surface area for marinade absorption.technique45-degree angle, 1/8-inch thick