Crisp, refreshing, and full of bold flavour, Korean cucumber salad is an easy side dish you’ll make all summer long! It’s got the perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and savoury to jazz up mild cucumbers.
So many nights, I’m making dinner and realize I just need a little somethin’-somethin’ on the side. A Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry ? Vegan Pad Thai ? These are the times I reach for a quick cucumber salad and this Korean cucumber salad is my current fave. The crunchy cucumbers soak up the big flavours of the dressing, which is sweet, tangy, and spicy. Like my Greek Cucumber Salad , it’s always a hit!
Why This Salad Is on Frequent Rotation in My Home
And why I think you’ll be making it all the time too!
- Easy to make . If I’m already making a big main dish, I don’t want to spend a ton of time on a side dish. You with me? This Korean cucumber salad comes together in just 10 minutes!
- Light and refreshing . Cucumbers are crisp and hydrating, making them great for summertime, and the lightness of this salad means you can pair it with heavier dishes like curries.
- More versatile than you might think . While I most often use this as a salad, it also works as a topping for sandwiches, wraps, and tacos, and also as an addition to meal bowls.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key ingredients you’ll need for Korean cucumber salad. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Persian cucumbers – If you want to use cucumbers from your garden rather than Persian cucumbers, slice them lengthwise and then scoop out the seeds.
- Salt – This draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers.
- Green onions
- Rice vinegar – You may also see this labeled as rice wine vinegar, but it’s the same thing.
- Soy sauce – Use tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Maple syrup – Adds a touch of sweetness; sugar can be used instead.
- Gochugaru – For heat and color.
- Toasted sesame oil – Provides a nutty, aromatic flavour. Don’t swap in sesame oil, which doesn’t have the same toastiness.
- Garlic
- Toasted sesame seeds – Adds texture and an extra nutty flavor. You can use white, black, or a little of both.
What Is Gochugaru?
Gochugaru are Korean red chili flakes and they’re a staple ingredient in Korean cooking. The flavour is vibrant, slightly smoky, and, of course, spicy. Gochugaru typically has a medium level of heat, so it adds warmth and depth to dishes without dominating the other flavours.
How to Make Korean Cucumber Salad
Let’s get started! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Salt and drain the cucumbers.
- Prep the cucumbers . Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt in a colander. Toss and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat the cucumbers dry.
Make the dressing.
- Make the dressing . Whisk the green onions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, gochugaru, sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds in a bowl.
- Dress the cucumbers . Toss the cucumbers in the dressing until evenly coated.
- Serve or chill . Serve immediately or refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, which allows the flavours to meld.
Variation Ideas
- Add more veggies . You can swap a portion of the cucumbers for thinly sliced radishes or julienned carrots for more colour and different flavours. I like using these veggies because, like cucumbers, they’re crisp!
- Swap the green onions for red onion . If you’d like a more assertive onion flavour, you can use thinly sliced red onions instead of green onions. To avoid overwhelming the salad, I’d use 1/4 of a small red onion.
- Use another type of chili flakes . If you can’t find gochugaru, you can substitute standard red chili flakes or even a pinch of cayenne. I’d recommend also adding a small pinch of smoked paprika to replicate some of gochugaru’s smokiness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the dish alongside Crispy Teriyaki Tofu , Thai Peanut Noodles , Thai Red Curry , and other Asian-inspired dishes. You can also use it as an addition to Korean Tofu Rice Bowls , Vegan Poke Bowls , or your go-to meal bowl!
Storage Tips
Store any leftover Korean cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Before serving again, give the dish a quick toss. The cucumbers will soften in the fridge, but they’ll still be delicious!
More Side Salads
- The Best Vegan Potato Salad
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium Persian cucumbers , sliced ¼-inch thick – about 1 pound ( 450 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt , 5 grams
- 2 green onions , finely chopped – 15 grams
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar , 15 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce , 15 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup , or sugar – 5 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru , Korean red chili flakes – 6 grams
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil , 5 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic , 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds , 4 grams
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- After 15 minutes, rinse the cucumbers briefly under cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well and gently pat the cucumbers dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the green onions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, gochugaru, sesame oil, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.
- Add the drained cucumbers to the dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.
- You can serve it immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
Korean Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium Persian cucumbers sliced ¼-inch thick – about 1 pound ( 450 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 grams
- 2 green onions finely chopped – 15 grams
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 15 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce 15 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar – 5 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru Korean red chili flakes – 6 grams
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 5 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 4 grams
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- After 15 minutes, rinse the cucumbers briefly under cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well and gently pat the cucumbers dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the green onions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, gochugaru, sesame oil, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.
- Add the drained cucumbers to the dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.
- You can serve it immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
Nutrition
Korean Cucumber Salad https://jessicainthekitchen.com/korean-cucumber-salad/ July 16, 2025
Crispy rice is a delight! In this vegan recipe, I use it to make little cakes that are topped with spicy “tuna” made with tomatoes. Let’s dig in!
If you’ve been scrolling through foodie content on Instagram and TikTok lately, you’ve probably noticed that crispy rice is having a moment. It’s served as a fancy appetizer at trendy restaurants, it’s tossed into salads, and, well, it’s everywhere right now. I wanted to get in on the fun, but with a vegan spin, so I topped crispy rice cakes with a homemade plant-based tuna made from tomatoes. (In the past, I’ve made Watermelon Tuna and Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad .) It’s amazing, if I do say so myself!
Why You’re Going to Want These Crispy Rice Cakes on Your Menu
This is a dish that’s made to impress! Here’s why it’s such a hit.
- Contrasting textures . While crispy rice is delicious on its own, I love it in this recipe because it makes the perfect base for the succulent vegan tuna.
- A little bit fancy . Whether you make this recipe as a light dinner or a party appetizer, it has some sophistication to it—like something you’d find at a high-end sushi restaurant.
- Endless customisation options . Not into vegan tuna? Use these crispy rice cakes as a base for any toppings you like!
Notes on Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to make these crispy rice cakes. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Crispy Rice Cakes
- Sushi rice – A must for making sushi and these crispy rice cakes. It has a sticky texture that helps it hold together when compacted.
- Water
- Rice vinegar – Adds a tangy flavor to the rice. You may also see this labeled as rice wine vinegar, but it’s the same thing.
- Maple syrup – I like to use maple syrup to sweeten the rice, but sugar is fine too and a little more traditional.
- Salt
- Neutral oil – Avocado, canola, or any other oil you like to cook with.
For the toppings:
- Avocado
- Tomato – Ripe and finely diced, this is the vegan “tuna” in our recipe.
- Vegan mayonnaise – I like to use my Vegan Mayo recipe.
- Sriracha or chili paste – You can adjust the amount to your tastes, or omit it for a milder option!
- Soy sauce – Tamari works as a gluten-free alternative.
- Toasted sesame oil – Adds a nutty, rich aroma. Don’t use regular sesame oil; it’s not the same!
- Green onion
How to Make Crispy Rice Cakes
There are a few steps to this recipe, but they are all very easy!
Cook the rice.
- Cook the rice . Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Bring it to a boil with the water, then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Season and chill . Whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and fold it into the rice. Press the rice into an 8-inch parchment-lined pan and chill for 1 hour.
- Shape and fry . Cut the rice into 15 rectangles, then fry them in the oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crispy. Transfer the cooked cakes to paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Make the “tuna” topping.
- Make the vegan tuna . Blanch the tomato for 30 seconds, then peel and dice it. Stir it together with the vegan mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onion.
- Assemble . Top the crispy rice cakes with sliced avocado, spicy tomato “tuna,” and green onion. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
Here are some additional tips to ensure your crispy rice cakes turn out perfect every time.
- Make sure the rice holds its shape . Press the rice firmly into the pan to compact it, which helps it hold its shape when slicing and frying.
- Keep the rice from sticking . Use a non-stick skillet or well-seasoned cast iron skillet to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the pan.
- Get the oil HOT . Make sure the oil is sufficiently hot before frying the rice cakes. If it’s not hot, they will simply absorb the oil and get mushy, rather than crispy.
Variations
You can top these crispy rice cakes with a variety of toppings. For a different spin, top them with steamed broccoli and drizzle them with Thai Peanut Sauce , or break them up into pieces and add them to an Asian-inspired salad for a crispy alternative to croutons.
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerator : Because of the fresh avocado, these crispy rice cakes are best eaten right after assembling. If you do have leftovers, they’ll last a day or so in the refrigerator, but the avocado will brown a bit.
- To reheat : Rather than reheating them, I simply eat them cold, but if you want to warm up the rice cakes, I suggest scraping off the toppings, reheating in a nonstick skillet to re-crisp the rice, and then adding the toppings back.
More Recipes for Sushi Lovers
- Vegan Sushi
- Onigiri
- Vegan Poke Bowls
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice Cakes:
- 1 cup sushi rice , 200 grams
- 1 ¼ cups water , 300 milliliters
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar , 30 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup , 5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon salt , 2 grams
- Neutral oil for frying , like avocado or canola – as needed
Topping:
- 1 large ripe tomato , peeled and finely diced – about 100 grams
- 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise , 15 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili paste , 5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce , 2.5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil , 2.5 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion , 2 grams, plus more for garnish
- 1 ripe avocado , thinly sliced
Instructions
Cook and Chill the Rice:
- Rinse the sushi rice thoroughly until water runs clear.
- In a pot, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, keep covered for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Fold gently into warm rice.
- Line a square 8 inch pan with parchment paper. Press the rice into a flat, even layer about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Make sure to press firmly.
- Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to cut.
Shape and Fry the Rice Cakes:
- Cut the chilled rice into 15 rectangles or squares.
- Heat neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Fry rice pieces for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Make the Spicy Tomato “Tuna”:
- Blanch the tomato for 30 seconds in boiling water, then peel and finely dice.
- In a bowl, mix the tomato with vegan mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onion.
Assemble the cakes:
- Top each rice cake with 2-3 slices of avocado.
- Spoon a generous dollop of the spicy tomato “tuna” mixture on top of the avocado.
- Garnish with additional chopped green onion.
- Serve immediately for the best texture.
Notes
- Refrigerator : Because of the fresh avocado, these crispy rice cakes are best eaten right after assembling. If you do have leftovers, they’ll last a day or so in the refrigerator, but the avocado will brown a bit.
- To reheat : Rather than reheating them, I simply eat them cold, but if you want to warm up the rice cakes, I suggest scraping off the toppings, reheating in a nonstick skillet to re-crisp the rice, and then adding the toppings back.
