Pickled Korean Cucumber Salad with Sesame and Chili Flakes
A refreshing and tangy cucumber salad featuring quick pickled cucumbers tossed with toasted sesame seeds and chili flakes for a crunchy, spicy bite. This Korean recipe (vegan), ready in about 10 minutes, pairs English cucumber, rice vinegar, sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 45 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 medium English cucumber
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 clove minced garlic
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Instructions
- Step 1: Thinly slice 2 medium English cucumbers into 1/8-inch rounds and place them in a large bowl.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and 1 clove minced garlic until sugar dissolves.
- Step 3: Pour the vinegar mixture over the sliced cucumbers and toss well to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to pickle slightly.
- Step 4: Just before serving, sprinkle 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and 1 tsp red chili flakes over the cucumbers and toss gently to combine.








