Easy Quick Korean Pickles

Slices of Korean cucumber pickle spears.

5 from 1 vote

Spicy Korean Pickles are the perfect crunchy side dish and are a quick way to add a kick to any meal! Korean Cucumber Pickles are crisp and zesty.

Prep Time15

Pickling Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Servings:

Calories: 54kcal

Author: Kari

Ingredients

1 pound Persian Cucumbers (about 6 small, 2-3 medium, or 1 large)
¼ cup fresh cilantro *soft stems & leaves
⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or use 1 tbsp Gochugaru

Instructions

Slice the cucumbers into round slices or small wedges and roughly chop the cilantro.
1 pound Persian Cucumbers, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Combine the vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
In another bowl or a jar, combine the cucumbers and the cilantro.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and toss to coat them.
Let the cucumbers sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, tossing every few minutes to coat them with the brine, then transfer them to a glass jar and move them to the refrigerator.
Once in the fridge, I like to invert the jar a few times to make sure the seasoning distributes evenly.
Let the pickles sit in the fridge for at least an hour before enjoying them, but they will be even better if you let them sit overnight.

Notes

After you eat all the pickles, you can reuse the brine. I like to bring it to a boil for the second use and pour it over more cucumbers or thinly sliced carrots!

Storage

Korean pickled cucumbers are not shelf-stable, so they need to be stored in the fridge. They should last at least a week, but we usually eat them within two days. (Discard the pickles if the liquid gets cloudy or smells funny.)

What to Serve with Korean Pickles

I like to make a rice bowl and combine the cucumber pickles with bulgogi, rice, and Yum Yum sauce. You can also just snack on them!

*Soft stems refer to the thinner stems near the leaves - I chop the bunch in the middle like cutting the top off of broccoli, then use that part. Save the bottom for making pho broth!

Nutrition