• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Korean Bapsang logo

  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
    • Noodles and Rice
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups and Stews
    • Condiments and Sauces
    • Desserts/Sweets
    • Vegetarian/Vegan
    • Slow Cooker/Pressure Cooker
    • Kid-friendly/Mild Dishes
    • Traditional Holiday
      • Seollal (New Year’s Day)
      • Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Side Dishes

    Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    Published 08/12/2019. Updated 08/13/2019

    Jump to Recipe

    Oiji muchim is a simple side dish made with Korean pickled cucumbers, oiji! It’s crunchy, spicy and deliciously salty.

    DSC 0073 2 e1565672602313 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    Oiji muchim (오이지 무침) is a simple side dish made with oiji, Korean cucumber pickles! Fermented simply in salt water, oiji is a traditional way to preserve cucumbers beyond their growing season. During fermentation, a deep tangy flavor develops, the color turns golden yellow, and the texture becomes crunchy and slightly chewy. Oiji is a staple in Korean cuisine.

    As I mentioned in my oiji post, these traditional Korean pickles are not made to be eaten right out of the jar because they are quite salty. To make oiji less salty, we cut the pickles and soak them in fresh water before serving. Often, oiji is simply served in water used to soak the pickles to be eaten like cold soup. This oiji muchim is another common way to enjoy the crunchy pickles.

    You may find commercially prepared oiji in the deli section of Korean markets.

    DSC 0056 2 e1565672709847 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    How to make oiji muchim

    You need to slice the pickles thinly and soak them in water until they reach the desired salt level. It usually takes around 10 minutes, depending on your pickles. The best way to know if it’s ready is to try a piece. Then, squeeze the pickle slices as tightly as you can to remove the water content. The rest is easy! Season with some gochugaru and other basic ingredients.

    I find 1/2 tablespoon of gochugaru to be a good amount for 1 pickle that’s made with a long Korean cucumber (2 pickles if they are Kirby cucumbers). You can, of course, use more or less gochugaru to adjust the heat level to your taste.

    The key to good oiji muchim is to squeeze out the water content as much as possible for a crunchy and chewy texture Koreans describe as odeul odeul (오들오들).

    DSC 0075 2 e1565673303566 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    More cucumber recipes

    Oiji (Korean Pickled Cucumbers)
    Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Side Dish)
    Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)
    Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)
    Oi Bokkeum (Stir-fried Cucumber Side Dish)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 0075 2 e1565673303566 300x300 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    5 from 6 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 3 oiji (Korean pickled cucumber- 6 if using short kirby pickled cucumbers
    • 1-1/2 tablespoons gochugaru 고추가루, Korean red chili pepper flakes
    • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1 or 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 1 tablespoon oligodang (올리고당) or maesilcheong (매실청, Korean plum syrup) or 1/2 tablespoon honey
    • 1 small fresh chili pepper red or green, finely chopped - optional
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon chopped scallion
    • 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Thinly slice the cucumber pickles.
      DSC 5146 640x427 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
    • Soak the pickle slices in water until oiji reaches the desired salt level, about 10 minutes depending on your pickles.
      DSC 5152 640x425 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
    • Drain and tightly squeeze the pickles between your palms to remove as much liquid as possible. You may have to squeeze them several times.
      DSC 5187 640x428 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
    • Add the remaining ingredients, except the scallion and sesame seeds, and mix everything very well until the pickles are evenly coated with gochugaru. Finish with tossing in the scallion and sesame seeds.
      DSC 0030 640x428 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)

    Notes

    Oiji muchim can be kept well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. If you want to keep it longer, don't add sesame oil until serving.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    You may also like:

    • DSC 0917 e1441247801622 300x300 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
      Eggplant rolls (Gaji Mari)
    • DSC6659 2 300x300 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
      Shrimp Dumplings (Saeu Mandu)
    • DSC 2423 e1549253088496 300x300 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
      Vegetable Broth for Korean Cooking
    • DSC 0843 e1431923162573 300x300 - Oiji Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Cucumber Pickles)
      Tuna Gimbap
    « Oi Naengguk (Chilled Cucumber Soup)
    Galbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs) »
    535 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elysia says

      September 13, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      How long can you keep the oiji if you do not add the sesame oil?

      Reply
    2. Tim Danaher says

      May 27, 2021 at 6:34 am

      Could you substitute gherkins / cornichons for the oiji?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 27, 2021 at 11:55 pm

        They are quite different from Korean oiji, so I wouldn’t say they are a good substitute. However, you can always try it and see how you like it.

        Reply
    3. Janet says

      January 08, 2021 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved this side dish. It goes best with gook-bap. I’ve already made it several times. Thank you so much!

      Reply
    4. Rusty says

      November 27, 2019 at 5:34 pm

      Is the salt used in the water for soaking?

      Reply
    5 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Korean Bapsang

    Korean Bapsang Author
    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

    Never Miss a Recipe

    Trending Recipes

    • Spicy pork bulgogi served with lettuce wraps and ssamjang Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Pork Bulgogi) 54.2k views

    • A 6-photo collage of 15 Korean vegetable side dishes 15 Vegetable Side Dishes (Banchan) 49.6k views

    • Spicy Cucumber Side Dish Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad) 40.4k views

    • kimchi stew with tofu in an earthen pot with the lid laid on the side of the pot Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew) 38.3k views

    • Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables in a square bowl Japchae (Stir-Fried Starch Noodles with Beef and Vegetables) 37.4k views

    • Doenjang jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew) Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew with Pork and Vegetables) 37k views

    As Featured On:

       

    Footer

    Korean Bapsang New Logo

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2025 · All rights reserved · Korean Bapsang

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.