If You Love Spicy Cucumber Salad, Try This Korean Radish Salad

Easy Korean Radish Salad (Musaengchae)

You may have seen this Korean radish salad at a Korean BBQ restaurant, a naengmyeon spot, or even a bibimbap restaurant. It’s a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy side dish that goes especially well with grilled meat.

And honestly, it doesn’t have to be Korean BBQ. I love serving this with steak too. At this point, steak almost feels incomplete without it. :)

I usually make a big batch because the leftovers are just as useful. Add some to a bowl of rice, top it with a fried egg, and you basically have an easy bibimbap-style meal. If you love naengmyeon, it’s also really good piled right on top.

Personally, I actually like this even more than cucumber salad. If you’re already a fan of spicy Korean cucumber salad, the flavors are similar enough that I think this one is definitely worth trying.

Ingredient shopping note: Some of the ingredient links below may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I personally recommend shopping at a nearby grocery store whenever possible. You can often find fresher products at a better price.

Cooking Gallery

Cooking Tips

Use a mix of coarse and fine gochugaru for the best color and texture.
You can make this with either coarse or fine gochugaru, but I personally like using a mix of both. Another option is to pulse coarse gochugaru a few times in a food processor or blender to make it slightly finer. I find that this gives the radish a more even color while still keeping a little texture. This is the gochugaru I recommend: coarse and fine

Korean Radish Salad Recipe (Musaengchae)

This Korean radish salad, or musaengchae, is sweet, tangy, slightly spicy, and perfect as a refreshing side dish with grilled meat, steak, bibimbap, or naengmyeon.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: At least 6 hours

Servings:

Familiarity: Medium – If you enjoy Korean cucumber salad, the flavors will feel familiar

Ingredients

Use the serving buttons above to automatically adjust the ingredient amounts.

23 oz (650 g) korean radish
scant 1 tablespoon salt
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
garlic powder, to taste
3/4 cup (200 ml) water

Instructions

Peel the Korean radish and cut it into thin matchsticks, about 1/4 inch thick.
Place the radish in a large bowl. Add the salt, sugar, vinegar, gochugaru, garlic powder, and water.
Toss everything together thoroughly until the radish is evenly coated with the seasoning.
Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then toss everything again so the radish is evenly seasoned as it begins to release moisture.
Cover and refrigerate for at least half a day before serving. The flavor gets even better as it sits.