5-Minute Korean-Style Cucumbers: The Easiest Spicy Pickle Side Dish You Can Whip Up Right Now

While many people think that getting that perfect spicy and tangy crunch requires a long pickling process and hours of waiting, these quick cucumbers turn out incredibly aromatic and savory in no time.

All you need to do is to slice the veggies, mix them with a few pantry seasonings, and let them rest in the fridge for an hour — the dish turns out so refreshing and crisp that it will surely be the first thing to disappear from your table.

Here’s what you need: 5 cucumbers (≈450 g), 20 g of dill, 1–2 cloves of garlic, 0.5 teaspoon of salt (to taste), 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, mixed peppers (to taste), 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut them into strips, rounds, or half-rounds as you like, and place them in a bowl.

Wash, dry, and finely chop the dill, then add it to the cucumbers.

Peel the garlic and mince it finely or press it through a garlic press. Add it to the cucumbers along with the salt, smoked paprika, and mixed peppers.

Pour in the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant, then add them to the bowl as well.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly so the dressing is evenly distributed.

Put the cucumbers in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or better yet, 4–6 hours for full marinating.

Serve chilled.