Musaengchae is one of the easiest and most common Korean side dishes.

A good quality Korean radish is firm, and the taste is juicy, sweet, and crunchy! Choosing a good radish is very important to make good musaengchae.

How can you know if it’s firm and juicy? The outer skin should look smooth and shiny, and not have any scratches. The best way to tell is to cut the radish in half crosswise to check inside. If the inside flesh looks like a sponge, don’t use it. It won’t be tasty at all, and the texture will be like a sponge. But do you think any store owner will let you cut their radishes ? : )

Korean radish

If you need make this salad for a lot of people, use the whole radish. If you’re going make a small amount, use the green part only, because it’s sweeter than the white part.

Ingredients

Korean radish (or daikon), kosher salt, vinegar, Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), sugar, garlic, green onion, toasted sesame seeds.

Directions

  1. Peel a radish and cut it into thin matchsticks.
  2. Put 3-3½ cups of radish matchsticks into a large bowl.
  3. Add 1 tbs kosher salt and mix it by hand. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  4. Squeeze out any excess water from the radish strips.
  5. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 stalk of chopped green onion, 1 tbs vinegar, 2 ts hot pepper flakes, and 2 ts sugar.
  6. Mix together by hand until well combined.
  7. Add 1 ts roasted sesame seeds and mix it up a bit more.

Transfer it to a serving plate and serve  it with rice.

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70 Comments:

  1. finn10 indonesia joined 7/22 & has 1 comment

    you don’t suggest to make with fish sauce maangchi? i’ll give this a try!

  2. Alan Chang Chicago joined 3/17 & has 2 comments

    I made musaengchae with purple Korean radish. It was delicious! Thank you Maangchi! :)


    See full size image

  3. Kassimodo Canada, Qc joined 1/17 & has 1 comment

    Hello maangchi !
    I just did this salade and it tasted so good and refreshing :) I ate it as a side dish with braised tofu and rice and i couldn’t be more happy.

    Thank you for your hardwork and happy new year :3


    See full size image

  4. Omsin Salamanca, Spain joined 7/16 & has 7 comments

    I’m in love with this salad! It has such a refreshing taste. They don’t sell Korean radish here in Spain where I live and the daikon radishes at the Asian grocery store didn’t look fresh, so I made it with the ones that are commonly seen in Spanish supermarket. The result was great! Crunchy and slightly sweet. Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks a lot. Un beso.


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    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      Yes, you made awesome mu-saengchae even though Korean radish is not available in your area. I feel your passion for delicious dish! It looks juicy and crispy.
      You have no problem with finding Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu) there?
      There is a list of several Korean grocery stores in Madrid and Barcelona submitted by my readers. https://www.maangchi.com/shopping/spain
      Good luck with your Korean cooking!

      • Omsin Salamanca, Spain joined 7/16 & has 7 comments

        Thanks a lot! Fortunately, they sell gochu-garu at an Asian grocery store here in my city. Actually, I see more and more korean products every time I visit the store. So, let’s cross the fingers and hope they keep bringing more Korean stuff!

        Thanks again for the great recipes <3

  5. WhiteGardenia Canada joined 1/16 & has 1 comment

    Hi ! ! ! Maangchi It’s me , I tried your ” Radish Salad ” um is so yummy Thanks . . . by the way I have question regarding your Salad if there is left over how long can I keep it in fridge ?

  6. AdamB usa joined 12/14 & has 15 comments

    Hi Maangchi! Just last week I was served this delicious salad as a side with bulgogi at a small stall in my local Korean restaurant. I am so happy to find your recipe here. Thank you! You make it all so easy.

  7. fetosoap United States joined 7/12 & has 4 comments

    I had a large Korean radish to use with plenty left over from my other dish, so I made this recipe hoping that I’d like it, and guess what? My boyfriend and I loved it! I dont like it when it’s served at restaurants, but it’s going to be a staple around here. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

  8. mimipotato Canada joined 9/13 & has 1 comment

    Dear Maangchi,

    You are my teacher in Korean food. I have tried several of your recipes like easy kimchi, pork bone soup and it was very successful. My husband loves all Korean dishes from your recipes. My cooking was horrible before I found your site. After I got married, I needa learn how to cook. One day I tried to cook some dishes but My husband and I needa order takeaway instead at the end.

    Today, I tried to make this Radish salad (approx. 6 cups of radish matchsticks with 2 tablespoon of salt). Basically, I just double the ingredients of your recipe. However, my raddish salad was super salty…( I didn’t use Kosher Salt as yours but normal table salt instead) I have no idea why my salad became so salty……Please kindly advise!!!!
    With Million Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      I’m very happy to hear that you have been learning Korean dishes from my recipes! : )
      Use less salt or more radish when you make your radish salad. I will update the recipe with the weight of the radish soon.

    • stonefly Olympia WA joined 11/11 & has 61 comments

      Kosher salt is coarser than regular table salt, by about a 2:3 ratio. If using table salt, just use about 2/3 the amount of Kosher salt, or about 2 t for Maangchi’s recipe. That should do the trick.

      I also rinse the radish and spin dry it quickly, too quickly for it to reabsorb any water.
      Good Cooking!

  9. Amberemichael Kennesaw, GA joined 5/13 & has 1 comment

    Maangchi,
    I love your videos and recipes. I grew up eating Korean with my best friend of 20 yrs family. Her mother always saved bulgogi veggie pancakes in the fridge and would always sneak them and eat them cold. Now that I’ve found you site I am always cooking Korean for my family of 6, and they love it. What kind of vinegar do you use here?
    Amber

  10. phuong joined 3/11 & has 8 comments

    Hi Maangchi,

    I need your help. When my husband was in Korea, he ate a salad that has cabbage, kidney beans, corn, and mayo dressing. He really liked it and asked me to recreate it. Unfortunately, my attempt was unsuccessful. Do you happen to know what that salad is and how to make it?
    Thank you so so much.

  11. Peedee San luis obispo, CA joined 5/10 & has 5 comments

    Hi Maangchi, I think I’m going to use rice vinegar or mirin. Have you ever tried it with that? Also, There is a cucumber salad dish I really love that my mom used to make. Is it kind of like this recipe, but can I swap out for cucumbers instead?

  12. konatarei13 California joined 11/11 & has 1 comment

    I’m so glad this was on your front page. My mom just bought daikon radishes and wanted me to make this for her and I came to your site and it was like fate. You had put it on the front page. (^-^) I can’t wait to make it for her. I’ve already made the oisobagi which tasted awesome. Keep up the good work. Love your receipies! ❤

  13. Lida Dallas joined 8/11 & has 1 comment

    Hi, thank you for nice recipes on this site. Just cooked Musaengchae and really liked it!

  14. Woodongsong Oklahoma joined 1/11 & has 2 comments

    this looks really tasty
    my sister took me to korean garden for my birthday and we order some food and had 4 side dishes they were really good and i realized that the kimichi, tofu, radish, and veggie all had garlic in it
    do most sidedish have garlic in it?

  15. HappyRadish Sydney joined 7/11 & has 1 comment

    Hello Maangchi! Thanks so much for your recipes; I love them.
    I uploaded a pic of my Musangchae! 8D
    Hope you’ll look at it hahaha

    Thankyouuuuuu~

  16. Cheeryvisage New York City joined 1/11 & has 7 comments

    Hi Maangchi, may I ask what vinegar you used to make this? Thanks!

  17. Hey Maangchi,

    Can I just leave the sugar out and then it would be like a kimchi? Let me know, ya? Thanks for your vids!

    Love,
    Geneys :o)

  18. CCtea joined 1/11 & has 2 comments

    This seasoning is also delicious on
    – shredded papaya -green or regular- (just as sweet and crunchy)
    – green mango(add tbs fish sauce and/or sugar and you’ve got sweet, sour, spicy flavour combination)
    * I absolutely love it with apples!

    Don’t cringe. None of these taste as strange as they sound :)

  19. Sandy Bell Jordan joined 12/10 & has 14 comments

    Hi
    This recipe lookS great
    Good Luck Maangchi :-)

  20. lewlegacy Paducah, Kentucky joined 11/10 & has 9 comments

    good stuff. making me very hungry watching your videos!

  21. Epicurean Adventure Minneapolis, MN joined 8/10 & has 30 comments

    The grocery store I go to the most finally started selling mu! They have it right next to the daikon radishes now, and it’s the same price! I bought one, so I am going to make musaengchae soon! I’ll send you some pictures!

    ~Will

  22. Hi!

    I’ve tried several of your recipes and they all turned out great! You’re a fantastic cooking teacher!

    I’m trying to make a radish side dish but I don’t know its name. The radish are in blocks and no chilli powder is used. Sometimes I see a few freshly cut chilli floating in the clear sauce/juice. It tastes a little sweet and sour.

    Do you know which dish I’m describing? Can you please tell me its name and teach me how to make it?

    kamsahamida.

  23. mokpochica Michigan joined 1/09 & has 89 comments

    When I went to the Korean market yesterday to buy peppers for jangjorim I bought radish to make mu saengchae. And then I saw your new recipe posted here today. Haha. How timely. :)

    I’ll make this tonight unless I decide to make song pyun instead. I’m taking an adult Korean language class and mentioned that I would try to make songpyun for them when Chuseok rolled around. I thought Chuseok wasn’t until October this year when I said it. Oops¡

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      “I saw your new recipe posted here today..” What a coincidence!

      How did your songpyeon turn out? I am in LA now, so we bought songpyeon at a Korean grocery store this year to celebrate Chuseok. Sep.22 was Chuseok. : )

      • mokpochica Michigan joined 1/09 & has 89 comments

        The songpyeon turned out well with help from my husband. We made them last night and this morning several of them had split open, revealing the filling inside. Less aesthetically pleasing, but still delicious. They were a big hit at my Korean class today. My instructor was so happy–I don’t think he could believe that I had actually followed through and made songpyeon.

        I made mu saengchae tonight. Yummy! I’m still trying to get my kids to try it. They are being stubborn, but I know they will like it once they do. They went crazy for the miyuk gook I made using your recipe tonight though. My 19 month old was walking around the house saying miyuk gook for about an hour tonight, so it made a big impression on him. :)

  24. ravi Queens, NY joined 9/10 & has 10 comments

    wow, maangchi, you are so diligent to do this by hand! a mandolin would make the chopping so much easier. i gotta try this recipe.

  25. BxlSprout Brussels, Belgium joined 5/10 & has 46 comments

    I love musaengche, but never saw a recipe like yours! I never saw a musaengche like this in Seoul either, I’m very curious. It’s much healthier than my current recipe. My recipe uses lots of sugar (1/3 cup!), no green onion or toasted sesame seeds. Thank you Maangchi for posting this, I must get a radish and try it!

  26. Poeh joined 9/10 & has 1 comment

    This side dish is special to me, because it made me fell in love with Korean food. That is why I had to make it and enter your contest :D.

  27. jennykoh Singapore joined 1/10 & has 27 comments

    Maangchi,u r so pretty….

  28. sirdanilot Terneuzen, The Netherlands joined 10/09 & has 25 comments

    Can we use daikon radish instead? I’ve made kaktugi succesfully with daikon before, so I think it’s very similar to Korean radish…

  29. Souavarat Houston, Texas joined 9/10 & has 45 comments

    Oh so easy to make and so healthy too. I want this with grilled mackerel and seaplant soup, and RICE! Sounds good. I may make it for dinner tonight. Thanks Maangchi!

  30. leahangel Seattle, WA USA joined 9/10 & has 24 comments

    Yay something else to do with delicious mu! I love how crunchy it is :)
    You’re awesome as always.

  31. Epicurean Adventure Minneapolis, MN joined 8/10 & has 30 comments

    I’ve still never tasted Korean radish…
    It’s hard to find, so I always use Daikon instead. But I think the taste must be different…

    I really want to try this. :3

    ~Will

  32. bo Hawaii joined 7/10 & has 49 comments

    Ah ha! So now I know what to call it! I made basically the same thing. Used most of the ingredients for your radish kimchi although I know it’s not considered kimchi because of the matchstick cut. Musaengchae sounds so exotic. I also have a very similar bowl, only it’s smaller. Korean radish is so superior. It’s actually sweet when your eat it raw

  33. boaray Singapore joined 4/10 & has 1 comment

    OMG ! Maangchi, I was in like very vegetable-mood these days and I saw this recipe and it ROCKS! I LOVE IT!
    P.S: I have the SAME EXACT bowl too, I use it as my own plate like no sharing. It’s just so pretty =D

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