Musaeng-chae 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 musaeng-chae.
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 ? : )
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
- Peel a radish and cut it into thin matchsticks.
- Put 3-3½ cups of radish matchsticks into a large bowl.
- Add 1 tbs kosher salt and mix it by hand. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze out any excess water from the radish strips.
- Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 stalk of chopped green onion, 1 tbs vinegar, 2 ts hot pepper flakes, and 2 ts sugar.
- Mix together by hand until well combined.
- Add 1 ts roasted sesame seeds and mix it up a bit more.
Transfer it to a serving plate and serve it with rice.
Buy this recipe's ingredients online
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you don’t suggest to make with fish sauce maangchi? i’ll give this a try!
I made musaengchae with purple Korean radish. It was delicious! Thank you Maangchi! :)
Gorgeous!
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
It looks juicy and crispy! Happy New Year to you and your family, too!
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.
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!
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
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 ?
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.
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!
“guess what? My boyfriend and I loved it!” wonderful! You can make bibimbap with radish salad. Mix some with rice, hot pepper paste, and sesame oil! : )
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
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!
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
Amber, yes yes, I’m so happy to hear that you have confidence in Korean cooking! My favorite vinegar used to be apple vinegar but these days I like white vinegar, too.
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.
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?
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! ❤
What a coincidence! Cheers! : )
Hi, thank you for nice recipes on this site. Just cooked Musaengchae and really liked it!
I feel like having rice and musaengchae right now. : )
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?
Yes, I think so.
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~
Where is your photo of musaengchae? Please upload it again.
Hi Maangchi, may I ask what vinegar you used to make this? Thanks!
I like apple vinegar but it doesn’t matter which you use. I sometime use distilled white vinegar, too.
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)
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 :)
Hi
This recipe lookS great
Good Luck Maangchi :-)
You, too! Sandy! I wish you good luck and happiness in 2011!
Thank you Maangchi, i wish a Happy & Great New Year
i wish you a Happy & Great New Year too (sorry for the mistake) ;-)
my language is Arabic & I’m happy to learn your recipes
I like Korea very much & i like you too
Sandy, thanks a lot! Happy New Year!
good stuff. making me very hungry watching your videos!
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
Will,
I’m looking forward to the photo! : )
I’m planning on making it today. :)
I have a question about musaenchae though.
When I make it, can I keep it in the fridge if I leave the sesame seeds out? Or is it one of those side dishes that’s best when you eat it the same day?
You can keep it in the fridge and enjoy for a couple of days. When you eat it, sprinkle roasted sesame seeds.
Hi, Maangchi. Want to ask u, do u know a recipe, how to make famous yellow radish? I know, that it make to long time. Hope u know. Thanx!:)
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.
I think it’s Korean style radish pickles. Check this out.
https://www.maangchi.com/talk/topic/pickled-radish-for-chicken
One of my readers Powerplantop has a video recipe for it. If it’s not that you are looking for, leave your question with more detailed description on the forum.
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¡
“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. : )
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. :)
“They were a big hit at my Korean class today. My instructor was so happy..” awesome! Congratulations!
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.
ravi, yes, use a mandolin, : )
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!
I’m eating it now, and it’s delicious! My husband just bought our third radish in ten days because it’s so good.
You and your husband love healthy food! You could mix this with rice and doenjang jjigae to make bibimbap. It’s delicious! : )
Doenjang jjigae:https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/tofu-stew-doenjang-chigae
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.
Good luck in the contest!
Maangchi,u r so pretty….
thanks a lot!
Can we use daikon radish instead? I’ve made kaktugi succesfully with daikon before, so I think it’s very similar to Korean radish…
yes, you can use daikon. yum!
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!
ooh, grilled mackerel, radish salad, and seaplant soup plus rice..yummy and healthy meal!
for those who don’t know what we are talking about
Grilled makerel:
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/grilled-mackerel
miyeokguk (seaplant soup):
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/miyuk-guk
Yay something else to do with delicious mu! I love how crunchy it is :)
You’re awesome as always.
Thank you!
Mu (pronounced moo) (무): radish in Korean
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
It sounds like you are curious about the taste of Korean radish! : )
I am. I want to try it, but I can’t find it anywhere… D:
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
When I run out of kimchi but no time to make more, I make this. “It’s actually sweet when your eat it raw” yes, we used to eat it as snack during the winter when I was young. : )
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
haha vegetable mood? oh, u have the same bowl as I do? Mine has a lid, your, too? Actually it’s a candy bowl. Cheers!