Mu saengchae

Name: Mu saengchae
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 500 g daikon, Korean radish (mu), peeled and cut into thin matchsticks; 1 tsp salt; 1½ tbsp red chilli flakes; 1 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fish sauce (optional); 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Non-vegetarian

무생채 · Mu-saengchae

Matchstick-cut Korean radish dressed with red chilli flakes, garlic, vinegar, sugar and spring onion — a crunchy, sweet-hot banchan salad made fresh rather than fermented.

Mu saengchae is a Korean salad from South Korea, ready in about 30 minutes and made with daikon and red chilli flakes. It serves 6 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking

A close-up of Korean spicy radish salad dish served on a ceramic plate, highlighting its vibrant colors and flavors. — Photo: makafood / Pexels · Pexels License

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 0 min
Rest: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Serves: 6
Level: Beginner
Calories: 35

Ingredients

6 servings

500 g Daikon (opens in a new tab), Korean radish (mu), peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 tsp (6 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
1½ tbsp (8.5 g) Red chilli flakes (opens in a new tab)Korean gochugaru.
1 tbsp (13 g) Sugar (opens in a new tab)
2 tbsp (30 g) Rice vinegar (opens in a new tab)
2 cloves (8 g) Garlic (opens in a new tab), minced
1 tsp (6 g) Fish sauce (opens in a new tab) (optional)Contains fish
2 (30 g) Spring onions (opens in a new tab), thinly sliced
1 tsp (3 g) Sesame seeds (opens in a new tab), toastedContains sesame

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Toss the radish with the chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) first and leave 5 minutes so the radish turns evenly red.
- 2 min
- Mixing bowl (opens in a new tab)
2
Step 2
Add the salt, sugar (opens in a new tab), vinegar, garlic (opens in a new tab) and fish sauce (opens in a new tab) (if using) and mix well with your hands (wear gloves).
- 3 min
3
Step 3
Leave 10 minutes, then fold in the spring onion (opens in a new tab) and sesame seeds (opens in a new tab) and serve.
- 1 min

About this dish

Origin: South Korea · Well documentedAlso popular in North KoreaMore food from South Korea
Dish: Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Side dishes
Cooking method: Raw, Marinated / cured
Taste: spicy (chilli heat), sweet & sour, fresh
Diet: Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labels
Pescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · DASH-style
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Budget-friendly · Make-ahead
Cook more with: Daikon · Red chilli flakes · Sugar · Rice vinegar · Garlic · Spring onion
Techniques: Marinating · Curing

Allergens

Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom fish sauce
May contain: Crustaceansfrom fish sauce
Contains: Sesamefrom sesame seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

35 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 100 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

Protein 10%
Carbohydrate 76%
Fat 14%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	35 kcal	35 kcal
Protein	0.9 g	0.9 g
Carbohydrate	7.2 g	7.3 g
Net carbohydrate	5.3 g	5.3 g
Sugars	4.5 g	4.5 g
Added sugars	2.1 g	2.1 g
Fibre	1.9 g	1.9 g
Fat	0.6 g	0.6 g
Saturated fat	0.1 g	0.1 g
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	408 mg	409 mg
Salt equivalent	1 g	1 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 239 mg
Calcium: 36 mg
Iron: 0.6 mg
Magnesium: 19 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 32 µg
Vitamin C: 21 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 29 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: fish sauce.
Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
Rice vinegar: Distilled vinegar (FDC 172237) used as a stand-in for unseasoned rice vinegar.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Coating the radish with chilli before salting gives the even red colour; salt first and it weeps and stains unevenly.

Common mistakes

Cutting the radish too thick — thin matchsticks absorb the seasoning and stay crisp.

Serve with

With rice and grilled meat, or tucked into bibimbap.

Storage

Keeps 3 days in the fridge; it softens and releases liquid over time.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 28 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Daikon, Korean radish (mu), peeled and cut into thin matchsticks500 g

Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

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