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Zero-Waste Summer: Refreshing Korean Watermelon Rind Salad (Su-bak Namul) (Korean Recipe)

Aloha, foodies! 🌺

As a resident of the islands where summer never ends, watermelon is naturally my best friend. But have you ever looked at that thick, white rind and felt bad about throwing it away?

In Korea, we have a "zero-waste" tradition of turning watermelon rinds into a crunchy, refreshing side dish called Su-bak Namul. If you like green papaya salad (Som Tum) or pickled cucumbers, you are going to fall in love with this unique Korean home recipe!



It has the crunchiness of a radish and the refreshing moisture of a cucumber, all dressed in my "Magic Sauce." Let’s save the planet and satisfy our taste buds at the same time!

🛒 What You Need

The Base:

  • Watermelon Rind: About 1/4 of a large watermelon (the white part only).

  • Salt: 1/2 Tbsp (for pickling).

The "Magic Sauce" (Korean Spicy & Sweet Dressing):

  • Gochujang (Korean Red Chili Paste): 2 Tbsp

  • Sugar: 1 Tbsp

  • Shoyu (Soy Sauce): 1 tsp

  • Minced Garlic: 1 tsp

  • Toasted Sesame Seeds: A generous sprinkle (optional, but highly recommended!)

💡 Chef's Tip: This "Magic Sauce" is a staple in my kitchen! It works perfectly with any crunchy vegetables. Search my blog for more exciting recipes using this magic sauce.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Guide

1. Prep the Rind Carefully peel off the hard, green outer skin. Use a sharp knife instead of a peeler, as the skin can be quite tough! Make sure to get rid of all the red inside too.

Freshly peeled white watermelon rind prepared for making Korean zero-waste salad.


2. Slice it Thin Slice them very thin. The thinner you slice, the better it absorbs the sauce!

Thinly sliced watermelon rinds on a cutting board ready to be salted.


3. The Salt Bath (Osmosis Time) Sprinkle salt and wait over 30min for osmotic pressure. You’ll see the rinds becoming slightly translucent and flexible.

Sliced watermelon rinds sprinkled with salt for the osmosis process.


4. The Squeeze When the rinds turn translucent, squeeze them well. This removes excess water and is the secret to that crunchy "snap" when you bite into them.

Squeezed watermelon rinds after salting to remove excess moisture for extra crunchiness.


5. Mix with Magic! Put them in a bowl, and mix them thoroughly with the Magic Sauce.

Mixing the squeezed watermelon rinds with Korean spicy gochujang magic sauce in a bowl.


Completed Korean watermelon rind salad, looking sweet, spicy, and crunchy.


Now it's a yummy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy Watermelon Rind Salad!!! 🌶️✨

🍚 The Ultimate Upgrade: Watermelon Rind Bibimbap

Whenever I make this salad, I make Bibimbap. It’s the perfect light summer lunch!

  • Bowl of Rice + Fresh Vegetables + Watermelon Rind Salad + A Sunny-Side-Up Egg!

Delicious Korean Bibimbap bowl topped with vegetables, sunny-side-up egg, and watermelon rind salad.


Add an extra spoonful of the Magic Sauce for better taste. Mix it all up and enjoy the explosion of textures. It's so refreshing!

Want a bite? 😋 Ok, now I'm hungry. I made this last week so I don't have it either now ;)

Hope you have a wonderful day today. Thank you for reading my blog. Please follow and share my recipe with your friends who are interested in Korean food.

Mahalo! 🌺

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