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Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salad is a creamy comfort food with warm, slightly chunked mashed potatoes folded with blanched carrots, crisp cucumber, and chopped hard-boiled egg. The mayo-vinegar dressing is mixed in, then the salad chills for a smooth, sliceable texture.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
Vegetables
  • 2 carrots diced small
  • 1 cucumber seeded and sliced thin
  • 0.5 cup corn kernels
Eggs
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
Dressing
  • 0.5 cup Japanese mayonnaise (or regular mayo)
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and prepare the potatoes and vegetables
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then boil the russet potatoes until very tender. Use a gentle simmer and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
  2. Drain the potatoes thoroughly. Let them sit in the colander for 2 to 3 minutes so excess steam evaporates.
  3. Mash the potatoes while still warm, leaving some chunks for a slightly mashed texture. Mash for 2 to 4 minutes until the mixture looks creamy with visible pieces.
  4. Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain. Rinse briefly with cool water if needed to stop the cooking.
  5. Salt the cucumber slices and let them sit for 10 minutes. After resting, squeeze out liquid so the salad stays creamy rather than watery.
Make the dressing and assemble
  1. Combine the mashed potatoes, carrots, cucumber, corn, and hard-boiled eggs in a large mixing bowl. Fold gently so the egg pieces stay intact.
  2. Mix the Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl until smooth. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar.
  3. Fold the dressing into the potato mixture until everything is evenly coated. Mix with gentle, steady motions for 1 to 2 minutes to keep some texture.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the Japanese potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving. Cover and chill until cold and creamy, about 120 minutes.

Notes

Pro tip: salt and squeeze the cucumber well so the salad stays thick and creamy instead of watery. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; it does not freeze well due to texture changes. If you want a lighter version, use light mayonnaise and keep the same rice vinegar-sugar balance.