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Korean Potato Salad

Korean Potato Salad (gamja salad) is a creamy sweet Asian potato salad with mashed russet potatoes, crunchy vegetables, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Boil-till-tender potatoes, then rough-mash and chill for a thick, sliceable, creamy 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: Korean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Vegetables
  • 2 carrots, diced small
  • 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
  • 0.5 cup corn kernels
Eggs
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Creamy sweet dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the russet potatoes and cook until very tender, about 15–20 minutes. Visual cue: the cubes should mash easily when pressed with a spoon.
  2. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander, then transfer to a bowl. Visual cue: steam should stop coming off the potatoes so they don’t water down the salad.
  3. Rough-mash the potatoes (not completely smooth) until thick and slightly chunky. Visual cue: you should still see small potato pieces for a creamy-yet-hearty texture.
Blanch the carrots
  1. Blanch the diced carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain well. Visual cue: bright orange and just-tender carrots.
Assemble and dress
  1. Combine the mashed potatoes, carrots, cucumber, corn, and chopped hard-boiled eggs in a mixing bowl. Visual cue: ingredients should be evenly distributed with colorful bits throughout.
  2. Stir mayonnaise, sugar, rice vinegar, and salt and pepper until smooth. Visual cue: the dressing looks glossy and fully incorporated.
  3. Fold the dressing into the potato mixture until everything is coated. Visual cue: the salad should look creamy and thick, with no dry potato patches.
Chill before serving
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Visual cue: the salad firms up and looks sliceable and cohesive after chilling.

Notes

For best texture, rough-mash while the potatoes are still hot so they absorb the sweet-tangy dressing; if needed, let the drained potatoes sit 5 minutes before mashing to prevent a watery salad. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the cucumber and eggs can become watery after thawing. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt mayo blend) to reduce calories while keeping the creamy body.