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Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salad with a creamy, slightly mashed texture and crunchy vegetables. Boiled russet potatoes are partially mashed, mixed with blanched carrots, cucumber, corn, and chopped eggs, then chilled for a thick, tangy finish.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes and vegetables
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
  • 2 carrots dice small
  • 1 cucumber seed and slice thin
  • 0.5 cup corn kernels
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
Creamy 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 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and prep
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the russet potatoes until very tender. This should take about 15–20 minutes, then drain well so they don’t steam.
  2. Mash the potatoes while still warm, leaving some chunks for the slightly mashed texture. Press gently until thick and cohesive.
  3. Blanch the diced carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Keep them crisp-tender for a better bite.
  4. Salt the cucumber slices and let them sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid. Place the squeezed cucumber aside to keep the salad from getting watery.
Mix and chill
  1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, carrots, cucumber, corn, and chopped eggs. Stir until the vegetables and eggs are evenly distributed.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and the sugar mostly dissolves.
  3. Fold the dressing into the potato mixture until everything is coated and creamy. Stop when the texture looks thick with visible potato chunks.
  4. Refrigerate the Japanese potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving. Chill until the flavors meld and the salad is set and scoopable.

Notes

Pro tip: after salting the cucumber, squeeze very firmly so the salad stays thick and creamy instead of watery. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days; it’s not recommended to freeze because the potatoes and cucumber texture can break down. For a lighter version, use regular mayo plus a portion of plain Greek yogurt (keep the total mayo-to-dressing ratio close so it still clings to the potatoes).