Japanese Potato Salad
A creamy, slightly sweet, and immensely comforting staple of Japanese home cooking. Roughly mashed potatoes are folded together with crunchy cucumbers, sweet carrots, and ham, all bound by the rich, tangy, iconic flavor of Kewpie mayonnaise.
Course Sides & Appetizers
- 3 medium Potatoes peeled
- 1/2 Cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/2 Carrot thinly sliced
- 2 slices Ham cut into small squares
- 1 Hard-boiled egg roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Japanese Mayonnaise Kewpie
- 1 tsp Rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Salt and white pepper
Cook and Mash the Potatoes: Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil in salted water until fork-tender. Drain completely. While still hot, transfer to a large bowl, add the rice vinegar and sugar, and mash roughly with a fork. Leave some chunks for texture. Let cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Vegetables: Place the thinly sliced cucumbers and carrots in a small bowl, sprinkle with a heavy pinch of salt, and let sit for 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze the vegetables firmly to extract all excess water. This prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
Assemble the Ingredients: Add the squeezed cucumbers, carrots, chopped ham, and chopped hard-boiled egg into the bowl with the cooled mashed potatoes.
Mix and Dress: Add the Japanese mayonnaise (it must be Kewpie for the authentic flavor!) and a pinch of white pepper. Gently fold everything together until creamy and thoroughly mixed.
Chill and Serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The flavors meld and the texture thickens beautifully as it chills.
Keyword Mayo, Potato, Salad, Side Dish