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Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salad with a creamy, slightly mashed texture and crunchy vegetables. Potatoes are boiled until very tender, partially mashed for chunks, then folded with a tangy mayo dressing and chilled for easy, scoopable serving.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
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 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and prep the ingredients
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil, add the russet potatoes, and cook until very tender, about 10–15 minutes. Visual cue: the potatoes should break easily when pressed.
  2. Drain the potatoes well and let them steam briefly, then mash them while still warm and leave some chunks for texture, about 2–3 minutes. Visual cue: you should see both smooth mash and small potato pieces.
  3. Blanch the carrots in simmering water for 2 minutes, then drain completely. Visual cue: they turn brighter and just tender.
  4. Salt the cucumber slices and let them sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid. Visual cue: the cucumber should look less wet and slightly wilted.
Mix the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, carrots, cucumber, corn, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Visual cue: the mixture looks thick and evenly speckled.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Visual cue: the dressing becomes glossy and uniform.
  3. Fold the dressing into the potato mixture until everything is coated, with no dry pockets. Visual cue: the salad turns creamy and clings to the vegetables.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the Japanese potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving. Visual cue: it should feel firm and scoopable, with flavors fully blended.

Notes

Pro tip: mash the potatoes while warm and don’t over-smooth—leaving small chunks helps that signature Japanese potato salad texture. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezer not recommended because the cucumber and mayonnaise may separate. For a lighter option, use light Japanese mayonnaise (or light mayo) while keeping the vinegar and sugar amounts the same to maintain the balanced tang.