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With creamy potatoes, crisp veggies, and a kiss of tangy Kewpie mayo, Japanese Potato Salad is the side that disappears first at every gathering.
Japanese Potato Salad shines at summer cookouts, yet its rich, balanced flavor makes it a weeknight regular in my home. Ready in about 30 minutes, it offers an irresistible mix of fluffy potatoes, crunchy cucumber, and sweet corn—a texture party in every bite.
If you love chilled Japanese salads, try my Green Bean Shiraae (Mashed Tofu Salad), Soba Noodle Salad, or this Warm Mushrooms Salad with Sesame Dressing next!
What is Japanese Potato Salad?
Japanese potato salad (ポテトサラダ) has bright vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and bites of ham folded into gently mashed russet potatoes. A dash of rice vinegar lifts the rich Kewpie mayonnaise, giving the side dish its signature sweet-tart finish compared with American potato salads. Loved for more than 120 years, you’ll spot it everywhere in Japan—from bento boxes to izakaya menus.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to customize the veggies, flavorings, and proteins
- Satisfying and versatile as a side dish, bento, or snack
- Make-ahead friendly, and it’s my go-to dish for a party and potluck!
Ingredients for Japanese Potato Salad
- Russet potatoes
- Corn
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Hard-boiled egg
- Ham
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
- Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – or use sea salt
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Substitutions
- Russet potatoes: Japanese potato salad is creamier than its Western counterpart. Russet potatoes are easier to break up to achieve that signature creamy mouthfeel. I do not recommend using waxy varieties like Yukon gold potatoes.
- Corn: Fresh is best, but you can use canned or frozen.
- Ham: If you don’t eat meat, skip it.
- Japanese Kewpie mayo: I highly recommend this mayo made with egg yolks because it’s richer than American mayonnaise. Find it at Asian markets, some mainstream grocery stores, and on Amazon. If you don’t have it, try adding 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar to 1 cup of American mayonnaise. Or, learn How to Make Japanese Mayonnaise.
- Rice vinegar: If you don’t have it, use ½ Tbsp lemon juice, apple cider, Champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
How to Make Japanese Potato Salad
Preparation
- Cut veggies. Peel and cut potatoes. Slice cucumber, carrots, and ham; salt cucumber slices, then squeeze out excess moisture.
- Blanch the veggies and boil an egg. Place sliced carrots and frozen corn in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until just tender. At the same time, cook frozen corn according to the package instructions. Drain well.
Cooking
- Cook potatoes. Place potatoes in a pot of cold water, boil, and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain.
- Season and mash. Gently mash while warm, leaving some small chunks. Sprinkle with rice vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let cool.
Assemble
- Combine and season. In a large bowl, fold cooled potatoes with cucumber, carrots, corn, eggs, and ham. Add mayo to the potato mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour so flavors meld.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Thinly slice cucumbers and carrots. Thin slices of the veggies give a nice texture and blend smoothly with the fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Cold-start potatoes. Beginning in cold water yields evenly cooked, tender pieces.
- Dry ingredients = creamy salad. Squeeze cucumber and let potatoes steam-dry for a luscious (not watery) texture.
- Season warm potatoes. They absorb vinegar, salt, and pepper best while hot.
- Leave some chunks. A few potato bits add a pleasant texture (optional).
- Cool before adding mayo. Mixing while hot can cause mayonnaise to separate.
- Chill to improve flavor. An hour (or overnight) in the fridge deepens taste.
Variations and Customizations
- Extra veggies. Stir in peas, string beans, thinly sliced onion, or chopped scallions.
- Protein swap. Replace ham with flaky canned tuna for a lighter take.
- Apple twist. Add crisp diced apple for gentle sweetness and crunch.
- Potato Salad Pork Rolls. Use leftovers to fill thin pork slices, roll, and pan-sear for tomorrow’s bento.
What to Serve with Japanese Potato Salad
This Japanese potato salad recipe pairs beautifully with:
- Karaage – crispy Japanese fried chicken for ultimate comfort.
- Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steak) – its savory gravy loves the creamy salad.
- Teriyaki Salmon – the sweet-savory glaze meets tangy potatoes.
- Japanese Milk Bread – spread potato salad between soft slices for a classic sando.
Storage Tips
To store: Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or in the freezer for 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, this is the perfect side dish to make ahead of time. I recommend preparing it at least 4 hours before you’re ready to serve or up to 1 day.
What is the difference between Japanese and Korean potato salad?
While similar, Korean potato salad can feature either cubed or mashed potatoes and may also sprinkle in fruit (like apples or raisins), whereas Japanese potato salad typically has no fruit added. That said, you can customize it with your favorite ingredients.
Can I add a few teaspoons of green onions?
While scallions are not traditional, you could add them to customize the salad to suit your taste.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- ▢ 2 russet potatoes (1.15 lb, 520 g)
- ▢ 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for cooking the potatoes)
- ▢ 2 inches carrot (2 oz, 60 g)
- ▢ ¼ cup frozen or canned corn
- ▢ 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
- ▢ 1 Persian cucumber (or ½ Japanese cucumber; 3 oz, 90 g)
- ▢ ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for the cucumber)
- ▢ 2 slices Black Forest ham (1.9 oz, 54 g)
For the Seasonings
- ▢ 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) (or use ½ Tbsp lemon juice/apple cider/Champagne vinegar/white wine vinegar)
- ▢ freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ▢ 6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (divided; add 4 Tbsp first, then add more to taste)
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Potatoes
Peel 2 russet potatoes and cut them into 1½-inch (3.8-cm) pieces; I usually cut each potato into four pieces. Cut the pieces about the same size so that they’ll cook evenly.
Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the pot and turn on the heat to medium high. Cover with the lid, leaving it slightly ajar to avoid a boilover. Tip: Start cooking the potatoes in cold water to heat them up slowly so they cook through evenly. While you‘re cooking and cooling the potatoes, prepare the other ingredients (see the next section).
Once the water is boiling, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Cook on a gentle boil until a skewer pierces a potato smoothly, about 15 minutes.
Drain the water completely from the pot using the lid to hold back the potatoes. Put the pot with the potatoes back onto the stove over medium heat to evaporate any remaining water completely, shaking the pot constantly to avoid sticking. When there is no liquid left, remove the pot from the heat.
Mash the potatoes lightly, leaving some small chunks for texture. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
While the potatoes are hot, toss with 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool. Tip: Why not add mayonnaise here? Because the mayo will separate if you add it to hot potatoes. Therefore, work on the other ingredients while the potatoes cool down.
To Prepare the Other Ingredients
While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, prepare the other ingredients. Bring a small pot of water to a boil for cooking the carrots and corn (next step). Peel and cut 2 inches carrot in half or quarters lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into thin slices. You may use a mandoline slicer to cut it thinly.
Once the water is boiling, cook the carrot slices and ¼ cup (40 g) frozen corn for 5 minutes. If you‘re using canned corn, you don‘t need to boil it.
Alternatively, you can use the microwave to heat the carrot for a few minutes until a skewer pierces it smoothly; don’t overcook it or the carrot will get mushy. Drain the water in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool.
Add 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) to the same pot and add enough cold tap water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Turn on the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 11–12 minutes and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. When the timer goes off, shock the egg in cold water until cool.
Peel the boiled egg and chop it into smaller pieces. Set aside.
Peel 1 Persian cucumberleaving some skin on to create a striped pattern, and thinly slice it crosswise. Tip: If you‘re using a large cucumber, you may need to cut it in half or quarters lengthwise before slicing it.
Sprinkle ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the cucumber slices, knead them with your hands, and let them stand until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes. Then, squeeze the cucumber to remove any moisture and set aside. Tip: Salt draws out moisture through osmosis. This keeps the cucumber from releasing moisture into the salad and diluting the flavors.
Cut 2 slices Black Forest ham into 1-inch (2.5-cm) thin strips and set aside.
To Assemble
Add the vegetables, egg, and ham to the bowl of cooled potatoes and mix all together.
Add 4 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and combine well.
Taste it and add more mayo, if you'd like. I added the remaining 2 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise. Instead of adding more mayo, you can also add salt to bring out the flavor. I recommend chilling the potato salad in the fridge for 30–60 minutes before serving, but you could serve it immediately as well.
To Store
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days or in the freezer for 2–3 months.
Calories: 198 kcal · Carbohydrates: 19 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 42 mg · Sodium: 206 mg · Potassium: 470 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 1759 IU · Vitamin C: 6 mg · Calcium: 23 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: japanese mayonnaise, potato
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on August 31, 2011. It was updated with new images on June 28, 2021, and a new video on April 12, 2024. It was republished with more helpful information on July 4, 2025.
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