Japanese Potato Egg Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for details.
Elevate your classic potato egg salad with this delicious Japanese Potato Egg Salad recipe. Ready in about 30 minutes, it features a mix of fluffy potatoes, boiled eggs, crunchy cucumber, sweet carrot, and savoury bacon tossed together with a creamy, tangy dressing.
Potato egg salad is a classic comfort food. This Japanese Potato Egg Salad is somewhat similar to the classic American potato egg salad but different. It is loaded with fluffy potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, crunchy cucumber, sweet carrot, and a tangy dressing. It is a texture party and gives you the most decadent flavors in every bite!
Compared to many potato egg salads, Japanese Potato Egg Salad has a lighter and fluffier texture. The dressing is not too creamy, not too rich, but flavorsome and balanced. You can eat a lot of this salad without feeling too heavy.
The recipe comes together quickly and keeps well in the fridge for a few days. This type of potato salad is usually served as a side dish. Placed on a soft roll or between slices of bread, it’s also enjoyed as a sandwich.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to make
- Creamy but light
- Lots of great crunch
- Loads of flavor
- Can be made in advance
- Easy to customize
Japanese vs Western Potato Egg Salad
What sets the Japanese Potato Egg Salad apart from the Western version is the combination of semi-mashed potatoes, the crunchy vegetables, and the richness of Kewpie mayonnaise. The mashed potato texture, with some lumps, allows the creamy ingredients to integrate seamlessly. A mix of vegetables, including cucumbers and carrots, adds complexity and vibrant contrast to each bite.
Unless you use Kewpie mayonnaise, it will not be Japanese Potato Egg Salad. It just tastes different if you use other types of mayonnaise. In terms of taste, Japanese mayonnaise has a rich egg flavor, is tangy, high in umami, and slightly sweeter than Western mayo. It adds creaminess and a subtle sweetness, enhancing the salad’s overall flavor profile.
Ingredients You Need
- Potatoes. The potatoes are semi-mashed with some chunks. Naturally, the suitable potatoes for this recipe are those suitable for mashed potatoes. You can use starchy potatoes such as Russet or Yukon potatoes. This gives the salad a smoother, creamier texture.
- Hard-boiled eggs. Eggs add extra protein. They also add richness and creaminess.
- Cucumber. You want to use a cucumber with thin skin and not too many seeds, like Persian cucumbers. Salting them draws out excess water from the slices. Squeeze out the excess water. This prevents your salad from turning into a watery puddle, eliminates bitter compounds, and deeply infuses flavor so the cucumber remains crunchy and crisp.
- Carrot. Add extra crunch and sweetness. It also adds a great color to the salad.
- Bacon. You can substitute the bacon with ham. It adds a nice saltiness and savoriness to every bite.
- Mayonnaise. Use Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise for this recipe. The salad will taste different if you use another mayonnaise brand.
- Greek yogurt. To cut the heaviness of mayonnaise.
- Dijon mustard. It tastes sharp and bold with a hint of spicy heat, adding a special zing to the salad.
- Milk. To thin out the dressing.
- Ground black pepper. To enhance flavor, cut through richness, and provide a mild, warming heat.
- Salt. To salt the cucumber and enhance the overall salad profile.
Variations and Customizations
- Protein swap. Replace the bacon or ham with grilled chicken, pancetta, sausage, or tuna.
- Extra veggies. Add diced onion, chopped scallions, corn, or green peas.
- Use as a filling for a sandwich. You could sandwich the salad between bread and turn it into a meal.
Storage
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Do not freeze the salad. The high mayonnaise and potato content causes the emulsion to break, resulting in a watery, grainy, and unappetizing texture once thawed.
More Japanese Recipes
- Brown Sugar Milk Pudding
- Matcha Basque Cheesecake
- Banana Pudding Matcha Latte
- Yaki Mochi (Grilled Mochi)
- Black Sesame Madeleines
- Matcha Butter Cookies
Japanese Potato Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs (500 gr) potatoes, about 2-3 potatoes
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 2 inch (5 cm) carrot
- 1 Persian cucumber
- 5 strips bacon, or ham
- 1/2 tsp salt
Dressing
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp milk
- Ground black pepper
- Salt, optional
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and carrot. Boil or steam potatoes and carrot until fork-tender. Boil or steam for 8-15 minutes for diced potatoes, or 20-30 minutes for whole potatoes, and 10-15 minutes for carrot.
- After the carrot is cooked, cool slightly. Cut the carrot in quarters lengthwise, then slice thinly. Set aside.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice thinly. Add the sliced cucumbers to a small bowl and add 1/2 tsp salt. Mix and leave them for 10 minutes. Squeeze the cucumber to remove excess water. Set aside.
- Dice the bacon strips. Place the cut bits into a frying pan. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain the excess grease on paper towels. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, milk, and black pepper. Stir until well incorporated.
- Add cooked potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Mash lightly with a spoon or fork, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Add carrot, cucumber, and bacon. Mix until combined.
- Taste and add salt to bring out the flavor. This step is optional. You can serve this salad warm, at room temperature, or cold.
