About YUU日本語
Potato Salad
Serves 2–3 · About 40 min (15 min of this is just letting the potatoes cool)
Japanese home-style salad of boiled, mashed potatoes mixed with cucumber, carrot and ham, dressed with mayonnaise.
① Cut the potatoes and carrot→② Boil→③ Mash, season and cool→④ Prep the cucumber and ham→⑤ Mix with mayonnaise
What to buy
Vegetables
Ham & bacon
Check what you already have
Tap an item to check it off (checks clear when you close the page).
How to make it
1
Cut the potatoes and carrot
- Peel the potatoes and cut each into 4. If there are sprouts (dents), dig them out with the corner of the knife
- Soak the cut potatoes in a bowl of water (about 500 ml) for 5 min
- Peel the carrot, cut in half lengthwise, put cut-side down on the cutting board, and cut into slices about 3 mm thick (half-moons)
How to tell it's doneThe potatoes are out of the water and drained in a colander. The carrot is all cut.
2
Boil the potatoes and carrot
- Put the potatoes and carrot in a pot and add enough water to cover (about 800 ml)
- Put over medium heat. When it boils, turn to medium-low heat and boil about 15 min
How to tell it's doneA bamboo skewer (or chopstick) goes in easily when you poke the biggest potato.
3
Mash, season and cool
- Hold the lid slightly open against the pot and pour just the water into the sink (stand back a little so steam doesn't hit your face)
- Put the pot over low heat and shake it for about 1 min to dry the surface of the potatoes
- Move the potatoes and carrot to a bowl and mash the potatoes with a fork (or masher). Some lumps are OK
- While hot, add 2 tsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper and mix
- Leave it for about 15 min to cool
How to tell it's doneWhen you touch the outside of the bowl, it has cooled so you can't feel any warmth.
4
Prep the cucumber and ham (while it cools)
- Cut off both ends of the cucumber and slice into thin rounds, 1–2 mm
- Put the cucumber and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl, rub lightly with your hands, and leave 5 min
- Squeeze the cucumber hard with both hands to squeeze out the water
- Cut the ham into 1 cm squares
How to tell it's doneThe cucumber is soft, and almost no water comes out when you squeeze it.
5
Mix with mayonnaise
- Add the cucumber, ham and 4 tbsp mayonnaise to the bowl from step 3 and mix everything with a spatula
- Taste it. If the flavor is weak, add salt a pinch at a time
ReadyThe mayonnaise coats everything and it's a whitish cream color. Put any you won't eat right away in the fridge, and eat it the same day or the next day.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🔪 Cutting & cooking tips
If it didn't work out
WateryYou didn't squeeze enough water out of the cucumber in step 4, or you didn't dry the potatoes in step 3. Next time, do both well.
The potatoes won't mash / are hardNot boiled long enough in step 2. Boil 5 min more at a time until a bamboo skewer goes in easily.
The mayonnaise melted and it's oilyYou mixed it while the potatoes were warm. Next time, in step 3 wait until it feels cool to the touch.
The flavor is flatUsually it's not enough salt. Add a pinch at a time, tasting each time.
Was this recipe helpful?
This site is free with no ads. If you like, you can support it with a tip.
☕ Send a tip Choose how many cups. Everything stays free to read.Made by YUU, a teen who loves cooking → About me