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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Japanese Potato Salad (Izakaya Style)

    Published: May 12, 2020 · Modified: Mar 18, 2022 by Yuto Omura

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    This smooth and creamy potato salad is packed with crunchy carrots, refreshing cucumber and crispy bacon then seasoned with Japanese condiments to make it the ultimate crowd pleaser! It's perfect for parties, sides or bentos!

    Creamy Japanese potato salad (Izakaya Style)

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    Potato Salad

    Potato salad might not spring to mind when you think of Japanese cuisine, but it's one of the most popular side dishes in Japan and has been around for more than 100 years!

    You'll often see it in bento boxes, served with fried dishes like karaage (fried chicken) or even used as a sandwich filling! (Who doesn't love a bit of double carbs?!)

    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Japanese potato salad

    Potato salad is a worldwide dish and most countries have their own twist on this classic recipe, Japan is no different in that respect.

    While Western style potato salad is often quite chunky and flavoured with vinegar, bacon and herbs, Japanese potato salad is smoother, creamier and contains more crunchy vegetables. It's also flavoured with condiments like mayonnaise, rather than herbs.

    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Ingredients you can use in Japanese potato salad

    Japanese potato salad is actually a very colourful and versatile dish. So many different ingredients can be added and every home makes it differently.

    It can contain any of the following ingredients:

    • Mashed potatoes
    • Carrot
    • Cucumber
    • Sweet corn
    • Onion
    • Boiled egg
    • Ham

    If I'm being honest, I hated potato salad growing up. That's because it always contains raw onion and that was my most hated food as a kid!

    My tastes have matured since then, but I still omit onions when I make potato salad. That's one of the reasons why I like homemade potato salad the best! You can make it to suit your tastes.

    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Izakaya

    An Izakaya (居酒屋) is a place that serves food and alcoholic drinks, a bit like a Japanese version of a bar or pub.

    Munching and drinking are equally important there and dishes are usually served as tapas (small dish) style.

    Izakaya style potato salad?

    You might be surprised to find that there are quite a lot of izakayas that serve potato salad!

    To give it a more "adult" taste, this recipe uses bacon rather than ham and is seasoned generously with pepper, making it a little bit spicy.

    It's easy and quick so it will be good as snacky salad with your beer as well as a suitable side for many dishes!

    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Tips and Tricks for making the best Japanese Potato Salad

    Your Japanese potato salad is sure to be a crowd pleaser if you follow these simple tips!

    Use starchy potatoes

    If you're used to making American or European style potato salad, this might go against everything you know, but Japanese potato salad is better made with starchy potatoes.

    Japanese potato salad is smooth, creamy and doesn't contain chunks of potato. Essentially, the aim is to make a creamy mash and then add the other ingredients. This is one of the elements that makes Japanese potato salad different to Western style so it's pretty important!

    Cut the potatoes

    This is an obvious one, but cut your potatoes in halves or quarters to help them cook faster.

    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Start with cold water

    If you throw your potatoes into hot water, the outside cooks too quickly and will start to break off before the middle is cooked.

    To ensure even cooking, place your potatoes in cold water and bring to the boil. Make sure to salt your water to flavour the potatoes too.

    Boil the carrots

    Carrots are very crunchy so to soften them slightly, I let them boil in the pot with the potatoes for a while. This also releases some of the sweetness, so boiling the carrots for a little while improves both texture and taste.

    Japanese potato salad on wooden chopsticks

    Use Japanese Mayonnaise

    To give your potato salad an authentic Japanese taste, I highly recommend using Japanese mayonnaise "Kewpie". You can purchase it here on Amazon.

    Chill

    Japanese potato salad is usually served chilled.

    If you have time, let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the flavours to deepen, resulting in an even tastier potato salad!

    Check out my video

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    Creamy Japanese potato salad made with bacon, carrots and cucumber

    Japanese Potato Salad (Izakaya Style)


    • Author: Yuto Omura
    • Total Time: 30 mins
    • Yield: 4 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    How to make Izakaya Style Japanese Potato Salad (居酒屋風ポテトサラダ) Serves 4

    (Cook time doesn't include chilling.)

     


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into halves or thirds
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ⅓ medium carrot peeled
    • ⅓ medium cucumber
    • Bowl of cold water with pinch of salt
    • 40g (approx 5 slices) bacon cubed
    • 4 tbsp mayonnaise (preferably kewpie)
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 pinch sugar
    • ½ tsp sesame oil

    Instructions

    1. Fill a pot with cold water and add the potatoes with ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil on a high heat and then lower to a simmer for 12-15 minutes.Japanese Potato Salad
    2. While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the other ingredients. Cut the carrot into slices and then cut each circle slice into quarters.Cutting Carrots
    3. Cut the cucumber into 1-2mm slices.Cutting cucumbers
    4. Place the cucumber slices in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt. Set aside for later.Soaking cucumbers in water
    5. Heat a frying pan on a medium high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the bacon and fry until crispy. Set aside.Cooking bacon
    6. After the potatoes have been simmering for about 12-15 minutes, add the carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes.Adding carrots
    7. When the potatoes are soft (a knife should slide in without resistance), remove them from the heat and drain. The carrots should be slightly softened but not mushy.
    8. Set the carrots aside, and mash the potatoes in a separate bowl. Mushing potatoes
    9. Once the potatoes are mashed, add the bacon and carrot, then mix well.Mixing Potato Salad
    10. Drain the salted water of the cucumber and add the cucumber to the mashed potato, mix again.Mixing cucumber to potato salad
    11. Add 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 pinch sugar and ½ tsp sesame oil and mix well.Adding ingredients
    12. Allow to cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge until it's time to serve.
    13. Enjoy!
      Japanese potato salad on wooden chopsticks

    Notes

    See in post for additional ingredient ideas. 

    If you decide to use onion, either salt it and add it raw or fry with the bacon.

    If you want to garnish, sprinkle with parmesan cheese or dried parsley.

    Best served chilled. Store in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.

    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Cook Time: 20 mins
    • Category: Side dish
    • Method: Boiling / mixing
    • Cuisine: Japanese

    Keywords: Japanese potato salad, japanese potato salad recipe, how to make japanese potato salad, Izakaya style potato salad, potato salad japanese style, how long to boil potatoes for potato salad, best japanese potato salad, potato salad recipe, potato salad, potato sarada,

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    Thanks for visiting Sudachi Recipes. My name is Yuto and I'm a Japanese guy with a passion for food. Here I share tasty and accessible recipes so that you can bring a taste of Japan to your own kitchen.

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