Go Back

Korean Potato Salad

Korean potato salad is a creamy, sweet gamja salad made by roughly mashing very tender russet potatoes and folding in crunchy vegetables and chopped hard-boiled eggs. The result is a thick, scoopable sweet salad that chills until flavors meld.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes and vegetables
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 cucumber
  • 0.5 cup corn kernels
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
Creamy sweet dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 0.25 Salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Method
 

Boil and prep
  1. Boil the russet potatoes in boiling water until very tender, 15–20 minutes, then drain well. Keep the potatoes moving in the pot so they cook evenly.
  2. Mash the potatoes roughly (not completely smooth) right after draining. Aim for a thick, slightly chunky texture so the salad holds together.
  3. Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain. They should be bright and still lightly crisp.
Mix the salad
  1. Combine the mashed potatoes, carrots, cucumber, corn kernels, and hard-boiled eggs in a large mixing bowl. Mix just until evenly distributed.
  2. Stir the mayonnaise, sugar, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Fold the dressing into the potato mixture until everything is creamy and glossy. Use a gentle folding motion to keep the egg and vegetable bits intact.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the Korean potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving. Chill until cold and thick enough to scoop.

Notes

For best texture, mash the potatoes while they’re still hot so they absorb the sweet vinegar dressing without turning watery. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; the flavor improves after chilling overnight. Freeze: no, the vegetables and creamy dressing can break and become watery when thawed. Dietary swap: use light mayonnaise (or a vegan mayo) for a lower-fat version while keeping the same sweet-vinegar flavor profile.