Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese Potato Salad (ポテトサラダ)

Japanese potato salad is a popular Japanese appetizer, side dish, or snack. 

Inspired by Western potato salad, it’s made with potatoes, eggs, vegetables, ham, Japanese rice vinegar, and Japanese mayo.

Compared to American style potato salad, Japanese style potato salad’s potatoes are roughly mashed.

What We Look for in a Tasty Japanese Potato Salad

From flavors to textures, we want our Japanese Style Potato Salad to be exciting and satisfying to eat!

• Potatoes: Roughly mashed potatoes are seasoned, fluffy, soft, and creamy with some chunks for a heartier texture. Not dry, crumbly, soggy, or watery.
• Seasoning: Balanced combination of flavors – sweet, tangy, umami, smoky, creamy, earthy. The dressing’s texture is rich yet light – not just plain mayo taste.
• Mix-in Ingredients: Add refreshing crunch, flavors, and mouthfeel, yet not overpowering.
• Potato and Mix-in Ingredients Ratio: Use an appropriate ratio so there won’t be too much or too little mix-in ingredients.

How to Make Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad

Deep Poaching Technique: 4 Cups (1L) of Cold Tap Water is Not a Typo!

4 Cups of Water is not too much water for this Japanese potato salad recipe! Because we’re using the deep poaching technique.

For best results, submerge all the potatoes in the water when cooking.

From our experiments, this method is proven to cook the potatoes more evenly, and won’t come out soggy or watery, with the potatoes being more seasoned to the core.

Pressure Cooking Method: Low Pressure 1 minute + Quick Release

Don’t worry! The total cooking time will be more than 1 minute. Since it takes over 20 minutes to get up to pressure, we mostly use the heat generated during this “building pressure” stage to cook the eggs and potatoes.

Here are the Japanese Potato Salad Ingredients:

Potatoes. We used russet potatoes, a starchy potato, to develop this easy Japanese potato salad recipe. It yields a fluffy creamy smooth texture with some weight.

Dashi Powder (粉末だし). Not a common ingredient in Japanese Potato Salad. But it’s our little secret umami booster!

Unseasoned Japanese Rice Vinegar (米酢). For our recipe, make sure you’re using Unseasoned Japanese Rice Vinegar, not “Seasoned” Rice Vinegar or Sushi Vinegar. Keep in mind different brands can vary in acidity level, flavors, and aroma. So adjust accordingly.

Japanese Mayonnaise. We tested our recipe with Kewpie Japanese Mayo and Nisshin Egg-Free Japanese Mayo. They both work and offer slightly different flavor profiles. For best results, use the Kewpie Mayo because the taste is noticeably richer.

White Onion and Cucumber. We used Persian cucumbers, but other types of cucumbers also work. Thinly slice, salt them, and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the moisture. So their moisture won’t water down the potato salad.

Other Mix-in Ingredients. This Japanese potato salad with egg recipe is versatile. It works well with many mix-in ingredients like:

• Corn kernels
• Chopped imitated crab meat
• Peas, String beans
• Apple, Raisins
• Smoky bacon

Tools for Easy Japanese Potato Salad

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (6qt)
• Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup
• Bamboo Wooden Spoon
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Potato Masher
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
• Optional: Mandoline Slicer

Cook Cubed Potato in Instant Pot

Peel and wash the potatoes.

Roughly cut the potatoes into 1″ cubes.

Add 2½ teaspoons (17.5g) fine table salt, 1½ teaspoons (6g) dashi powder, 1 tablespoon (15ml) Unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar, and 4 cups (1L) cold tap water in an Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.

Submerge all the cubed potatoes in the water mixture.

Then layer 2 large eggs on top of the potatoes.

Close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.

Pressure Cook Time: Pressure Cook Cubed Potatoes and Eggs at Low Pressure for 1 minute, then immediately Quick Release.

Prepare Remaining Ingredients

Finely slice carrots and cucumber as best as you can with a knife or mandoline.

Finely dice half of a small white onion.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the diced white onion and a pinch of salt on the thinly sliced cucumber. Give them a quick mix and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the moisture.

Drain Potatoes and Ice Bath Eggs

Open the lid carefully as soon as the Instant Pot finishes the quick release.

Put the two eggs in ice-cold water or an ice bath.

Drain the cubed potatoes with a mesh strainer.

Let the cubed potatoes drain and cool for a few minutes.

Place the cubed potatoes in a large mixing bowl or inner pot.

Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar to the cubed potatoes. Gently give it a quick mix.

Let the cubed potatoes cool to room temperature as you continue to prepare the other ingredients.

Mash Potatoes & Chop Hard Boiled Eggs

Set aside a quarter of the cubed potatoes in another mixing bowl.

Roughly mash the rest of the cubed potatoes with a potato masher.

Peel the two eggs and roughly chop them up.

Squeeze out the excess liquid from the cucumber and white onions. There will be a lot of liquid. You can use a paper towel to soak up the liquid.

Combine and Make Japanese Potato Salad

Add the previously set aside cubed potatoes (from Step 4) to the roughly mashed potatoes.

Add the chopped eggs, sliced carrots, sliced cucumber, sliced green onions, diced onions, and diced ham to the potatoes.

Add 1 tablespoon (15g) Dijon mustard and ½ cup (125g) Japanese mayonnaise to the potatoes.

Gently fold the ingredients together to make Japanese potato salad.

Taste and season the Instant Pot Japanese potato salad with more salt and black pepper. For reference, we lightly added some black pepper and no extra salt.

Serve the deliciously creamy Japanese style potato salad warm or chilled, then enjoy~

What to Serve with Japanese Potato Salad

Easy Japanese potato salad is a great appetizer, side dish, and snack. Not only is it a delicious way to complement a meal, but it’s also a popular dish for parties, BBQs, potlucks, and picnics.

Here are some tasty Japanese dishes you can serve with Japanese Style Potato Salad:

Main Dishes:

• Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry
• Instant Pot Japanese Beef Curry
• Instant Pot Gyudon
• Udon Soup
• California Roll
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• Instant Pot Ginger Pork Shogayaki

Side Dishes: Miso Soup, Ramen Egg, Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸し

Enjoy Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad~

More Instant Pot Potatoes Recipes

• Instant Pot Potato Salad
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Instant Pot Roasted Potatoes
• Instant Pot Twice Baked Potatoes