Description
Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad is a creamy and comforting side dish featuring tender potatoes cooked quickly in an Instant Pot, combined with crunchy cucumbers, carrots, sweet corn, and a tangy Japanese-style mayonnaise dressing. This recipe offers a speedy and easy way to enjoy a classic Japanese salad with a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Potatoes and Cooking
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Dressing and Vegetables
- 1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (for cucumber)
- 1 small carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
- 1/2 cup canned or frozen sweet corn
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Potatoes: Place the peeled and chunked potatoes, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Once done, perform a quick release of the pressure.
- Prepare the Potatoes: Drain any excess water from the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, gently mash some of them but leave some small chunks intact to maintain a pleasant texture.
- Add Vinegar and Sugar: Sprinkle the rice vinegar and sugar over the warm potatoes and gently mix to incorporate.
- Prepare the Cucumber: Place the thinly sliced cucumber in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. After resting, squeeze out the excess moisture to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the drained cucumber, sliced carrot, sweet corn, green onions, red onion, and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the mashed potatoes.
- Add Mayonnaise and Mustard: Pour in the Japanese mayonnaise and Dijon mustard (if using). Gently fold all ingredients together to evenly distribute the dressing without over-mixing.
- Season and Chill: Season the salad with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and texture to improve.
Notes
- Japanese mayonnaise provides the salad with its characteristic rich and tangy flavor.
- Do not completely mash the potatoes; leaving small chunks preserves the traditional texture of the salad.
- Removing excess moisture from the cucumber prevents the salad from becoming watery.
- For extra flavor, add thinly sliced ham or cooked bacon.
- The salad can be prepared a day in advance and stored refrigerated for convenience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Salad
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Japanese
