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Korean potato salad (gamja salad) is a delicious blend of creamy potatoes, carrots, crunchy cucumber, and hard boiled egg, all tossed in a creamy dressing! It’s a popular potato side dish (banchan) found in Korean bbq restaurants that you can easily recreate at home.
Korean potato salad was one of my favorite childhood meals, so I’m excited to share this recipe with you! This recipe is quite versatile, as you can add as many or as few vegetables as you’d like. Read on for more helpful tips on how to get the best Korean potato salad!
What is Korean potato salad?
Korean potato salad or gamja salad (감자샐러드) is a delicious twist on the classic potato salad. It’s made with fluffy, creamy potatoes and a mayo-based dressing. But what sets it apart from traditional potato salad is the balance of sweet and salty flavors with the addition of crunchy vegetables and fruit such as carrots, cucumbers, and sometimes apples or raisins.
It’s a staple side dish (banchan) at many Korean restaurants, especially BBQ restaurants, and commonly served in a small rounded ball shape as it’s typically plated with a cookie or ice cream scoop. Sometimes garnished with crumbled egg yolk on top.
Another common way it’s served in Korea is in a sandwich, layered between two fluffy slices of bread, or nestled in a soft dinner roll. Korean potato salad sandwiches are usually served in cafes or bakeries.
Helpful Tips
- For a fluffier texture, use non-waxy potatoes such as russet potatoes. For a creamier texture, use creamer potatoes such as Yukon gold potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes for faster cooking.
- Fully drain any excess water after boiling the potatoes. This prevents the potato salad from getting too watery or soggy.
- Do not skip salting the cucumber slices. This is crucial for getting those crunchy, briny bites of cucumber that are quintessential of Korean potato salad.
Ingredients
- Potatoes – Choose creamer potatoes, such as Yukon gold, for a creamier texture. If you prefer a fluffier texture, use non-waxy potatoes like russet potatoes.
- Cucumber—Crunchy, briny cucumber slices are essential for this potato salad. I recommend using English or Persian cucumbers. Cut them into thin slices and lightly salt them to draw out the moisture.
- Carrot – Small bite-sized pieces of carrot add crunch, a pop of color, and more flavor.
- Egg – Hard boil the eggs and reserve a yolk to crumble on top for presentation.
- Mayo – I recommend using full-fat mayo for the best flavor. You can also opt to use Kewpie mayo, which is a Japanese brand.
- Sugar—Sugar adds a hint of sweetness that sets this apart from traditional potato salad. Add as much or as little as you’d like.
- Optional additions – Other additions include corn kernels (use canned or frozen), small pieces of diced apple, or a handful of raisins or nuts.
Step by Step Instructions
- Slice the cucumber into thin slices and toss them with salt. Set it aside for 10 minutes until the salt draws out the moisture, creating crunchy, salted cucumber slices. Squeeze out the excess moisture and set it aside.
- Make the dressing by mixing together the mayo, rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. It should taste slightly sweet and tangy. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
- Add the dressing to the boiled potatoes, carrots, salted cucumber slices, egg, and optional add-ins such as apple and corn.
- Mix everything together, while mashing the potatoes to your desired consistency. Korean potato salad typically has the consistency of mashed potatoes but you can leave it chunky if you’d like.
Serving Suggestions
Gamja salad is typically served chilled and scooped by an ice cream scoop to resemble a rounded ball shape. To resemble restaurant-style potato salad, crumble a bit of egg yolk on top.
Another popular way to serve this is by making a Korean potato salad sandwich. It’s commonly sold in cafes and bakeries in Korea. Sandwich the potato salad in between two slices of bread or nestled inside a dinner roll.
More Korean Potato Recipes:
Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 cups potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut to bite-sized pieces
- ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup corn
- ¼ cup carrots, small dice, ¼ inch
- ¼ cup apple, small dice, ¼ inch
- ½ teaspoon salt, for cucumber slices
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the cucumber slices with salt and draw out the moisture for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture, drain, and set it aside.½ English cucumber, ½ teaspoon salt
- Boil the potatoes with a pinch of salt until they are fork-tender. Add the carrots during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and set it aside.2 cups potatoes, ¼ cup carrots
- Chop the hard-boiled eggs into bite-sized pieces. Optional: Finely crumble an egg yolk and reserve for garnish.2 hard-boiled eggs
Dressing
- Mix together the mayo, rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.⅓ cup mayo, 1 ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Assemble
- In a large bowl, add the cooked potatoes, carrots, cucumber slices, corn, egg, and apple. Add the dressing and mix together, while mashing the potatoes to your desired consistency.¼ cup corn, ¼ cup apple
Serve
- Serve immediately or chill in the fridge to serve cold. Garnish with optional egg yolk crumble before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
So good! Creamy, crunchy, and so flavorful that we had to make a second batch for our guests! Definitely a five star recipe.
We make potato salad often but never tried it with cucumbers and corn. It was so good and it’s gonna be perfect for summer!
I love this upgrade over standard potato salad. The tasty veggies in it really take it to the next level. I made this for a weekend cookout and it was a hit.
This is my new favourite potato salad recipe. I loved the crunchiness and sweetness of the veg and fruit and the addition of egg! So yum!
This potato salad has it all, the taste, nutrition, and presentation! I would say that I can eat this everyday without getting tired of it!
Okay, I never would have thought to put potato salad into a sandwich, but wow what a great idea! I love regular potato salad, but seeing what is in this Korean potato salad has me thinking, this one’s better. Love the play on sweet and sour, and the addition of corn and apples are fabulous! Very yummy! ❤️ ?
I had a friend that used to make this potato salad in college and this brings back memories. It tastes just like theirs and her mom moved here from Korea.
I love this Korean potato salad recipe! I love putting this between 2 slices of toast and making a Korean potato salad sandwich!
I was so surprised how good a combo the corn egg and apple are. A winning salad for me.
This potato salad tastes just like the one I had in Busan! I’m super thrilled to find this recipe so that I can make it at home whenever I want. Sometimes I add a little truffle powder if I’m feeling fancy!
I like this so much more than traditional potato salad. The corn and apple provide great crunch and flavor.
This was just perfect alongside gochujang chicken! We all loved this new-to-us type of potato salad. THanks for the great recipe!
This recipe is delicious! It’s creamy and soft – with a bit of tang that makes it irresistible! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Loved this! The creamy dressing with the hint of rice vinegar brought out all the flavours. Will definitely make again.
Very good, indeed! I was sceptical about mixing crunchy veggies with soft potatoes and eggs but I have to say, the textures and flavours go soooo well together. I’ll go as far as to say that it’s my new favourite potato salad!
My husband made this and it was such a hit!!! So flavorful!