Make a favorite Korean side dish that’s easy and delicious: Korean Potato Salad! Also known as Gamja Salad, it’s a soft and fluffy potato salad packed with a variety of vegetables. Different from the classic American potato salad, the creamy texture and tangy flavor make it unique. Enjoy as a side dish or sandwiched between soft brioche rolls!
What is Korean Potato Salad?
Korean Potato Salad, also known as Gamja Salad, is a type of potato salad and a popular Korean side dish. Gamja means “potato” in Korean. The soft fluffy texture and slightly tangy flavor make it unique. At Korean BBQ restaurants, it’s often served as a side dish. Or in South Korean cafes, as a sandwich filling between soft brioche or soft dinner roll.
What makes Korean Potato Salad different from regular potato salad is the inclusion of vegetables and savory elements. They add freshness to an otherwise very starchy dish. In Korean cuisine, it’s common to add salted cucumber, shredded carrot, bell pepper, corn, and even ham, spam or canned tuna. My version, with salted cucumber and shredded carrot, is a classic way to enjoy this Korean-style potato salad.
Gamja Salad is also incredibly soft and fluffy. This is not a heavy, dense potato salad. Light, creamy, airy — like biting into a billowy potato salad cloud!
Korean Potato Salad also has that distinctive Korean flavor — a little bit sweet and tangy. Adding sugar and rice vinegar adds that sweet tangy flavor.
Out of all the potato salads in the world, creamy Korean Potato Salad is one of my favorites! A classic side dish I can’t stop eating!
Ingredients:
- Russet Potatoes. The high starch content of Russet Potatoes is ideal. Soft, fluffy, light — Russet potatoes have an added level of creaminess. While I love Yukon Gold Potatoes for regular mashed potatoes, I don’t use them for this recipe. They are too heavy and dense.
- Mayonnaise. Any good mayonnaise works, but I highly recommend Kewpie mayo, a Japanese mayonnaise that comes in a squeeze bottle. Kewpie is sweeter and eggier than regular mayo. It adds richness and depth of flavor. If you don’t have it, use Hellman’s or Duke’s. Even vegan mayo (Vegenaise is my favorite) works well.
- Hard Boiled Eggs. A classic addition to potato salad. In Korean potato salad, they are grated finely for a light and fluffy texture. Use the fine side of a box grater OR a microplane to create that nice, fluffy texture.
- Sugar + Vinegar. Vinegar is commonly used in potato salad recipes. Sugar is not. But this combination makes for a dressing with a distinctly Korean flavor profile: sweet and tangy.
- Cucumber. Thinly sliced and salted cucumbers add freshness and tang. Look for mini cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or curly cucumbers — as they are smaller and don’t release as much water. I don’t recommend English cucumbers, as they are quite large and release a lot of liquid — creating a soggy texture when added to the potatoes.
- Carrot. A small carrot adds freshness and color.
How to make Gamja Salad:
- Prep cucumbers. Thinly slice the cucumber. Sprinkle with salt and scrunch the cucumbers together. Set aside to draw out the moisture.
- Cook potatoes and eggs. Peel potatoes and chop into equal-sized sections. Add to a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add eggs (gently!) into the water so they cook with the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft and the eggs are hard-boiled, about 10 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and eggs. Transfer hard-boiled eggs to a water bath — a medium bowl filled with water and a few ice cubes. Drain potatoes through a colander and let it steam (in the colander) until completely dry, about 5 minutes.
- Season. Add drained, dry potatoes back into the medium saucepan. Using a potato masher or fork, mash until light and fluffy. Add Kewpie mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Add salted cucumbers (drained and squeezed of excess liquid). Using the large holes in a box grater, grate carrot directly on top. Using the small holes in the box grater, finely grate 1 hard-boiled egg. Gently mix together with a spoon until combined and creamy looking. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish. Use an ice cream scoop to plate onto a small dish. Optional: finely grate the remaining hard boiled egg on top for garnish. Season by adding a sprinkle of salt on top of the grated egg. Serve and enjoy!
PRO Tips:
- Fully cook the potatoes. Check for doneness with a fork. It should slide in easily. You don’t want hard bits of potato in this ultra-creamy and extra-fluffy potato salad.
- Combine ingredients while warm. Add seasoning and mix everything together while the potatoes are slightly warm. The flavors will meld together better.
- Make ahead. Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Good served cold, room temperature, or warm.
Variations:
There are so many ways to enjoy Korean Gamja Salad! Make it your own or change it up from time to time.
Some popular additions: cucumber (lightly salted), carrot, apples (crunchy cubes), raisins, canned corn (rinsed + drained), ham or ppam (tiny cubes), celery, red onion, canned tuna fish, etc.
Serve with:
Serve like any potato salad — with grilled meats, vegetables, burgers, or hot dogs.
Some Korean BBQ recommendations: Spicy Pork Belly Bulgogi, Osam Bulgogi, and LA Galbi. Add lettuce wraps to make it a complete meal!
Or serve with other Korean side dishes as one of many banchan:
FAQ
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2-3 days.
More salad recipes:
Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Colander
- Box Grater
- Peeler
Ingredients
- 1 small cucumber *mini, Persian, or curly cucumber preferred
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large (about 1 lb, 900 grams) Russet potato
- 2 large eggs *preferably organic, free run eggs
- 1 small carrot
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise *Kewpie mayo recommended but Hellman's or Duke's is also good
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp rice vinegar *white distilled vinegar or apple vinegar also works
- salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep cucumbers. Thinly slice the cucumber. Sprinkle with salt and scrunch the cucumbers together. Set aside to draw out the moisture.
- Drain potatoes and eggs. Transfer hard-boiled eggs to a water bath — a medium bowl filled with water and a few ice cubes. Drain potatoes through a colander and let it steam (in the colander) until completely dry, about 5 minutes.
- Cook potatoes and eggs. Peel potatoes and chop into equal-sized sections. Add to a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add eggs (gently!) into the water so they cook with the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft and the eggs are hard-boiled, about 10 minutes.
- Season. Add drained, dry potatoes back into the medium saucepan. Using a potato masher or fork, mash until light and fluffy. Add Kewpie mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Add salted cucumbers (drained and squeezed of excess liquid). Using the large holes in a box grater, grate peeled carrot directly on top. Using the small holes in the box grater, finely grate 1 hard-boiled egg. (Save the other one for garnish). Gently mix together with a spoon until combined and creamy looking. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish. Use an ice cream scoop to plate onto a small dish. Optional: finely grate the remaining hard boiled egg on top for garnish. Season by adding a sprinkle of salt on top of the grated egg. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Fully cook the potatoes. Check for doneness with a fork. It should slide in easily. You don’t want hard bits of potato in this ultra-creamy and extra-fluffy potato salad.
- Combine ingredients while warm. Add seasoning and mix everything together while the potatoes are slightly warm. The flavors will meld together better.
- Make ahead. Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Good served cold, room temperature, or warm.
Nutrition
