For Ultra-Creamy Potato Salad Without Extra Mayo, Try This Japanese Technique

What do you think of first when you hear "Japanese food?" Is it ramen? Sushi? Miso soup? While these are all Japanese classics, there are a few other national favorites that might come as a surprise. How about a tamago sando, Japan's take on an egg salad sandwich, most famously sold at 7-11, or the bento-box filler, Japanese potato salad? It might be a staple of potlucks and cookouts in the U.S., but apparently, potato salad knows no borders. 

Japan's version of potato salad is packed with vegetables, such as radishes and cucumber, boiled eggs, and sometimes cured pollock roe, while the dressing is made of vinegar mixed with mayo. But perhaps the most important aspect of this dish is the way it is prepared.

In Japan, cooks mash some of their potatoes into the mayo that holds everything together. This increases mayo coverage without making the dish too heavy. Additionally, the potatoes in Japanese potato salad are often very roughly broken up rather than chopped, making the salad texturally interesting and allowing you to combine your mayonnaise with the softest parts of your boiled potatoes in one bowl. Of course, you can use this trick with neatly chopped potatoes, too, as long as you keep a few aside to mash into your mayo.

For even more Japanese flair, use Kewpie or another Japanese mayonnaise in your potato salad. It's a small swap that makes a big difference. Japanese mayo was devised in the 1920s, and has a darker golden color and a lighter texture than American mayonnaise. It's made with egg yolks rather than whole eggs, and in place of distilled vinegar, it uses rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar. This results in a sweet, tangy flavor, while monosodium glutamate contributes umami back notes. If you can't find it where you are, it's not too hard to make a Kewpie mayo dupe at home.

Eggs are one of the most popular additions to Japanese potato salad. You might already make yours with roughly chopped hard-boiled eggs if you prefer a Southern-style potato salad, in which case you could also add chopped Persian cucumber, radish, or even bacon to bring a little bit of Japan to your backyard barbecue.

Ultimately, potato salad is almost universal. We put together a list of 13 variations from around the world, and it barely scratched the surface. With so much to draw on, every potato salad recipe is unique, so don't let the norms of one style hold you back. Add fruit like they do in Korea, top with dill and cornichons like some Brits, or stir in that cured pollock roe. Probably don't try all three at once, though.