Korean Potato Salad

Tender potatoes and crisp vegetables in a creamy but not heavy dressing.

Korean Potato Salad

Serves 5 - 7

The potato salad I grew up on was based on my grandmother’s recipe (I’ll get around to posting that one day). It has always been vegetable-heavy compared to the typical American potato salads I’ve eaten. It is creamy, rich, and texturally diverse. The Korean style of potato salad is similar to my family’s potato salad with its abundance of vegetables and cooking unpeeled whole potatoes. By cooking the potatoes in their skin rather than peeling them, the potato flavor is more pronounced compared to cooking a peeled potato. This is truly the secret to making any good potato salad in my opinion.

“Recipe Tips:

1. This potato salad is creamy and bright but not mayo heavy so the flavors of the vegetables come through. The mayo amount can be adjusted based on personal preference.”

Ingredients

Salad Base

912g (2 lbs) potatoes, washed well and unpeeled

4 large eggs

Mix-Ins 1

185g (1 large) seedless cucumber, sliced 1/8 in thick

0.50 t kosher salt

Dressing

160g (0.50 c) mayo

65g (0.25 c) celery, finely diced - optional

3 T rice vinegar

2.5 T whole grain Dijon mustard

1 T honey or sugar

2 t dried parsley

2 t maesil

1.5 t kosher salt

1 t ground black pepper

0.50 t onion powder

0.50 t garlic powder

0.25 t MSG

Mix-Ins 2

168g (0.75 c) onion, finely diced

138g (0.75 c) carrot, finely diced

40g (3) scallions, white and green parts chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

Recipe Know-how

Salad Base

1.      In a large pot place the potatoes and then place the eggs on top. Cover with cold water.

• Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil.

• Boil for 8 minutes and remove eggs to an ice bath.

• Continue to boil potatoes until a knife pierces through to the center easily, 8-15 minutes longer depending on potato size.

While the potatoes continue cooking, move on to the cucumbers.

• When cooked, remove the potatoes to a large bowl and allow to cool 5 minutes.

Mix-Ins 1

2.      In a medium bowl, place the cucumbers and salt. Mix well.

• Allow to sit 10-15 minutes or until the cucumbers have released their liquid and are wilted.

When bent in half, the cucumber should not break.

Make the dressing while the cucumber salts.

Dressing

3.      In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Assembly

4.      While still warm, use a pairing knife to peel the potatoes and discard the peels.

• Using a potato masher, gently mash the potatoes to create large and medium-sized chunks.

You should only mash 5 – 7 times. Any longer and the pieces will be too small and/or turned into mashed potatoes.

• Peel the eggs and on a plate, using the potato masher, mash into medium-sized chunks.

• Add the eggs to the potatoes along with the Mix-Ins 2 ingredients. Mix well. 

The mixture should be warm at this point, if it is hot, cool 5-10 minutes or until warm.

5.      Gently squeeze cucumbers to remove some of the excess liquid and add to the potato mixture.

• Add the dressing to the potato mixture and stir well.

• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

6.      Taste for seasoning adding additional mayo and salt and pepper to taste.

7.      Serve garnishing with a sprinkle of gochugaru.