Instant Pot Potato Salad ポテトサラダ (圧力鍋)

This Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad recipe is a keeper! With an electric pressure cooker, the potatoes cook up tender and smooth in a fraction of time. It’s a tangy and delicious side dish to enjoy with BBQ, bento, or picnic lunch.

I’ve always made the classic Japanese potato salad over the stovetop, but when I discovered the method of steaming the potatoes with an electric pressure cooker, I was quick to test it out. True enough, the potatoes turned out ultra-smooth and tender in such a short time – 5 minutes to be exact – it’s almost unbelievable!

Ready to give this Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad a try?

Japanese potato salad (ポテトサラダ) is considered as a yōshoku, a western-influenced Japanese dish (which is why we write in katakana). It’s a popular party item and also a favorite side dish for bento lunch.

While there are many variations of western potato salads, potato salad in Japan is pretty standard. The classic style is made of mashed potato (with some chunky texture), sliced cucumbers, carrots, eggs, and sometimes hams. It’s always seasoned with Japanese mayonnaise and sometimes rice vinegar.

Why Instant Pot Potato Salad is Better?

My family has a soft spot for potato dishes, but the long cooking time sometimes discouraged me from making them on a regular basis. Much to my kids’ despair!

Ever since I got my Instant Pot, I found myself making potato salad more often whenever my kids request it. The Instant Pot cooks the potatoes in a closed vessel with steam pressure, and in 5 minutes, you’ll get a smooth and flavorful result each time.

Plus, I don’t need to stay close to the stove and watch the cooking. This frees me up to do other prepping or chores. If you asked me, I’d say this is a game-changer!

To ensure the potatoes cook evenly at the same time, be sure to cut them roughly into the same time.

Stainless Steel Steamer Basket

If you don’t have a pressure cooker basket, I recommend investing in this stainless steel steamer basket that inserts in the pressure cooker.

You can steam vegetables, eggs, and even fish! I especially like it because it’s dishwasher friendly and collapsible for easy storage. You can see how I used the stainless steel steamer basket in the pressure cooker potato salad recipe video.

If you don’t own a pressure cooker, don’t worry, you can still enjoy the classic Japanese Potato Salad recipe.

3 Great Ideas with Leftover Potato Salad!

1. Potato Salad Pork Rolls

When I make Potato Salad, I always make extra so I turn the leftovers into a main dish like this Potato Salad Pork Rolls. The potato salad is wrapped with thinly sliced pork cooked in a teriyaki glaze. It’s seriously good.

2. Potato Salad Sandwich

Yes, you heard it right. Potato Salad Sandwich exists and it’s very popular in Japan. Because the potatoes are mashed and it is “pliable”, it works great as a sandwich filling! My favorite bread to use for the sandwich is french baguette or brioche or Japanese butter roll (dinner roll). Lightly toast it, spread some butter, and make a sandwich with leftover potato salad. Yum!

3. Potato Salad Korokke

Swap the Korokke filling with potato salad! All you need is to make patties with the leftover potato salad and coated with flour/egg/panko and deep fry.

I hope you enjoy the pressure cooking method for making Japanese-style Potato Salad. It makes a great staple for many occasions!

Watch How To Make Instant Pot Potato Salad

This Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad recipe is a keeper! Using the electric pressure cooker, the potatoes cook up tender and smooth, but in a fraction of time. A worthy side to enjoy with BBQ, bento, or picnic lunch.

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instant Pot Potato Salad

4.79 from 23 votes

This Instant Pot Japanese Potato Salad recipe is a keeper! With an electric pressure cooker, the potatoes cook up tender and smooth in a fraction of time. It‘s a tangy and delicious side dish to enjoy with BBQ, bento, or picnic lunch.

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Video

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 2 hours hrs

Servings: 4

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
• ▢ 1½ lbs large russet potatoes (3 pieces)
• ▢ 3 oz carrot (2½ inches, 6 cm)
• ▢ 2 Persian cucumbers (or 1 Japanese cucumber; you can also use ½ English cucumber cut lengthwise and seeds removed)
• ▢ ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for draining the moisture from the carrots and cucumber)
• ▢ 2 slices ham (1.75 oz, 50 g; I use Black Forest ham)
• ▢ 4 Tbsp frozen or canned corn (cooked/cooled, if frozen; drained)
• ▢ ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• ▢ 4–6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (you can make my recipe for Homemade Japanese Mayonnaise; use regular mayonnaise in a pinch)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instructions

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  
  
• Place a stainless steel steamer basket inside your pressure cooker (I use a 6 QT Instant Pot) and add 1 cup water to the pot.
  
• In a small saucepan, place 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) and cover it with water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Prepare the potatoes during this time (see below).
  
• When the egg is done, immediately discard the boiling water and cool the egg with cold water. Once the egg is cool, remove the eggshell and mash the boiled egg in a small bowl with a fork.
  
• While the egg is cooking, peel the skins of 1½ lbs large russet potatoes and cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces. They should be roughly the same size so that they’ll cook at the same rate. Then, soak the potatoes in a bowl of water (if you don’t have any wait time, add them directly to the pressure cooker). By soaking the cut potatoes in water, it removes the starch and helps retain its color.
  
• Place the potatoes in the steamer basket inside the pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook at High pressure for 5 minutes. Make sure to turn the vent to the Sealing position. For an Instant Pot, select the Steam setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
  
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the other ingredients. Cut 2 slices ham into ¼-inch (6-mm) cubes.
  
• Peel the skin of 3 oz carrot and thinly slice crosswise using a mandoline slicer. The mandoline slicer will help you achieve very thin slices of carrot. If you don’t have one, simply use a knife to cut the carrot into thin slices.
  
• Peel the skin of 2 Persian cucumbers, leaving some parts unpeeled for a striped pattern. Use a mandoline to slice the cucumber crosswise or slice thinly with a knife.
  
• Sprinkle ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the carrot and cucumber and rub it in with your hands. Wait 10 minutes to let them release their moisture. Alternatively, you can blanch the sliced carrot (don't blanch the cucumber) for 2–3 minutes until tender.
  
• Quickly rinse under water, gently squeeze out the water, and set aside.
  
• Once the pressure cooking is complete, you can let the pressure valve release naturally for about 15–20 minutes or manually release the pressure. Insert a wooden skewer in the center of a potato. If it goes through smoothly, then the potatoes are ready. If the skewer gets stuck in the potato, cook for a bit longer. When the potatoes are done, take out the steamer basket and transfer the potatoes to a bowl; I used a suribachi (Japanese mortar) here. Mash the potatoes with a masher or a large fork; I used a surikogi (Japanese pestle) here following my mom’s method. Don’t crush the potatoes completely and leave some small chunks for texture.
  

To Assemble the Japanese Potato Salad

• Season the mashed potato with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  
• Add 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and mix it all together. Set aside to let cool.
  
• Add the mashed egg, cucumbers, carrots, ham, and 4 Tbsp frozen or canned corn to the mashed potato and mix it all together.
  
• Add 4–6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and combine well. Taste the potato salad first before adding more mayonnaise or salt.
  
• Mix all the ingredients together. Serve at room temperature or cover the potato salad with plastic and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  

To Store

• The potato salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 300 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 9 g · Fat: 14 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 60 mg · Sodium: 418 mg · Potassium: 895 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 3 g · Vitamin A: 3685 IU · Vitamin C: 12 mg · Calcium: 43 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: instant pot, potato salad

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Editor’s Note: This post was published on November 13, 2016. It’s been edited and republished in September 2020.