Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
Korean potato salad, or gamja salad, is similar to American potato salad, but has an added level of creaminess and crunchy texture; it’s sooo good!
Ever since the first time I went to a Korean barbecue restaurant, I’ve been in love with this Korean potato salad (gamja salad).
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Everyone else I know who has tried it, has also felt the same way, so it’s not just me.
My friend Oke, would also make this Korean potato salad when we went to her house for a traditional Korean barbecue dinner, which is where I learned to make it.
Celery is a crunchy addition to this salad, but this celery soup is a creamy delight!
What Makes Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad) Different?
There are basically two things that make this Korean potato salad unique compared to a traditional American potato salad:
- Mashed potato is incorporated into the salad (or only mashed is used, versus chopped potatoes).
- Other fruit and veg is added, such as apple and cucumber, which is not traditionally used in American potato salads. These add more of a crunch and different textures.
- At Korean barbecue restaurants, it is normally served in “scoop” form.
You may also enjoy my other Korean recipes.
Can I make Korean Potato Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, it’s actually better to make this potato salad a day ahead of when you want to use it, or at least in the morning of the day you will serve it.
Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
recipe adapted by Christina Conte serves 8
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Prepare the Vegetables, Fruit and Dressing.
Wash/scrub the potatoes (you can use Russet or Yukon Gold) and put in a pot of cold water. Add about a teaspoonful of salt and bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked (check by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center). Remove the potatoes and put on a plate, but do not discard the water.
Bring the water to a boil and add the carrots for one minute, then remove. Chop the carrots into small pieces. Peel the potatoes while still warm. Mash half or more of the potatoes in a large bowl, and chop the rest into bite sized pieces.
In a jug or medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pinch of sugar and black pepper until a smooth consistency is achieved.
Mix the Korean Potato Salad Together.
Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, and apples to the bowl of mashed potatoes. You can mix or omit whatever you choose. Traditional gamja salad doesn’t have celery, but I sometimes add it. Sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and black pepper, if desired.
Pour the creamy dressing over the vegetables and fruit.
Mix well.
Add the chopped hard boiled eggs, and mix again, gently.
Once mixed, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can just serve as is in a bowl (I added a celery leaf).
Or you can make individual servings in bowls using an ice cream scoop.
This is the traditional way to serve the salad along with other banchan and a classic Korean barbecue meal. (Also, I realize this isn’t a Korean bowl!)
Try this Korean cucumber pickle dish, too!
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Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
Ingredients
- 5 medium potatoes (you can use Russet or Yukon Gold)
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 large celery stalks (or two small, chopped)
- 1 small cucumber (peeled and chopped, or unpeeled if organic)
- 1 small apple (cored, peeled, and diced)
- 2 eggs (hardboiled, chopped)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard (not English or Dijon)
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- ⅛ tsp sugar (a pinch)
- ½ tsp Kosher salt (or sea salt, to taste)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
Instructions
Prepare the veg, fruit, and dressing:
- Wash/scrub the potatoes and put in a pot of cold water. Add about a teaspoonful of salt and bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked (check by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center). Remove the potatoes and put on a plate, but do not discard the water.
- Bring the water to a boil and add the carrots for one minute, then remove. Chop the carrots into small pieces.
- Peel the potatoes while still warm. Mash half or more of the potatoes in a large bowl, and chop the rest into bite sized pieces.
- In a jug or medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pinch of sugar and black pepper until a smooth consistency is acheived.
Mix the Korean potato salad together:
- Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, and apples to the bowl of mashed potatoes. You can mix or omit whatever you choose. Traditional gamja salad doesn't have celery, but I sometimes add it. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper, if desired.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the vegetables and fruit. Mix well.
- Add the chopped hard boiled eggs and mix again, gently. Once mixed, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can just serve as is in a bowl (I added a celery leaf).
- Or you can make individual servings in bowls using an ice cream scoop, which is the traditional way to serve it with Korean bbq.
Notes
Nutrition
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I was intrigued by this recipe because my mom’s, actually her Mom’s potato salad recipe has both a cooked yolk, sugar and vinegar dressing and hard boiled eggs in the potato salad.! She was from the midwest part of the country., Southern Illinois…and I have never found it anywhere else except a small cafe in east central Missouri! I live in Oklahoma and it’s mayo or mustard and never any eggs!
The idea of apple in potato salad is truly unique! I may try a bit of potato salad with apple first before making the commitment to a whole batch!
I can’t tell you why Korean potato salad is so good, but everytime we’d go for Korean bbq, we ALL looked forward to it! Let me know what you think!
THIS is the cucumber recipe I’m going to try first! Yum!
Good choice, Elise!! :)