If you’re looking for a Japanese-style side dish that combines soft potatoes with savory bacon and crisp cucumber, this Japanese potato salad recipe is an easy option to try.
For this Japanese bacon potato salad, 300 g (10.6 oz) of potatoes are microwaved with onion for 5 minutes 30 seconds, then roughly mashed with vinegar and browned bacon. A 12-minute boiled egg and well-drained cucumber are added once the potatoes have cooled. Waiting until the potatoes are cool before mixing in the mayonnaise helps prevent the dressing from separating and keeps the texture creamy. Fluffy potatoes, tender egg, crisp bacon, and crunchy cucumber come together in a Japanese-style potato sarada with plenty of texture in every bite.
⏱️ Cooking Time: About 30 minutes
🍳 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
✓ Ingredients (2 Servings)
🥣 Main Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) potatoes
- 3 slices bacon
- 1/4 onion
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 egg
🧂 Seasonings & Dressing
- Salt
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
(Measurement guide: 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Korean paper cup = 180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
✓ How to Make Japanese Bacon Potato Salad
- Boil the egg: Add 1 egg to boiling water and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes.
- Prepare the potatoes and onion: Peel 300 g (10.6 oz) of potatoes and cut them into bite-size pieces so they are easy to mash. Thinly slice 1/4 onion.
- Microwave the potatoes and onion: Place the potatoes and onion together in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes 30 seconds.
- Salt the cucumber: Thinly slice 1/2 cucumber, add some salt, and gently toss. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Cook the bacon: Finely chop 3 slices of bacon. Add olive oil to a skillet, then cook the bacon until nicely browned on the outside.
- Remove excess moisture from the cucumber: Rinse the salted cucumber once with water, then squeeze it firmly with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Chop the egg: Peel the boiled egg and finely chop it with an egg slicer or knife.
- Mix the potatoes with vinegar and bacon: Add 1 tsp vinegar and the cooked bacon to the warm potatoes and onion. Roughly mash and mix everything together, leaving some small pieces of potato instead of making the mixture completely smooth.
- Cool the potatoes: Let the potato mixture cool thoroughly before adding the mayonnaise.
- Season the salad: Add the well-drained cucumber, chopped egg, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp sugar, 1 pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the cooled potatoes.
- Mix gently and serve: Gently fold everything together so the potato pieces, egg, and cucumber do not get overly mashed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
✓ Key Tips for Success
- Do not add mayonnaise while the potatoes are still hot: If mayonnaise is mixed into hot potatoes, the heat can cause it to melt and the oil to separate. Mix the potatoes with the vinegar and bacon first, let them cool thoroughly, then add the 2 tbsp mayonnaise.
- Remove as much moisture as possible from the cucumber: If too much water remains in the salted cucumber, the salad can become watery as it sits. After salting it for 10 minutes, rinse it and squeeze it firmly before adding it to the potatoes.
✓ Serving Tips
- Instead of mashing the potatoes completely smooth, leave a few small chunks. This gives the salad a fluffier texture and lets you enjoy the contrast between the potatoes and the other ingredients.
- Cook the finely chopped bacon until nicely browned. It adds a savory, salty flavor and extra texture throughout the soft potato mixture.
- Serve the finished potato salad as a side dish, or use it as a filling for sandwiches.
✓ How to Choose Good Potatoes
- Firmness and weight: Choose potatoes that feel firm when held, do not give easily when pressed, and feel heavy for their size.
- Surface and skin: Look for potatoes with relatively smooth skin, few wrinkles, and no major cracks or blemishes.
- Check for sprouts and green areas: Avoid potatoes that have sprouted or developed green discoloration on the surface.
Source: Korea Policy Briefing Ingredient Guide – Potatoes
✓ Potato Nutrition per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 70.00 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 16.07 g |
| Protein | 1.93 g |
| Fat | 0.03 g |
| Sodium | 1.00 mg |
Values are based on 100 g (3.5 oz) of raw Sumi potatoes. Actual nutrition may vary depending on the variety, product, and cooking method.
Source: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Nutrition Database – Raw Sumi Potato
✓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How long should I microwave the potatoes and onion for Japanese potato salad?
Place 300 g (10.6 oz) of potatoes and 1/4 thinly sliced onion in a covered microwave-safe container and microwave for 5 minutes 30 seconds. The potatoes should be soft enough to mash easily when mixed with the bacon and vinegar.
Q2. Why does the mayonnaise separate and make my potato salad oily?
Adding mayonnaise while the potatoes are still hot can cause it to melt and separate. Let the potato mixture cool thoroughly after mixing it with the vinegar and bacon, then add the 2 tbsp mayonnaise.
Q3. Can I add the cucumber directly to the potato salad?
For this recipe, thinly slice the cucumber and salt it for 10 minutes before rinsing and squeezing it thoroughly. Removing the excess moisture helps keep the potato salad from becoming watery while preserving the cucumber’s crisp texture.
Finished Japanese bacon potato salad has a fluffy, roughly mashed potato base dotted with golden pieces of bacon and bright green cucumber. The soft potatoes and egg are balanced by the savory, salty bacon, giving the salad more depth than a basic potato-and-mayonnaise version.
Because the thinly sliced cucumber is thoroughly drained before mixing, it stays crisp and provides a refreshing contrast to the soft potatoes. A small amount of vinegar adds gentle acidity, while the mayonnaise and sugar bring the flavors together smoothly. Black pepper adds a subtle sharpness at the end that balances the creamy texture.
When I made this recipe, I liked how simple the preparation was because the potatoes and onion could be cooked together in the microwave instead of being boiled separately. I also prefer potato salad with a few small potato chunks rather than a completely smooth texture, so this version worked especially well for me.
The browned bacon added more texture and savory flavor than a potato salad made only with potatoes and mayonnaise. The cucumber also added a crisp bite throughout the salad, keeping the texture from feeling too soft. My family enjoyed the combination of tender potatoes, salty bacon, crunchy cucumber, and egg in each bite. The egg added another layer of richness that worked well with the other ingredients.
Leftover potato salad also pairs well with bread, making it convenient to use as a sandwich filling after serving it as a side dish.
If you want to add more texture and savory flavor to a classic potato salad, try this Japanese bacon potato salad recipe with egg and cucumber. It works well as a simple side dish, as part of breakfast, or served with bread.
Save or bookmark this recipe so you can easily find it again, and share it with someone who enjoys Japanese home cooking.
I’ll continue sharing approachable recipes and practical cooking tips that are easy to follow at home. 😊
If there is a dish you have been curious about or a recipe you would like to see next, feel free to leave a comment. 😊