Gamja Salad With Cucumber, Carrot and Red Onion

Name: Gamja Salad With Cucumber, Carrot and Red Onion
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: korean
Ingredients: 1 Kirby cucumber, deseeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes; 1/2 medium red onion, very finely diced; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed; 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes; 1 large russet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes; 1 large egg; 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s); 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; Freshly ground black pepper

By Eric Kim

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 5(231)
Notes: Read community notes

Gamja (“potato”) salad is likely to be included among a sea of other banchan at Korean restaurants, and is typically mounded on a plate using an ice cream scoop. It’s similar to mashed potatoes in texture, mayo-laden like many potato salads, and studded with crunchy vegetables and hard-boiled egg. It’s generally a restaurant food, but when home cooks do make it, the salad might be sandwiched between two slices of soft white bread and eaten for lunch. The world is your oyster when it comes to gamja salad: It may include apples, peas, corn kernels, raisins and even nuts, and you can add whatever you like and nix whatever you don’t. But the cucumber is gibon (“standard”), and essential, because it adds a vegetal freshness that pulls this dish back from feeling heavy in any way.

Featured in: A Spread Worthy of Royalty

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1Kirby cucumber, deseeded and cut into ¼-inch cubes
½medium red onion, very finely diced
1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1medium carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1large russet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1large egg
⅓cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
1teaspoon granulated sugar
1teaspoon rice vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, red onion and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside to sweat slightly.
Step 2
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the carrot and cook until tender-crisp, 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
Step 3
Add the cubed potato and egg to the boiling water. Cook the egg for 10 minutes and the potatoes until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. While the potato finishes cooking, run the hard-boiled egg under cold tap water. Peel the egg, finely chop it, then add it to a medium bowl. When the potato is cooked, transfer to the bowl with the egg and mash with a fork until uniform.
Step 4
Add the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to the mashed potato mixture and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze the salted cucumber and red onion with your hands (discarding any liquid), and fold them into the potato and egg mixture along with the cooked carrot.
Step 5
To serve, scoop the potato salad onto a plate using an ice cream scoop, and eat warm or at room temperature. (To store for later, transfer to a resealable container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. This salad even tastes great cold, straight out of the fridge.)

Ratings

5 out of 5

231 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Peter3 years ago

Our local Korean place serves this and they leave the potato a bit chunky. I think that's a better match to the veggies.

meinmunich3 years ago

This turned out to be the best Gamja salad ever! In Italy, there is a similar version called Insalata russa, Russian Salad, which often comes in part of appetizers in Liguria. Often okay-ish, sometimes unforgettable. This recipe hit the craving for both Korean Gamja Salad AND Italian Russian Salad. Wonderful.

Catalina3 years ago

My potato loving husband loved this! I made a few changes, as the only cucumber I had was sliced cucumber with red onion in apple cider vinegar, a leftover cucumber salad. That cucumber was chopped fine, and the rice vinegar was omitted because the cucumbers were saturated with apple cider vinegar. Next time, I'll make this as called for, but it was very good in this version.

SSSumi2 years ago

Perfect, except I cheat and use pickles, not cucumber, and I like to leave the carrot crunchy. Leftovers, if you have any, turn into perfect Japanese-style potato croquettes (beat an egg, dip a rounded tablespoon of cold potato salad into it, then dredge in panko and fry until deep golden).

Carina2 years ago

This recipe is delicious! We are Chinese but this is my family's favorite barchan dish! Definitely double it if you wish to get a potato lover's sized portion for 6. Canned corned is a nice addition.

Marina1 month ago

Add cooked sweet peas (cooked from frozen), shredded chicken and a bit of shredded apple and you get the Russian new year salad

Kathleen Russell4 months ago

Best potato salad ever. I have made this 1/2 dozen times, as written. Everyone, young and old loves it and gobbles it up!

Stephanie1 year ago

I doubled this recipe, and added a bit less sugar and a bit more rice vinegar. I could have eaten the entire bowl! It was that good. Such an amazing take on potato salad compared with the American celery / mustard version.

Beau1 year ago

To me, it tasted like a very good version of regular potato salad. It was delicious immediately after making, but the cucumbers and onions will make it watery overnight, no matter how much you salt and squeeze them. I learned that the hard way after making this the night before having friends over.

Jamie LaRue1 year ago

I made this for a Fourth of July gathering as an alternative to traditional potato salad, and it was a big hit. I had some leftover frozen vegetable mix of corn, peas, and carrots, and used that instead of the carrot alone, and it worked well. I will have dreams about this potato salad! It's going on heavy rotation for sure.

Diana1 year ago

I made this today for lunch, together with Bulgogi. I also left my potatoes a bit bigger (instead of mashed potatoes) because I don't like crunchy veggies with mashed potatoes. I used Duke's Mayo, and instead of sugar, I added a few golden raisins for sweetness. It is now one of my favorite potato salad recipes, I prefer it to American potato salad. Thank you Eric Kim!

Kelly1 year ago

I'm a little confused, only one potato?

AMR1 month ago

This is intended to be eaten as one of many dishes; each person gets an ice cream scoop-sized portion.

Rheta1 year ago

Delicious! Next time I might try skipping the egg and using kewpie Mayo.

daley2 years ago

Very tasty. Only used 2 tbs Mayo. It serves 2 large or 4 small portions

daley2 years ago

Very tasty. It only needs 2tbs of Mayonnaise. It actually serves 4/small or 2 large portions.

sue2 years ago

Alternatively mix potatoes with frozen peas and carrots and mayo for russian salad…adding the red onion and cucumber,etc per this recipe would be good

TracieBarnes2 years ago

Boring! Way too bland. Disappointed.

Kelley K.2 years ago

This was amazing - the best potato salad ever. No need for the teaspoon of sugar. I find the mayo and carrots make it sweet enough. Warm it up in the Instant Pot using the insert on Steam.

Carina2 years ago

This recipe is delicious! We are Chinese but this is my family's favorite barchan dish! Definitely double it if you wish to get a potato lover's sized portion for 6. Canned corned is a nice addition.

SSSumi2 years ago

Private notes are only visible to you.