Japanese Macaroni Salad
Mellow, rich, and comforting—give Japanese macaroni salad a try! In this salad, macaroni blends perfectly with Japanese mayonnaise and other ingredients, offering a creamy, satisfying taste with minimal acidity. It is perfect as a side dish or as an accompaniment to a main course.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the macaroni:
- 3.2 oz dry elbow macaroni (penne, fusilli, farfalle, rigatoni, or spaghetti broken in half can be substituted)
- 1 qt water
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the salad:
- 2 oz onion
- 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times, as they are smaller.)
- 1.4 oz ham
- ½ tsp salt (for sprinkling the onion and cucumber)
- 3 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie Mayo; 0.53 oz/15 g per 1 Tbsp. For a homemade version, please refer to the linked article.)
- ¼ tsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of groun black pepper
Instructions
- Add water and salt to a pot, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the macaroni and cook for about 1-2 minutes longer than the time indicated on the package instructions.
- Drain the macaroni in a colander, making sure to remove as much excess water as possible. While the macaroni is still warm, transfer it to a bowl and toss with rice vinegar. Then, add olive oil and toss to coat. Let the macaroni sit until it cools to room temperature.
- Slice the onion very thinly, cut the cucumber into very thin rounds, and cut the ham into bite-sized pieces, about ½-inch (1-1.5 cm) cubes. Sprinkle salt over the onion and cucumber, gently rub them, and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the onion and cucumber by hand to remove any excess moisture.
- Once the macaroni has cooled, add the cucumber, onion, ham, Japanese mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper to the bowl, and toss everything together.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 216.82kcal Carbohydrates: 19.24g Protein: 5.41g Fat: 12.83g Saturated Fat: 2.41g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.51g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.12g Cholesterol: 6.15mg Sodium: 1677.73mg Potassium: 135.5mg Fiber: 1.11g Sugar: 1.84g Vitamin A: 1.28IU Vitamin C: 1.8mg Calcium: 20.57mg Iron: 0.5mg
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