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I love mayonnaise but I love Japanese mayonnaise even more. It’s a very different taste from American mayo and is commonly known as Kewpie in Japan. This Japanese Macaroni Salad recipe uses a good amount of Kewpie mayo and it’s a popular side dish in Japan.

It’s a very simple dish to make and I often eat it with my Japanese meals. It especially pairs nicely with any katsu dish like Chicken Katsu.

I learned this recipe from a Japanese chef at a Japanese restaurant I was working at in Green Bay, Wisconsin (I lived in Green Bay for a short amount of time). He taught me so many great recipes and this is one of my favorite dishes I learned from him.

One of the surprising ingredients he used was soy sauce. When you look at traditional Japanese Macaroni Salad recipes, you typically won’t see this ingredient in the recipe. It’s a substitute for salt and adds a great flavor to the dish.

Most of the ingredients in this dish are easy to find except for the Kewpie mayo. You will only be able to find it at Asian grocery stores. You can also find Kewpie mayo online on Amazon, but it is more expensive. If you can’t find Japanese mayo, you can try substituting it with regular American mayo adding some lemon juice and salt.

I also suggest using mini cucumbers or Persian cucumbers instead of a regular cucumber. Regular American cucumbers lack flavor and carry more water. Mini cucumbers are nearly seedless and carry less water with a mild, sweet flavor. It tastes very similar to Japanese cucumbers. You can usually find them at your local grocery store. I’ve seen them at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Publix.

Japanese Macaroni Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni

• 8.75-ounce can of corn

• 1 cucumber (preferably mini cucumber)

• 3 slices of ham

• 1/4 onion

• 1/4 cup or 2-3 swirls of Kewpie mayo

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook macaroni according to the package. Add some salt and olive oil to the pot. Don’t over cook the pasta and make sure it’s cooked al dente. Strain and let it cool.

2. Wash and drain the corn.

3. Mince the onion.

4. Slice the cucumber thinly.

5. Chop ham into 1” pieces.

6. Add the cooled macaroni, corn, cucumber, ham, and onions to a medium sized bowl.

7. Add the Kewpie mayo and soy sauce.

8. Mix all the ingredients together.

9. Enjoy!