Japanese Macaroni Salad

Japanese macaroni salad is salty, tangy, and creamy. It’s a popular side dish you can buy in supermarkets, convenience stores, and order in cafes and restaurants across Japan. Its uniqueness comes from two key ingredients – kewpie mayonnaise and imitation crab. Learn how to make it today!

Whenever I make this salad I have to save a separate portion for myself. That’s because Ben likes it so much he will devour the entire thing in a day, leaving only a few pieces of cucumber and macaroni at the bottom of an otherwise empty container. For this home cook, it’s the best compliment she can get! I love it when people can’t get enough of my food.

Much like potato salad and yakisoba, macaroni salad is so loved in Japan that it’s used as a filling for sandwiches. You might think it’s a strange combination, and I agree with you since I was on the fence about it at first. But it turns out that noodles and bread go really well together! This recipe is very easy to make and is one of those dishes that both kids and adults love.

Japanese Macaroni Salad Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni: Regular, whole wheat, gluten-free – any type of elbow macaroni will do.
• Olive oil: A little olive oil to coat the pasta once it’s cooked. This is so the macaroni doesn’t get clumped once it cools down to room temperature. I don’t rinse pasta because the water removes the starchy coating which helps the sauce stick.
• Cucumber: I recommend using a Japanese cucumber or a couple of kirby cucumbers because they are the thinnest and crunchiest. But I have also made this salad using English cucumber that I’ve cut into quarters, with the center (where the seeds are) removed. It worked out really well.
• Carrot: The carrot adds sweetness, crunch, and a nice pop of color.
• Onion: Finely chopped onions for a little sweetness and bitterness.
• Egg: 1 boiled egg, mashed, adds creaminess and gives the salad a rich texture.
• Imitation crab: Sweet and colorful, imitation crab gives the salad a mild seafood flavor, some sweetness, and a refreshing element.
• Kewpie mayonnaise: Different than regular mayonnaise because it contains egg yolks as opposed to egg whites, apple cider vinegar instead of distilled vinegar, and msg to intensify the overall mayonnaise flavor. It’s fruity, rich, and eggy. If you don’t have any, I have a recipe for kewpie mayonnaise that’s easy to follow, or you can use regular mayonnaise. It won’t taste exactly the same but will still be great!
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a clean and almost fruity taste, similar to apple cider vinegar. In fact, they can be interchangeable for this recipe.

How To Make Macaroni Salad

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Measure and prep all the ingredients. Prepping all the ingredients before you begin to cook makes the process faster and easier. Plus, it helps to keep the kitchen clean.
2. Boil the pasta. Add plenty of salt to a large pot filled with water and boil the elbow macaroni according to the directions on the package.
3. Chill the pasta. Drain it and drizzle the olive oil on top. Toss the macaroni and refrigerate it until it’s room temperature.
4. Make the macaroni salad. Toss in the vegetables, seasonings, and the egg and imitation crab. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

Serving Suggestions

This Japanese macaroni salad makes a delicious lunch on its own or can be served as a side with a soup or a sandwich.

Other ways to serve this salad:

• For brunch or with a protein such as crispy baked chicken katsu, sesame crusted fish, miso salmon, and pan fried tofu with gochujang.
• As part of a Christmas or Thanksgiving meal with dishes like turkey tourtiere, colcannon, sauteed brussel sprouts, and vegan shepherd’s pie.
• At a barbecue or potluck next to dishes like jackfruit bbq pulled pork sandwich, shrimp tacos, and corn salad.

Other tasty salads you might like to try: Hawaiian macaroni salad, Japanese potato salad, shiraae (Japanese mashed tofu salad), creamy cucumber tomato salad, Japanese coleslaw, kani salad, gomae (Japanese spinach salad).

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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