Egg Salad Recipe
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This Egg Salad Recipe is hands down my favorite version to date. I make it with hard-boiled eggs, crunchy celery, and chopped pickles, all mixed with creamy mayo and a touch of garlic. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect on toasted bread for a quick and satisfying lunch.
Hand me a salad and I’m in, no questions asked. I once ate the same chicken salad every day for two years, and I mean that literally. And this delicious egg salad is climbing the ranks fast. It started as a summer thing, but now I make it all year long.
Egg Salad
Egg salad is a classic bound salad made with diced hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, seasonings, and a few crisp vegetables. It is incredibly simple to make and a great recipe to use if you have a lot of leftover hard-boiled eggs.
I’ve been into egg salad for a long time, but I liked it even more once I found out it’s been around since the late 19th century. It was originally made with butter, but once mayo came into the picture, it really took off. It became popular throughout the United States because it was easy to make with ingredients that were always in season, and it was high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
What I love most is that there’s nothing overly complicated about egg salad, you can customize it to fit your taste and most importantly, your budget. I’ll show you exactly how I make my version, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be coming back to it again and again.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For this egg salad recipe, I keep it simple with just a handful of ingredients. I’ll also share a few easy swaps so you can make it work with whatever is hanging out in your fridge or pantry.
- Eggs – Any large egg cool or at room temperature will work.
- Mayonnaise – I use my homemade mayonnaise for this recipe, but a good-quality, full-fat store-bought mayo works too.
- Mustard – I like using a combination of Dijon and yellow mustard.
- Onion – The good part is you can use red, yellow, white, or sweet onion.
- Garlic – Just 1 or 2 garlic cloves will add some great flavor to this egg salad.
- Herbs – I finely chop fresh dill, but you can substitute dried if that’s what you have. Chives also make a great garnish.
- Celery – A couple of ribs add both flavor and crunch.
- Pickle – Homemade dill pickles add the perfect touch of acidity to the egg salad.
- Capers – For me, this ingredient is a must. It adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
How to Make the Best Egg Salad
Make hard-boiled eggs: First thing I do is place the eggs in a pot of boiling water and let them cook until they’re hard-boiled.
Chill the eggs: As soon as the eggs are done cooking, I transfer them to an ice bath to cool completely. Then I set them aside while I prep the rest of the ingredients.
Peel and chop: Once the eggs are cool, I peel off the shells and cut them into medium-sized pieces. Then I place them in a large mixing bowl. Note: watch my video below for a pro tip on how to peel eggs.
Add the rest: Next, I add in all the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the eggs. I use a rubber spatula to gently mix everything together until it’s well combined, and ready to serve!
Chef Tip + Notes
I highly recommend, for making the best egg salad recipe, dropping the eggs into an ice bath right after boiling. This is the best technique I’ve learned after getting tired of eggs that were hard to peel or had overcooked yolks. Don’t skip this step, the eggs come out perfect every time, and it really sets the foundation for a great egg salad.
- Don’t overmix: Once everything is in the bowl, I mix gently with a spatula. I like the egg pieces to stay chunky and not turn into a paste.
- Taste and adjust: After mixing, I always give it a taste. Sometimes it needs a pinch more salt or an extra spoon of mustard, depending on the eggs or pickles.
- Chop everything evenly: I dice the celery, onion, and pickles into small and even pieces.
- Use fresh herbs if you can: Fresh dill really brightens up the flavor, and chopped chives on top makes it extra fresh.
- Let it chill: If I have time, I stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. The flavors come together even better that way.
Serving Suggestions
My personal preference for serving this egg salad is piling it high on a slice of toasted sourdough bread with a layer of lettuce underneath. Then I finish it off with a sprinkle of paprika, a bit of fresh dill, and some chopped chives.
On summer days when we’re having lunch out on the patio, I usually prepare a quick Italian salad or a refreshing mandarin orange salad, my daughter’s favorite, and actually, mine too! Between the egg salad and one of those on the side, you pretty much get everything you need in one meal.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this salad up to 1 day ahead of time. You may need to drain slightly, add in more mayonnaise, and re-season before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep the egg salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will not freeze.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Video
Egg Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ cup small diced red onion
- 2 small diced ribs of celery
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 small diced dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon roughly minced capers
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Immediately chill the eggs in an ice bath once they are done cooking and let stand for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the shell, and medium dice. Place them in a large bowl.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix using a rubber spatula until combined.
- Serve the egg salad on an open faces piece of bread with lettuce and additional garnishes of paprika, dill, and chive.
Love your videos. You are so funny and relatable with things such as egg slicer. I made this salad. I loved it. And I used your hard boiled egg and easy peeling hack ,worked great !
Thank you so kindly!