Best Egg Salad Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Salads Egg Salad

by Lisa Bryan

149 Comments

Updated Dec 29, 2023

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Egg salad! It’s the classic egg salad recipe that can be eaten plain or turned into a delicious sandwich or wrap. All you need are hard-boiled eggs and a few other simple ingredients for this quick and easy recipe.

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Before I dive into this recipe I have to be honest with you. Until recently, I was not a fan of most egg salad recipes. I found them to be far too mushy with too much mayonnaise. But good news – my version is different! It has texture and it’s chunky so you can see all the ingredients. There’s no mushiness around these parts! And of course, my version tastes amazing (if I do say so myself).

This classic egg salad recipe is what you’ve likely come across at parties, picnics, and holidays (like Easter). Or what you’ve purchased at the deli counter or enjoyed for a healthy lunch layered in a sandwich. It’s a true delight for a light and fresh meal.

Once you’ve mastered this classic recipe, make sure to give my curried egg salad and avocado egg salad a try for tasty variations.

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Egg Salad Ingredients

I’m sticking to simple ingredients in this recipe with nothing funky to surprise you. But I do add more fresh herbs than other recipes, because fresh herbs make everything taste better. Here’s what’s in it:

  • Hard Boiled Eggs: The star ingredient of course. Just follow my tutorial for easy to peel hard boiled eggs.
  • Mayonnaise: I’m using my quick homemade mayonnaise, but any store-bought version works.
  • Dijon Mustard: I always opt for Dijon mustard over yellow mustard. It has a more robust, and zingy flavor. Yellow mustard falls a little flat with a muted flavor profile.
  • Red Onion: I love red onion for a pop of red color and crunchy bite. But you could use thinly sliced green onion as well.
  • Lemon Juice: Just a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice keeps the salad fresh.
  • Fresh Parsley and Chives: These herbs pair well with the eggs and mustard. And of course add a pop of green!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Making Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Given that this recipe is all about hard-boiled eggs, you’ve got to make sure you use perfectly hard-boiled eggs. You don’t want the eggs too hard and rubbery, too soft and not mixable, or overly cooked and green around the yolk.

I’ve shared with you how to make perfect boiled eggs previously (step-by-step), so make sure to check out that post and video. I use 12-minute hard-boiled eggs in this recipe, but anything between 12 to 14-minutes is fine.

How to Make Egg Salad

Cool hard-boiled eggs. Make sure you hard boil your eggs ahead of time (or the night before) and allow time for them to cool. Once the eggs are boiled and cooled you’re good to mix the salad together.

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Mix everything together. Slice your eggs into chunks (but don’t slice them too small) and add them to a mixing bowl along with the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, red onion, lemon juice, parsley, and chives. Give it all a stir until it’s well combined. And that’s it! Super easy.

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Ways to Enjoy Egg Salad

  • Straight from the bowl. I’ll often eat this straight out of the bowl with a fork because it’s that good!
  • Top it on bread. You can enjoy egg salad as an open faced sandwich, on either gluten-free toast or my falafel flatbread, with a sprinkle of microgreens on top.
  • Wrap it up. Layer slices of cucumber, bell pepper, and other veggies inside tortillas, butter leaf lettuce leaves, or collard greens. Then wrap it up!
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Storage Tips

Egg salad will stay good in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Just make sure that you don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Otherwise, it may start to go bad.

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Easy Egg Salad Recipe Video

While this recipe is easy to whip up, it always helps to watch a quick tutorial video. Give it a watch below!

More Easy Egg Recipes

Eggs are truly one of the most versatile ingredients. Here’s a few fun and tasty egg recipes you’ll love!

  • Deviled Eggs
  • Poached Eggs
  • Ultimate Breakfast Casserole
  • Cobb Salad (or Turkey Cobb Salad)
  • Baked Eggs in Avocado

If you make this egg salad, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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Best Egg Salad

5 from 81 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

A classic egg salad recipe that's easy to make and tastes amazing. Perfect hard-boiled eggs and fresh ingredients make it the best egg salad recipe. Watch the video above to see how quickly it comes together!

Video

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons chives, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Then turn the heat to low so there’s no bubbles. Use a skimmer to slowly and gently place the eggs in the pot. Turn the heat back to high and boil the eggs for 12 minutes.

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  • Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and cool completely (at least 15 minutes).

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  • Peel the hard-boiled eggs, and slice them up to your preferred level of chunkiness. Add the chopped eggs to a mixing bowl along with the red onion, chives, parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir all of the ingredients together, until well combined.

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  • Enjoy the egg salad straight from the bowl, or in a sandwich or wrap.

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Lisa’s Tips

  • The eggs may crack if you introduce cold eggs straight to the boiling hot water. So I leave my eggs out prior to boiling, or run them under lukewarm water for a few seconds, as well as turn off the boil right before placing the eggs in the pot.
  • I also use a skimmer to introduce the eggs to boiling water so they don’t slam into the bottom of the pan and crack.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 251mg | Sodium: 226mg | Potassium: 116mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Egg Salad, Egg Salad Recipe, How to Make Egg Salad

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted April 2019, but updated to include new information.

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Read More About Me

Best Egg Salad Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

Why does my egg salad taste bland? ›

Stir through and adjust by adding more mayonnaise if you like your egg salad creamier. Why does my egg salad taste bland? The simple reason may be that it's not seasoned enough. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste.

How do you keep egg salad from getting watery? ›

A few simple ideas to reduce watery egg salad are these ingredient swaps.
  1. Low-fat mayo has extra water: use less full fat mayo (as long as you're not worries about lightening things up).
  2. Onions add a wonderful flavor, but they also add water: green onions or chives are delicious and drier.
Mar 29, 2024

What to eat with egg salad? ›

Classic egg salad sandwiches pair best with classic side dishes. Consider a leafy green salad, potato chips, French fries, or coleslaw.

How many days is homemade egg salad good for? ›

According to the USDA, egg salad that's been stored properly in the fridge will be good for three to five days. To maximize that timeframe, use an airtight container and place the egg salad in the coldest part of the fridge promptly. Make sure your fridge is set to 40 F or lower.

Why do I get an upset stomach after eating egg salad? ›

People with an egg intolerance experience a negative reaction after eating eggs. This can result in various symptoms, such as bloating, cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Although an egg intolerance is not typically dangerous, it can be uncomfortable and bothersome.

How to make more flavorful eggs? ›

11 things to add to eggs
  1. A teaspoon of chopped, fresh stronger herbs like oregano, tarragon, or thyme.
  2. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh milder herbs like parsley, chives, chervil, basil, or mint.
  3. Tabasco, Worcestershire, or other prepared sauce, to taste.
  4. A quarter cup grated or crumbled cheddar, goat, or other melting cheese.
Mar 23, 2020

Do you cut up eggs for egg salad? ›

Silverton's recipe uses homemade mayo and recommends separating the cooked yolks from the whites and hand tearing the eggs "into small pieces (about 8 pieces per egg)."

How do I thicken up my egg salad? ›

Egg yolk is good for thickening a lot of things, actually. If you like your egg salad to bite a bit (like a deviled egg would) you can sprinkle in some dry mustard powder- like Coleman's. It can help tighten up egg or potato salads that are just a wee bit too loose.

Why did my egg salad turn to soup? ›

The reason is simply that instead of binding your eggs together with oil and egg yolks — the components of regular mayonnaise — you're instead doing so with a diluted version. Adding more water in the form of light or fat-free mayonnaise necessarily means that more water will seep out of your egg salad.

What is the benefit of eating egg salad? ›

Among its many benefits, the egg's nutrients build strong muscles, keep our brains, eyes, skin and immune systems healthy, and help prevent birth defects. Making this salad can be as simple as adding some lemon juice and salt and pepper to the avocado and eggs, or enhancing the flavor with onions, herbs and olives.

How long should you boil eggs? ›

Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled; 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled; 12 minutes for HARD boiled.

What's the best bread for egg salad sandwiches? ›

If you want a sandwich that doesn't make a mess when you eat it, classic white bread or soft whole-grain is your best bet. The soft texture acts like a cozy pillow for the egg salad filling, ensuring it stays put when you take a bite so that there are no eggy spills on your lap!

How to tell if egg salad is spoiled? ›

Look for any changes in color, flavor, smell, and texture. Fresh egg salad should be creamy and smooth with a mild scent. Spoiled egg salad will smell sour or have a sulfurous odor like rotten eggs. The texture may be watery or slimy, which may be a sign of bacterial growth.

Can I freeze homemade egg salad? ›

Because eggs and mayonnaise don't freeze well, they go bad in the freezer quicker than other foods. If stored properly, you can expect your egg salad to be good for around a month in the freezer. However, the earlier you eat it, the better it will taste.

Why does my egg salad get watery the next day? ›

The egg salad itself can get watery after it sits for a while, though. To counter this tendency, make sure the eggs aren't overcooked, chill them well before chopping, and add a tablespoon of very fine bread crumbs to the salad. Your choice of bread can make or break an egg salad sandwich.

How do you make eggs not taste bland? ›

Try adding a balance of fresh vegetables, cheese, fresh herbs, and seasoning. Some delicious variations include tomatoes and Cheddar cheese, asparagus, chives, and goat cheese, or bacon, sautéed onion, and Gruyere.

Why are my eggs tasteless? ›

Leaving aside the fact that you might have added milk, oil or seasoning, the different taste comes partly from whether the egg has been beaten. Egg white is less flavoursome than the rich, fatty yolk, so mixing them will change the sensory experience. Browning a fried egg or omelette also changes its taste.

Why does my salad taste bland? ›

Season the greens & vegetables

Your dressing or vinaigrette may be perfectly seasoned but when added to unseasoned or raw vegetables, the overall taste of the salad may turn out bland.

How do you make salad less bland? ›

Herbs, fruits, peppers, change your olive oil or try sesame, hazelnut or other traditional nut oils. Also try our variety of basils: Large Green, lemon-basil, spicy Thai, etc. For a touch of acid without being too aggressive, try Rivesaltes vinegar or cider.

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