Best Egg Salad Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Salads Egg Salad

by Lisa Bryan

152 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 82 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

PrintPinReviewSave

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

How long should egg salad keep in the refrigerator? ›

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 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 to mash up eggs for egg salad? ›

Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and use a co*cktail muddler, potato masher, or even a large fork to break them up into uneven, irregular chunks. You can also use a potato masher, or press the hard boiled eggs through the wires on a cooling rack to chop them up.

How long do you boil eggs? ›

How long to boil an egg
  1. 5 minutes: set white and runny yolk – just right for dipping into.
  2. 6 minutes: liquid yolk – a little less oozy.
  3. 7 minutes: almost set – deliciously sticky.
  4. 8 minutes: softly set – this is what you want to make Scotch eggs.
  5. 10 minutes: the classic hard-boiled egg – mashable but not dry and chalky.

Can you eat egg salad that has been left out overnight? ›

Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F. Bacteria that can cause illness grow quickly at warm temperatures (between 40° F and 140° F).

Can you use old eggs for egg salad? ›

Perfect boiled eggs—hard- or soft-cooked. So, save your freshest eggs for frying (one more reason: the yolks of more alkaline eggs are more prone to breaking as soon as they hit the pan) and put your older eggs towards egg salad, deviled eggs, and the like.

Can I freeze leftover egg salad? ›

From a technical standpoint, you can freeze egg salad, but it's not recommended. Freezing can significantly alter the texture of the ingredients, especially the creamy components like mayonnaise, which tend to separate and become watery once thawed.

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

Egg intolerance symptoms may occur between 2 and 72 hours after exposure to eggs, but the severity may vary depending on your body's tolerance level. The common symptoms of egg intolerance include stomach pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. In some cases, it may also cause: Itchy skin, eczema, acne.

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

Why did my egg salad turn gray? ›

When eggs are cooked for too long, or at a temperature that's too high, a chemical reaction occurs. The sulphur in the egg white reacts with iron in the egg yolk to form iron sulphide, which gives the eggs a greenish grey colour, according to BBC Science Focus.

Is eating egg salad good for you? ›

Egg salad is a classic sandwich stuffer, but with gobs of mayo mixed in, it can be high in unhealthy fats, sodium and calories. An average deli egg salad sandwich can have more than 550 calories, 30 grams of fat and 600 milligrams of sodium.

How to correct too much salt in egg salad? ›

Squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice over your dish. The sour flavor provides a new layer of complexity to the meal and should mellow out the salt. Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds.

Why did my egg salad turn to soup? ›

One of the biggest issues with egg salad is that it can get runny and ultimately make your sandwich a soggy mess. According to The Oregonian, this sog factor is typically caused by overcooked eggs.

What's the best way to cut eggs for deviled eggs? ›

What is the best way to cut hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs? The best way to cut hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs is to slice them in half lengthwise. To do this, place the egg on a flat surface and use a sharp knife to carefully cut through the center, from one end to the other.

How do you cut an egg shell evenly? ›

Hold the egg in, or with your NON-dominate hand. Hold the knife in your dominate hand. Strike the egg with the knife making a "cut" in the shell. Put the knife aside, and pry the shell in half with your fingers.

How do you cut raw eggs? ›

How to Halve a Whole Egg. Crack an egg into a small bowl and break the yolk with a whisk or the tines of a fork. Whisk the egg into a hom*ogenous mixture, and then split in half.

References

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