This classic egg salad recipe features foolproof hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and crunchy mix-ins. Perfect for light meals or sandwiches all year long.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Starting eggs in hot water helps the egg white proteins coagulate quickly, reducing bonding to the shell membrane and making them easier to peel.
- An ice water bath rapidly cools the eggs, halting carryover cooking and preventing overcooked yolks with a sulfurous green ring.
- Finely chopping the eggs and gently folding in the dressing minimizes overmixing, keeping the texture creamy.
Featured Comment 46
“THANK YOU! The salad was nice and creamy, not runny. Making more this weekend.”—Marti
Why It Works
This easy egg salad recipe is loaded with healthy protein from the rich yolks and a variety of mix-ins. This recipe has a creamy sauce, but I add plenty of freshly chopped vegetables to provide a crunch to each bite. Egg salad is excellent for making sandwiches, meal prepping, or for those on a high-protein, low-carb diet like Keto.
If you struggle with hard boiling eggs, I use a method that yields easy-to-peel shells, making this recipe a cinch to prepare. Hot-starting the eggs, then a quick chill, is best to make a large batch. Then chop them up and scoop generous portions between fluffy slices of bread or crisp lettuce leaves for a satisfying meal—or serve it as an easy appetizer.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Eggs: I use large eggs. If you use a different size, adjust the cooking time by a few minutes up or down. You don’t need to temper them before cooking. Just grab the eggs straight from the refrigerator and boil. If they are at room temperature, check for doneness a few minutes earlier than specified.
- Mayonnaise: You can use store-bought creamy mayo or make your own.
- Mustard: Pungent Dijon mustard adds tanginess to the rich mayonnaise-based sauce.
- Lemon Juice: Adding a little fresh, tart lemon juice balances the creaminess of the egg yolks and mayo.
- Vegetables: Diced celery and minced red onion add crisp texture and depth of flavor.
- Herbs: Chopped chives add a delicate allium flavor and vibrant green color.
- Seasoning: Salt enhances the flavor of the egg salad ingredients. Black pepper adds a hint of lingering heat to the salad.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
Now that you know how to make the best egg salad, feel free to customize the mix-ins! Try these delicious ideas:
- Herb Options: Add fresh dill, tarragon, basil, or parsley. Add dried Italian seasoning for a bold herb taste.
- Mustard Swaps: Add whole grain mustard, spicy brown mustard, or yellow mustard. You can stir in a small amount of apple cider vinegar for a tangier taste.
- Seasoning: Add sweet or smoked paprika, curry powder, cumin, coriander, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, or cayenne.
- Mix-ins: Add mashed avocado, chopped pickles or gherkins, or smoky bacon, or canned tuna.
How to Make Egg Salad
Step 1: Boil the Eggs
To cook the eggs efficiently and make them easier to peel, start them in hot water. Use a low boil, around 200°F (93°C), so the proteins coagulate quickly, with little to no shell breakage from the rapid temperature change. The cool eggs will also slightly reduce the temperature of the water bath.
Boil for 30 seconds, then cover and reduce the heat to low. This process will trap the heat but gently finish cooking them. It takes about 12 minutes to get a fully cooked, bright yellow, crumbly yolk. Don’t overcook the eggs, or a green hue will appear on the yolk’s surface, adding a sulfurous taste to the egg salad.
Ingredient Chemistry: Over the years, I’ve learned my lesson to use a “hot start” and not a “cold start” for soft or hard-boiled eggs. For easy-to-peel eggs, the moment they hit hot water, the proteins in the egg whites should quickly bond together, but not to the membrane between the shell and the egg white. The membrane causes pits and makes eggs difficult to peel when cooked incorrectly.
Step 2: Chill the Eggs
When the eggs finish cooking, immediately plunge them into an ice-water bath and let them chill for 15 minutes. This technique quickly stops the cooking process and hardens the egg proteins, making them easier to peel.
Step 3: Peel and Chop
I find it easiest to crack the bottom of the egg with the air cell, then the longest side. Use your fingertips to remove the shell and peel the egg. You can also run the egg underwater to help remove and wash away any tiny shell fragments. Use a chef’s knife to chop the hard-boiled eggs into about ¼-inch dice for a rustic texture.
Experimentation Encouraged: You can also use an egg slicer to chop the egg, turning it and slicing it lengthwise and crosswise. When marking a large batch, I’ve seen other chefs push the egg lengthwise through a wire rack and into a bowl.
Step 4: Mix
For a creamy sauce, try my homemade mayonnaise for a completely made-from-scratch egg salad. Although if you’re in a pinch for time, store-bought mayo will work well. What else gets mixed with the chopped eggs? Dijon mustard, chopped celery, red onion, lemon juice, chives, salt, and pepper. Stir it together, and that’s it! Uncomplicated and delicious, a winning combination.
Serving Ideas: I like to serve the egg salad with crackers, sliced cucumber, or crostini for an appetizer. Make classic egg salad sandwiches using a croissant, brioche bun, or your favorite bread, like slices of wheat bread or white bread, or wrapped in a tortilla. Serve it on a bed of lettuce for a low-carb salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
The salad base is primarily hard-boiled eggs, so it’s best to make them just right. To achieve sufficiently cooked, creamy yellow yolks and tender egg whites, I have three methods that you can try. My stovetop eggs use the boiling method or the steaming method. Otherwise, my Instant Pot eggs are great if you want to pressure cook them.
If you want to prepare hardboiled eggs in advance, they are suitable for 7 days stored in the refrigerator. It’s best to keep them peeled for the freshest taste and prevent any browning on the surface.
Try adding in other fresh herbs like chopped basil, tarragon, green onions, or dill to switch up the flavor. Some pesto would also make for an attractive green-colored salad. Add in a bit of sriracha or buffalo sauce for some heat.
Leftover egg salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Avoid freezing the egg salad. The freezing and thawing process makes the eggs tougher and more rubbery.
My egg salad recipe yields 2 cups, which is enough for two hearty sandwiches, multiple smaller tea party-sized sandwiches, or just served on the side for a satisfying meal. It works great for meal prepping, letting you portion out what you want for each occasion.
More Egg Recipes
If you tried this Egg Salad Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs, cold
- 4 cups cold water, plus more for boiling
- 4 cups ice cubes
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup celery, ¼" dice
- 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the Eggs – In a large pot, add enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Bring water to a low boil, around 200°F (93°C). Carefully place the eggs in the hot water, and boil for 30 seconds. Place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook on a low simmer for 12 minutes.
- Chill the Eggs – In a medium bowl, add 4 cups of water and ice to make an ice bath. Once the eggs are done cooking, immediately transfer them to the ice bath and chill for 15 minutes.
- Peel and Chop – Crack the shell and peel the cooled eggs. Use a chef’s knife to chop the hard-boiled eggs coarsely.
- Mix – In a medium bowl, combine chopped eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, celery, red onion, chives, salt, and pepper—season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 2 cups
- Serving Size: About ½ cup
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Marti says
First time I’ve ever had eggs that I didn’t have to pick, pick, pick the shells off of. WOW! What a neat concept. I didn’t bring the water to a FULL boil, just to the 200 degree and they were perfect. THANK YOU!
And the salad was nice and creamy, not runny. Making more this weekend.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for the helpful feeback!
Betty says
I’ve been looking for a good egg salad recipe and found it. Made it today and it’s wonderful.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the egg salad recipe, Betty!
Lynne Felciano says
I started making my husband egg salad using your recipe . . . it’s delicious and he loves it! Thought you’d like to know you have a fan club in our house for many of your recipes.
Thanks for keeping my cooking ideas fresh!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Lynne!
Raghav Palan says
Your recipes are awesome. Show us more snacks and salads. And tell me about how to make different types of homemade sauces. Thank you for all your good recipes.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you! I’ll take your suggestions into consideration for future posts.
Rosemary Vickers says
I always prick my eggs before boiling and they never burst.
I do this with a little plastic gadget my mother gave me many years ago
Rosemary
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, I’d love to hear more about this egg gadget!
Molly Abrohams says
Fox Run Hard Boiled Egg Piercer, with Safety Lock Feature
Dawn says
I used miracle whip because I didnt have mayo, but the next day, the egg salad was very watery. I let the eggs cool in cold water for awhile. Not sure why it was so watery the next day.
Jessica Gavin says
Miracle whip typically has less oil, so perhaps that is what it got runnier the next day compared to regular mayonnaise.
Slanne says
I only use Miracle Whip and found if I don’t salt my egg salad it does not get watery.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for sharing your egg salad tips!
Barbara Fisher says
120% cholesterol – is that the good or bad cholesterol?
If you poke a hole with a pin in the bottom of the egg it will not crack when put in boiling water.
Kat says
Made this for my 2 yr old twins, they loved it! I added some Braggs yeast and they’ll never know haha 🙂
Linda says
For me too much stuff in the egg salad. I put the eggs in a sink full of warm water to temper them then lower the eggs into the boiling water with a spoon. Never had a cracked one yet. I mince the egg very fine with a fork, add some finely minced green onion and add a small amount of low fat Hellman’s. Just enough to bind the egg together. That’s it. It seems to me that adding all that other stuff detracts from tasting the egg, which has a quite delicate flavour. It’s more like vegetables and condiments with egg on the side.
Jessica Gavin says
Great idea to temper the eggs Linda!
Amy Rogers says
I was kind of skeptical about this boiling egg part since its completely opposite of the normal boiling egg recipe. Unfortunately, I was right. Half of them busted open, I’m guessing from cold eggs into boiling water and half the eggs are floating outside of the shell in the water.
We’ll see how the rest of the mixture turns out….and maybe boil some more eggs.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Amy- I appreciate you making the eggs and your feedback! I was playing around with the recipe, if you have thermometer try to get the water to a low boil at 200°F instead of a rapid boil at 212°F. This should help with the eggs breaking. Sometimes if the eggs are older, that may cause them to be more prone to breaking as well. Let me know how it goes! I also love the steaming method and don’t see breaks if you haven’t tried that before. I also have the technique on my website.
Rita Cummings says
I bought one of those electric egg cookers. The hard boiled eggs always come out perfect.
Faye Harrison says
Ditto. Eggs brust as soon as they touch the simmering hot water, and they are fresh eggs. However, they were refrigerated so I suppose they should have been at room temperature. I’ll go back to my usual cold start method.