Egg Salad
Delightfully creamy and perfectly chunky, this egg salad boasts the perfect balance of richness and tang, with flecks of green onion and celery in every bite. The ingredient list is short, the process is foolproof, and there are countless variations to explore.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
This is the best egg salad you will ever make! Yes, the ingredients are ordinary, but follow my process for boiling the eggs and blending the ingredients and you’ll discover why this egg salad reigns supreme.
Here’s what you need for this egg salad
- Eggs. I prefer large eggs in this recipe because the ratio of eggs to mayonnaise dressing is impeccable. You can certainly use whatever eggs you have on hand – from medium to extra-large – simply adjust the quantity of mayonnaise accordingly.
- Mayonnaise. There are many varieties of mayonnaise on the market, and all of them work here. Choose regular, light, olive oil-based, avocado-oil based, soy-based, vegan, and so on. If you use your favorite variety, you’re guaranteed a flavor profile you’ll enjoy.
- Yellow mustard. Yellow mustard is traditional in egg salad because its tanginess elevates the eggs’ richness. Tart yellow mustard also balances the sweetness of the mayonnaise. If desired, and for a little spiciness, you may substitute Dijon mustard.
- Green onion. Green onions (AKA scallions) add a fresh, grassy, sweet onion flavor, which enlivens the eggs and balances tanginess of the mayonnaise mixture. This recipe calls for one green onion, but if you’re an onion fan, you can use two.
- Celery. Mild-tasting celery adds a hint of flavor and definitive crunch. Without the celery, there would be little textural contrast in the salad.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Aside from salt and black pepper, there’s very little seasoning in egg salad. For that reason, I prefer to use nicely flavored salt and freshly ground black pepper.
What’s the secret to perfectly hard-boiled eggs?
It’s simple: Don’t not over-boil them! Gone are the recipes of yesteryear that had you boiling eggs for several minutes. Overcooked eggs have dry, crumbly yolks (and sometime a greenish tint). For flawless results every time, start with cold eggs and cold water in saucepan. Put the pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. No more, no less. Next, plunge the eggs in a bowl of ice water to stop further cooking (this ice bath also keeps the yolks bright yellow). Keep the eggs in the ice water for at least 10 minutes before peeling. Pro tip: Remove your eggs from the ice bath and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before peeling and slicing. Chilled eggs peel and chop effortlessly.
Tips
- Cool your hard-boiled eggs before making egg salad. As mentioned above, chilled hard-boiled eggs slice with ease and, when the eggs are cold, the yolks come out cleanly, and the whites chop to perfection. In addition, chilled yolks mash into a fine crumble without clumping, important for creating a creamy smooth mayonnaise mixture. Pro tip: Hard-boil your eggs in advance (up to 3 days) and refrigerate before preparing the salad.
- Mash the yolks by themselves. Unlike most recipes, this recipe separates the yolks and whites before mashing. I do this for two reasons. First, when working with just the yolks, you can create a sublimely creamy mayonnaise base for the salad. Second, since the whites are diced and folded in afterwards, they’re uniform in size and perfectly distributed throughout the salad.
- Dice the egg whites. I’m restating what I said above – dice your egg whites (instead of mashing them with the yolks) and fold them into the yolk-mayo mixture when you add the celery and green onions. This simple step truly changes the egg salad game.
- Finely dice the celery. This is key – you want your celery pieces about the same size as (or smaller than) the diced egg. This ensures the ingredients are uniform, without any big chunks.
- Thinly slice the green onion. To guarantee you get a hint of sweet onion flavor in every bite, thinly slice your green onion crosswise into very thin rounds.
- Use less mayonnaise if desired. This egg salad is ultra-creamy thanks to the 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. If you prefer a less creamy egg salad, reduce the amount to 1/3 cup.
- Season before serving. The amount of seasoning in this egg salad will depend on many factors, including the type of mayonnaise and mustard you use, and the freshness of your green onion. Once all the ingredients have been combined, season to taste with salt and black pepper.
How should you serve your egg salad? Egg salad can be served a variety of ways! I like to serve my egg salad on thin slices of soft wheat bread with a fresh lettuce leaf garnish. Thinner bread slices allow the egg salad to shine. You can also serve your egg salad on soft rolls, nestled into tortillas, stuffed into tomatoes or bell peppers, or spooned over a bed of lettuce.
Consider fun add-ins for future egg salad adventures!
There are many ways to change-up this egg salad, and here are some of my favorite additions.
- Diced dill pickles
- Diced cucumber
- Pickle juice
- Minced jalapeno
- Crushed red pepper flakesDiced red onion (instead of green onion)
- Mashed or diced avocado
- Crumbled bacon
How should you store leftover egg salad? Store leftover egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can tell your egg salad is past its prime when it’s dull in color and/or when ingredients start to separate.
Can you freeze egg salad? Surprisingly, yes! Store leftover egg salad in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, or Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a large saucepan and pour over enough cold water to cover the eggs by about 1/2-inch. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and remove it from the heat. Let the eggs stand covered for 15 minutes.
- Drain and transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for 10 minutes.
- Drain the eggs from the ice water. Refrigerate the eggs for at least 15 minutes.
- Peel and halve the eggs lengthwise. Transfer the yolks to a bowl. Chop the whites into small pieces and set aside.
- Mash the yolks with a fork until crumbly. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the chopped egg whites, green onion, and celery. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve the egg salad as a sandwich, wrap, stuffed into tomatoes or bell peppers, or spooned over a bed of lettuce.