The Best Egg Salad Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Steaming eggs results in even cooking through to the core, and easy peeling.
  • Crushing the eggs with fresh mayonnaise by hand gives you a good mix of chunky and creamy textures. Scallions and celery add crisp freshness.
  • Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the mix.

I don't remember much about the not-quite-classic-Woody-Allen filmWhat's Up Tiger Lily, other than that secret agent Phil Moskowitz heads out on a mission with his sidekicks Suki and Teri Yaki to secure the recipe for the world's best egg salad. I also remember that he never actually reveals that recipe, which is a shame, because I've been on a quest for the best egg salad ever since I can remember.

The Best Egg Salad Recipe (1)

Perfect is a word that I throw around a lot, and it's always with the understanding that it's a goal that can be strived for but never achieved. This particular recipe for egg salad is about as close to perfect as I've ever had. It's not fancy, there are no special ingredients, but it's well balanced, with a bright, fresh flavor, and a texture that spans from rich and creamy to crunchy and fresh.

Any good egg salad starts with perfectly boiled eggs with a just-cooked-but-not-chalky yolk and tender whites. Luckily, and not-so-coincidentally, Ispent a great deal of timedevelopinga recipe for them, so we're already off on the right foot.

Crushing It

The biggest question when it comes to how to put together an egg salad is how to chop your eggs. I started with four different methods, using a basic recipe that combined mayonnaise, diced red onions, and diced celery.

The Best Egg Salad Recipe (2)

The first was to press them through the holes of a box grater. It's easy, it leads to even end results, but it also looks and feels...like an egg pushed through a box grater. The thin slivers are just off-putting.

Chopping with a knife works better in terms of finished texture, but it's a bit of a pain—eggs are slippery and don't like to sit still under the blade of a knife. Doing a large batch with this method is a chore.

Lastly, I tried smashing the eggs with a stiff whisk. This was by far the easiest and best method, producing a nice chunky texture with minimal effort. The one thing I wished it did better was break down the yolks into a creamy sauce that binds with the mayonnaise. Whisking harder helped, but then the whites broke downtoomuch.

The solution?Getting dirty.

Crushing those eggs by hand is the way to go. Your hands are gentler than the hard wires of a whisk, allowing you to break down the yolks without over-crushing the whites. You end up with an egg salad that has nice big bites of egg white, all bound together in a rich, creamy mash of yolks and mayonnaise.

The Best Egg Salad Recipe (3)

Fine Tuning Flavor

Almost there. All we gotta do is season this thing up. I generally choose red onions because I like the way the pretty red cubes intersperse with the yellow eggs, but I'd never really considered whether they were optimal in terms of flavor. I made a few batches of egg salad with a half dozen different types of onion (yellow, white, red, sweet, shallots, and scallions), and was surprised to find that the scallions were almost unanimously voted as the best of the bunch.

Similarly, most folks prefer far fewer celery nubs than I personally include (andnobodyseemed to like diced radishes added to the mix). I suppose majority rules here (though of course, you should always feel free to modify the ratios according to your own preferences).

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Finally, most egg salads are heavy, leaden affairs. I wanted an egg salad that tasted bright and fresh, despite being rich and creamy. The key? A dash of lemon juice and lemon zest, along with a pinch of parsley.

And you know what? Damn the committee: I like radishes on my egg salad sandwiches, and they're going tostaythere.

May 2014

This recipe originally appeared as part of the column "The Food Lab Turbo."

Recipe Details

The Best Egg Salad

Prep5 mins

Active5 mins

Total5 mins

Serves3to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 largehard steamed eggs, chilled and peeled

  • 1/4 cup homemadeor store-bought mayonnaise

  • 1/2 teaspoon zest and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh juice from 1 lemon

  • 1/3 cup finely diced celery (about 1 small stalk)

  • 1/4 cup finely sliced scallions, white and pale green parts only (about 2 scallions)

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Bread, lettuce, and thinly sliced radishes, for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. Combine eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, scallions, and parsley in a medium bowl. Using your hands, squeeze eggs through your fingers, mixing contents of bowl until reduced to desired consistency; alternatively, smash and mix with a firm whisk. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve as sandwiches with sliced radishes, lettuce, and bread, or as desired.

    The Best Egg Salad Recipe (5)

Special Equipment

Whisk

Make Ahead

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Read More

  • Extra Large, Cage-Free, and More: How to Shop for Eggs
  • Perfect Steamed Boiled Eggs Recipe
  • Two-Minute Mayonnaise Recipe
  • Salads
  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Boiled Eggs
  • Sandwiches
The Best Egg Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in an egg salad sandwich? ›

How do you make an egg salad sandwich? Just chop up some hard boiled eggs, add a little chopped celery for crunch, some green onions or chives for the green factor, a dash of salt and pepper for seasoning, and a spoonful of mayonnaise to bind everything together.

How to make egg salad that isn t watery? ›

Besides swapping regular onions for green onions or chives, there are other ways you can build up your egg salad's flavor and limit unsightly pooling water. Try adding spices, such as garlic powder or paprika; paprika is often dusted atop deviled eggs, so it would taste fantastic in egg salad.

What is the best way to mash 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 do you keep your egg salad from getting runny? ›

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 should I put on my egg sandwich? ›

The following are my go-tos:
  1. 1/2 a ripe avocado, sliced or mashed.
  2. ripe, sliced tomatoes.
  3. red pepper flakes.
  4. 1 egg, usually fried over easy, sometimes poached.
  5. crispy bacon — I use turkey bacon.
  6. good multi-grain bread for toasting — the thicker the better!
  7. pepper jack, havarti, or goat cheese — I like mixing it up.
Jan 18, 2013

Why is my egg salad 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.

Why does my egg salad taste bad? ›

If left longer, it can develop dark spots and mold. You might also see little bubbles or fizzing when stirring the salad; these are also surefire indicators of microbial growth. If your egg salad looks fine but tastes sour or bitter, you should also throw it away.

How long to 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.

Why does my egg mayo go watery? ›

To sum up, if mayonnaise doesn't set or is too runny, there are two main reasons: the ingredients haven't been properly dosed or cold ingredients have been used. Either way, no need to worry: it's not too late to save your sauce.

Should you chop or mash eggs for egg salad? ›

Recipe developer and cookbook author Sheri Castle suggests that "for a salad with hearty texture that won't turn gummy or pasty, use your hands to crumble the eggs instead of chopping the whites and mashing the yolks with a fork." You will, of course, want to wait until the boiled eggs are cool enough to handle, but ...

What is the best tool for making egg salad? ›

I've found the best tool for mashing up eggs for egg salad is a grid-style potato masher.

How does Paula Deen boil eggs? ›

Here's Paula's tried and true method:

Next, bring the water to a boil, and right when it starts to rumble, remove the pan from the heat, and cover it with a tight-fitting lid. 3. Now time for that kitchen timer; set it for exactly 20 minutes.

Is egg mayonnaise the same as egg salad? ›

If you're talking about the filling for egg salad sandwiches, then the answer is “both”. Eggs and mayonnaise are the main ingredients. If you're talking about a salad with eggs in it, then there may or may not be mayonnaise in it as part of the dressing.

Does egg salad contain celery? ›

This is the easiest egg salad and the perfect way to use up leftover Easter Eggs or even leftover Deviled Eggs. You'll love the short list of ingredients but it's all you need to make one amazing salad: hard-boiled eggs, herbs, celery, and crisp onion in the creamiest dressing.

Is egg salad easy on the stomach? ›

Another reason why egg salad is easy to digest is because it is typically made with mayonnaise, which is a creamy and smooth condiment that is easy on the stomach. Mayonnaise is made from oil, egg yolks, and vinegar or lemon juice, which are all ingredients that are gentle on the digestive system.

How long does egg salad last in the fridge? ›

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.

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