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Home » Salads » Egg Salad Recipe

Egg Salad Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
June 8, 2022
4.83 from 98 votes


Last Updated June 8, 2022 | 17 Comments

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21.1K shares
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egg salad recipe Pinterest Pin Image Collage

Easy Egg Salad Recipe made with hard-boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise, diced red onion, sweet paprika, and a hint of mustard. Learn how to make the BEST egg salad and add it to your favorite salads, on egg salad sandwiches, or enjoy it straight from the bowl.

Shallow bowl filled with egg salad.

The Best Egg Salad Recipe

Inexpensive, easy to make, super delicious, and high in protein, egg salad has the talent of being incredibly basic or extremely complex. Created sometime after the introduction of mayonnaise in the early 1800s, it remains more than two centuries later, a favorite for both sandwiches and salads all across Europe and America.

That said, no two egg salad recipes are completely alike. 

Some salads come bare and drowning in mayonnaise. Others prefer a little added crunch from veggies like red onion, celery, bell pepper, or even jicama. In this version, you’ll find hard-boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise, red onion, chives, dijon mustard, sweet paprika, salt, pepper, and pickle juice!

Everyone has their own favorite version of the “egg salad”. This one is mine.

Overhead image of egg salad made with hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, chives, red onion.

How to Hard Boil Eggs For Egg Salad

There are several different methods but these are my favorite.

1. Instant Pot (pressure cooker) – If I had to pick one way to cook hard-boiled eggs for the rest of my life, the Instant Pot would be it. Why? They’re easy to peel and the shells don’t stick!

  • Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot of your Instant Pot and insert the egg or steam rack. Place eggs on the rack and securely fasten the lid.
  • Set the cooking time for 5 minutes on high pressure.
  • Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before doing a quick release. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath (or bowl filled with cold water) to stop cooking.
  • Once cool, remove the eggs from the ice bath and carefully peel and chop.

2. Stovetop –  In my experience, this method is somewhat more unreliable when it comes to easy-peel shells, but the eggs are going to get all chopped up, so no biggie if you lost part of the egg white to the eggshell.

  • Add eggs to a large saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water.
  • Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
  • Cover and let the eggs rest in the hot water for 10-12 minutes before transferring them to an ice bath to cool.
  • Remove eggs from the ice bath, peel, and chop.
Hard boiled eggs in an ice bath.

What is an ice water bath?

A bowl filled with ice water. Often used in cooking when you quickly need to stop something from cooking.

Peeling a hard boiled egg.

How to Make Egg Salad 

Combine everything together in a medium bowl. You may do this a couple of different ways:

  1. For a somewhat chunky egg salad – Transfer the peeled and chopped eggs (an egg slicer is great for this) to a medium mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, pickle juice (optional), red onion, mustard (Dijon or yellow), chives, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until desired texture and consistency is reached.
  2. For an extra smooth and creamy egg salad – This method has an extra step. In my opinion, it tastes the same, but some people may disagree. Anyway, divide the egg yolks from the egg whites. Add the yolks to a large mixing bowl with the mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mix well until fully combined and smooth. Finally, add the egg white and the diced red onion to the yolk and mayo mixture. Gently mix to combine.

Once your egg salad is all mixed together, season with additional salt, black pepper, or mustard, to taste.

Two images collaged side-by-side with the first image showing peeled hard-boiled eggs and the second image showing peeled hard-boiled eggs but in half.

Egg Salad Variations and Additions

  • Mayo substitutions – Greek yogurt, hummus, tahini.
  • Crunchy veggies – celery, jicama, green onion, sweet bell pepper, spicy jalapeño.
  • Add more protein – garbanzo beans, small cooked shrimp, diced chicken, bacon.
  • Herbs – fresh parsley, fresh dill, fresh basil, rosemary.
  • AVOCADO
  • Things that are salty – diced pickles or relish, olives, chopped (well-drained) artichoke hearts, capers.

Things that I do not recommend adding (unless you plan to enjoy the entire batch of egg salad right away) are things with a lot of water or liquid. For example, tomatoes and cucumber. You’re better off topping your sandwich, salad, or bowl with these veggies.

Bowl filled with peeled and halved hard boiled eggs.

How Long is Egg Salad Good For

Store leftover egg salad in a sealed airtight container and in the refrigerator. It is best enjoyed within 3-4 days. With that said, if it smells off, looks dull, or has turned watery, it’s probably a good time to toss it in the trash.

To meal prep egg salad for the week, you’ll want to hard-boil a large batch of eggs (hard-boiled eggs stay fresh in the refrigerator for one week, peeled or unpeeled) and make a new batch of egg salad whenever you need a new batch. 

Can you freeze egg salad?

Freezing is not recommended as both eggs and mayonnaise do not taste good once thawed from frozen.

Bowl filled with hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, diced red onion, salt, pepper, and paprika.

How to Serve

  • Make an Egg salad sandwich – Keep it simple with just the egg salad sandwiched between two pieces of bread, or make it fancy and serve it on a buttery croissant with all of your favorite toppings like,
    • Lettuce, sprouts, microgreens
    • Sliced tomatoes
    • Bacon
    • Avocado
    • Pickled onions
  • Scoop it on a salad – This is my second favorite way to eat egg salad. Low carb and totally delicious, adding a scoop or two of egg salad to a green salad is an easy way to turn a side dish into a complete meal. Perfect for make-ahead lunches or last-minute dinners.
  • Serve it as a dip – Why not? Let guests scoop it onto buttery crackers. I’m fairly certain they’ll just take the bowl with them.
  • Scoop into lettuce cups – Butter lettuce and Romaine works best.

More Delicious Salad Recipes

  • Curried Chicken Salad
  • Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
  • Easy Three Bean Salad Recipe
  • Chicken Salad Recipe
  • Balsamic Tomato Basil Salad
  • Cucumber Salad Recipe
Close up image of mixed together egg salad.

Have you tried making this Easy Egg Salad Recipe?

Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.

Close up image of mixed together egg salad.

Egg Salad Recipe

4.83 from 98 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Easy Egg Salad Recipe made with hard-boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise, diced red onion, sweet paprika, and a hint of mustard. Learn how to make the BEST egg salad and add it to your favorite salads, on egg salad sandwiches, or enjoy it straight from the bowl.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 22 mins
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 294 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 large eggs - hard boiled
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise - plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoon pickle juice - (optional)
  • ¼ red onion - minced
  • 1 teaspoon mustard - yellow or dijon
  • ¼ cup chives - chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • salt and pepper - to taste
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Hard boil the eggs (stovetop) – Add eggs to a large saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs rest in the hot water for 10-12 minutes before transferring to an ice bath to cool. Remove eggs from the ice bath, peel, and chop.
  • Hard boil the eggs (pressure cooker) – Add 1 cup water to the inner pot of your Instant Pot and insert egg or steam rack. Place eggs on the rack and securely fasten the lid. Set the cooking time for 5 minutes on high pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before doing a quick release. Transfer eggs to an ice water bath to stop cooling. Once cool, remove eggs from the ice bath and carefully peel and chop.
  • Mix – Transfer peeled and chopped eggs to a medium mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, pickle juice (optional), red onion, mustard (Dijon or yellow), chives, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. 
  • Season to taste – Season with additional salt, pepper, or mustard, to taste.
  • Serve – Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, or on your favorite salad, if desired. Enjoy!

Jessica’s Notes

  • Classic egg salad calls for mayonnaise. Whether you add full-fat or low-fat, that’s completely up to you, but you will need some sort of creamy base. A healthy alternative is Greek yogurt, or simply cutting back on the total amount used.
  • The pickle juice is a fabulous way to add some salty vinegary flavor. If you’re worried that your egg salad will taste like pickles, don’t…because it won’t. However, feel free to leave it out if it’s not your thing.
  • Mustard – Add yellow, whole grain, or dijon mustard- whatever is your favorite. 
  • Chives are there to add a little fresh bite to the egg salad and help bring out different flavors. Some thinly sliced green onion would also work well.
  • Paprika is more for color and decoration than it is for taste. Add it in, leave it out, completely up to you.
As written, this recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, and low-carb.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 430mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 785IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Egg Salad, Egg Salad Recipe, how to make egg salad
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

21.1K shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Danielle says

    May 5, 2022 at 8:02 pm

    5 stars
    This is my go-to egg salad recipe. It is so good, and we love the bite of the red onion!

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      May 5, 2022 at 8:29 pm

      Thanks, Danielle 🙂

      I also love that red onion bite!

      Reply
  2. Stormi B says

    July 10, 2021 at 8:53 am

    5 stars
    I loved the recipe , I don’t have red onion. Do you think white onion would be too much ?

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      July 10, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      I think adding a white onion instead of a red onion will be fine Stormi 🙂

      Reply
  3. Tearatu.Taneai says

    June 20, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for your fantastic recipes

    Reply
  4. Amand says

    June 10, 2021 at 9:43 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes….

    Reply
  5. Tina says

    March 5, 2021 at 11:06 am

    On the 5 and 1lean and green meal plan how many lean, leaner or leanest and how many Green’s and healthy fat and condiments does this recipe equal. Really want to try because it sounds delicious but don’t want to get off program.

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      March 5, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      Sorry Tina, I am not an expert on that program.

      Reply
      • Andy says

        March 7, 2021 at 7:14 am

        Looks great. I want to use pickle juice but not a fan of dill. I wonder if Pepperoncini juice would work. What do you think?

      • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

        March 7, 2021 at 9:55 am

        That is a great question, Andy, and it should work fine. I want to try this substitution now 🙂

  6. Me says

    November 23, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    5 stars
    I loved it

    Reply
  7. Roberta Dall'Alba says

    June 16, 2020 at 7:01 am

    5 stars
    How can I not give 5 stars?! This is as simple as delicious. I didn’t have mustard (finished! shame on me😒), but it was delish!

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      June 16, 2020 at 8:48 am

      Thanks for the kind feedback Roberta 🙂

      Reply
      • Roberta Dall'Alba says

        June 23, 2020 at 10:49 am

        5 stars
        Gotta leave another comment. This became a weekly meal 🤪 it’s too delicious

  8. Theresa says

    April 10, 2020 at 9:13 am

    Made this for my husband today, we both loved it! Thanks for sharing your recuoe!

    Reply
  9. Natalie says

    March 28, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    2nd time making egg salad ever…. this recipe is great!! My MIL makes everything sweet, and I’ve grown accustom… so I added a tiny bit of sugar. But, the egg cooking direction is just as amazing! Never seen these times, but they were PERFECT on the stovetop

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      March 28, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      Thanks for the kind feedback Natalie 🙂

      Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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