This is the best Egg Salad I’ve ever tasted, perfectly balanced and creamy, with lots of texture and flavorful ingredients. Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, crunchy celery, briny cornichons, and fresh dill make this great in sandwiches or on its own. It only takes 20 minutes to make!

Egg Salad - Stuffed Into Sandwiches With Tomato and Lettuce and Served with Chips

Egg salad doesn’t get enough credit or attention, if you ask me. My theory is that it’s like brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts were the most hated vegetable for a long time, until the tides turned in recent years as people discovered that they just need to be cooked the right way instead of being boiled to death. Like take these warm roasted brussels sprouts with candied pecans and ricotta salata or shredded brussels sprout salad with crispy goat cheese. Both are SO good.

In a similar way, this is a recipe that needs to be prepared with good technique and ingredients. My recipe has a relatively short ingredient list, but kind of like the magic of caprese, those few ingredients compliment each other so well that you really don’t need more. The end results are so good that you may find yourself doing as my family does: keeping it on hand in the fridge weekly for easy protein that can quickly be put on crackers, or made into sandwiches.

Egg Salad Sandwiches on a Wooden Board with Pickle

Tips for Best Results

Be choosy about your mayo – I’ve tried and compared several brands of mayonnaise and some are fantastic while others are downright revolting. Use one that tastes delicious to you. If you have 10 minutes to spare, I recommend using homemade mayonnaise for the best flavor, but Sir Kensington’s and Kewpie are good store-bought options as well.

Don’t overcook the eggs – Overcooked hardboiled eggs are dreadful, with rubbery whites and chalky, crumbly yolks. That will get you off on the wrong foot from the start. Boil your eggs per my Hard Boiled Eggs instructions, and also skip the pre-boiled eggs at the store, which are rubbery and overcooked.

Use the freshest ingredients – Most people don’t realize how quickly fresh produce loses its flavor as it sits in the fridge. Make sure the celery is crisp and fresh, as well as the dill and scallions.

Step by Step Overview:

Cook the Eggs 

To get started, you will need to cook your eggs. In a nutshell, you want to gently place the eggs into boiling water for 13 minutes (keeping the boil at a gentle bubble, not a raging boil), then transfer the eggs to an ice bath for a minute to stop the cooking, and peel. My Hard Boiled Eggs lays out the full method for perfectly cooked, easy-to-peel end results, as well as the timing for different sizes of eggs.

How to Hard Boil Eggs - By Cooking in a Saucepan in Simmering Water

Peel and Chop the Eggs, then Add Mayo

Chop the peeled eggs into pieces, and toss with mayonnaise, taking care not to break up the eggs too much:

Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs in Bowl

Now it’s time to add all the freshness and flavor.

Prep the Crunch and Flavor

From left to right I have: chopped celery, sliced scallions, chopped cornichons (my favorite type of pickle), and fresh dill. Each brings so much flavor and texture to the salad.

Cut Celery, Scallions, Cornichons, and Dill on Cutting Board

If you have a different preferred pickle aside from cornichons, feel free to swap it in. Dill, bread and butter, and sour pickles are all great too.

Add Seasoning

Add the veggies and herbs to the bowl, along with mustard, salt and pepper:

Raw Veggies, Mustard, and Pepper Added to Hard Boiled Yolks

Dijon mustard is my favorite, but again, your preferred mustard is perfect. Sometimes I enjoy adding a whole grain mustard to get the extra texture from the seeds.

Mix well, until the dressing evenly coats all the ingredients:

Mixed Egg Salad Ingredients in Mixing Bowl

How to Serve

Though it may be eaten right away, the best egg salad is arguably one that has been allowed to sit for a short time, so the flavors meld together. I recommend at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or, if you prefer it chilled, refrigerating for at least one hour.

I love placing spoonfuls onto crackers, and you can make it pretty with a dill garnish:

Egg Salad on a Cracker with Dill Sprig

Or you can make an egg salad sandwich, adding slices of fresh tomato and butter lettuce. The lettuce keeps the bread from getting soggy.

Slices of White Bread with Lettuce, Egg Salad, and Sliced Tomatoes

Of all the “salads” you can make like Cranberry Chicken Salad, Salmon Salad, and Curry Chicken Salad, I actually think this recipe makes for one of the best sandwiches. Its softer texture is cradled better between slices of soft white bread.

Egg Salad Sandwich on a Wooden Board with Pickle

If you have leftover mayonnaise, also try Broccoli Salad, Red Potato Salad, and Shrimp Salad. Or try making this Caprese Pasta Salad. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQ and Tips

How long will leftover egg salad keep in the fridge?

About 3 days. After that the flavor really starts to go downhill.

How long will egg salad sandwiches keep?

If you want to prepare sandwiches in advance, place a dry piece of butter lettuce on the inside of each slice of bread, then put your filling in the middle. This will keep the bread dry, so you can make sandwiches ahead of time (like the night before) and store it in the fridge to grab and go the next day.

Can egg salad be frozen?

No, I don’t recommend it. The texture will be very unappetizing upon thawing.

Is this recipe healthy?

To me, yes! Everyone has a different definition of healthy, but this recipe is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30-compliant, low carb, and more. You can eat this with lettuce cups if you want to skip the bread and crackers.

Is this recipe safe to eat?

Yes! It’s safe for children, pregnant women, everyone, as long as you’re using a store-bought mayonnaise (and not a homemade one made with raw egg). The eggs in this dish are completely cooked.

What do you serve egg salad with?

I put it in sandwiches, on crackers, in wraps, or in lettuce cups when I want it gluten-free. You can also add a big scoop of this to a Cobb Salad.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Egg Salad Stuffed Into Sandwiches With Tomato and Lettuce and Served with Chips

Egg Salad

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, crunchy celery, briny cornichons, and fresh dill are the stars of the show for this egg salad. It's flavorful, creamy, and full of texture.
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Ingredients

  • 12 large hard boiled eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions
  • 2 tbsp chopped cornichons
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • 6 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste

Instructions 

  • Roughly chop the hard boiled eggs, then mix with the remaining ingredients. Taste and make any necessary seasoning adjustments.
  • Enjoy right away, or chill in the fridge for an hour before serving. Then enjoy on crackers or in sandwiches, if desired.

Notes

Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that, the flavor really deteriorates, though it should still be safe to eat for another 2 days.
Make-ahead sandwiches: If you want to prepare sandwiches in advance, place a dry piece of butter lettuce on the inside of each slice of bread, then put your filling in the middle. This will keep the bread dry, so you can make sandwiches ahead of time (like the night before) and store it in the fridge to grab and go the next day.
Freezing: Not recommended.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 499mg, Sodium: 650mg, Potassium: 249mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 925IU, Vitamin C: 2.7mg, Calcium: 88mg, Iron: 2.5mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug