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This classic egg salad is creamy, tangy, and loaded with just the right amount of crunch, perfect for sandwiches, crackers, lettuce cups, or meal prep. It’s the version I make on repeat because it tastes like old-school comfort food, but feels fresh and not weighed down. Made with eggs, mayonnaise, celery, scallions, aromatics and mustard.
Table of Contents
- What makes this the best egg salad Ever
- Egg Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Egg Salad
- Kellie’s best egg salad tips
- Egg Salad Recipe
- How to Make Easy‑Peel Eggs
- What is Egg Salad?
- Kellie’s Egg Salad Variations (easy ways to change it up)
- What To Eat With Egg Salad
- Egg Salad Sandwich Ideas
- Make-ahead and Storage Tips
- More Easy Salad Recipes
What makes this the best egg salad Ever
- Creamiest texture: I mash the yolks with the dressing first (no dry bits, no pockets of mayo)
- Not too heavy: balanced mayo-to-egg ratio with a pop of flavor from mustard and dill
- The right crunch: celery and scallions keep it bright and snackable
- Make-ahead friendly: great for lunches and quick dinners all week
Most people think casseroles and grandma’s mississippi pot roast when they hear comfort food but for me, it’s a trusty egg salad sandwich. It’s simple, creamy and always flavorful. It’s one of those foods that can take me back to a school field trip or the cafeteria in an instant.
Egg Salad Sandwiches were a staple in my lunchbox and for good reason, as I know now, egg salad is inexpensive to make and you, almost, always have all the ingredients you need to make it on the fly.
It’s light and filling (isn’t that contradictory), creamy and satisfying, quick and easy to make. And you can make a big batch to dig into all week long. Not to mention it’s the BEST way to use up those leftover Easter Eggs you always have on hand after the holiday is over.
Egg Salad Ingredients
You only need a handful of basics:
- Eggs – I like to use hard boiled eggs for my egg salad, it’s a great way to prep ahead for the week. The fresher the better for flavor, but fully chilled makes chopping easier
- Mayonnaise – use your favorite (classic mayo, avocado oil mayo, light, etc.)
- Celery – Crisp celery for crunch is a must for contrast and freshness.
- Scallions (green onions) – milder than raw onion and perfect here
- Dill – fresh dill or dried dill, both work, just reduce the amount of dried dill since it’s super concentrated.
- Ground mustard (dry mustard) – subtle tang without extra liquid
- Paprika – optional, but adds color and a little warmth
- Salt and pepper – I like to use kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
If you don’t have ground/dry mustard, you can use prepared mustard instead: Substitute 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (yellow or Dijon) for 1 teaspoon ground/dry mustard.
Start with a little less if you’re mustard-sensitive, then taste and adjust.
For the full ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Egg Salad
1) Chop the eggs (or separate them for ultra-creamy texture): Peel your chilled hard-cooked eggs.
For the creamiest egg salad: separate the whites from the yolks.
- Whites: chop to your preferred texture (small dice for smoother, bigger chunks for chunkier)
- Yolks: set aside in a bowl
2) Mash yolks and dressing first: This is the move that makes egg salad taste “deli-level” creamy. In a bowl, mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, ground mustard, dill, salt, pepper, and paprika until smooth and spreadable.
3) Fold in whites and vegetables: Fold in the chopped egg whites, celery, and scallions. Mix gently so you don’t smash the whites too much.
4) Taste and adjust seasoning:
- more salt/pepper for balance
- a pinch more dill for freshness
- a tiny bit more mayo if you want it looser (especially for sandwiches)
Kellie’s best egg salad tips
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing breaks the whites down and can make it gummy.
- Chill before serving (even 20-30 minutes helps). The flavors settle and it tastes better.
- Control the texture with your chop. Fine chop gives smoother, deli-style. Bigger chunks is more rustic.
Egg Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Fork
- chef's knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 7 hard boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Hard‑boil the eggs, then cool completely in an ice bath. Peel and chop the egg whites; keep egg yolks separate.
- In a bowl, mash the egg yolks with mayonnaise and Dijon until smooth and velvety.
- Add chopped egg whites, celery, and scallions. Fold gently until combined; season with salt and pepper.
- Adjust lemon, salt, and pepper to taste. Chill 20–30 minutes for best texture.
Video
Notes
- Velvety texture tip: Fully mash yolks into the mayo + mustard before adding whites.
- Make‑ahead: Keeps well refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight container. Stir and re‑season after chilling.
- Freezing: Do not freeze; the mayo base may separate.
- Serving: Toast bread and layer lettuce under and over the salad to keep sandwiches crisp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this Microwave Egg Cooker is amazing. I’ve been using it for over 10 years and it makes perfect eggs every time. Easy to peel, too!
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How to Make Easy‑Peel Eggs
- Ice bath: Transfer hot hard boiled eggs to ice water for 10 minutes to stop cooking.
- Crack & roll: Tap all over and roll to create a fine crack network; peel under cool running water.
- Steam/Instant Pot: Steaming or pressure‑cooking yields consistently easy‑peel shells.
Cool completely before mixing; warm eggs release moisture and can make the salad watery.
What is Egg Salad?
Now, I know this is a pretty bold statement to put out into the world….BUT I am VERY confident to say that this is the BEST Egg Salad recipe ever.
I’ve been playing around with it for years and what I found is you only need a few simple ingredients in perfect proportion to make this salad great. Good mayonnaise, ground mustard, fresh scallions, crisp celery, fresh hardboiled eggs….you get the picture.
And, while I’m still baffled at the inconsistency of peeling hard boiled eggs….this Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs works perfectly every time. Finally. It only took like 30 years of my life.
Kellie’s Egg Salad Variations (easy ways to change it up)
Pick one and mix it in:
- Lighter: replace up to half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt (adds tang, still creamy)
- Deli-style: add 1-2 tbsp relish or finely chopped pickles + extra paprika
- Herby: add chopped fresh dill, chives and parsley
- Tangy: swap in Dijon mustard (or the prepared mustard swap I shared above) and a squeeze of lemon
- Spicy: add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne
- Extra crunch: add chopped dill pickles, diced cucumber, or more celery
- Dill & Lemon: fresh dill and lemon zest; swap half mayo for Greek yogurt.
- Pickle & Paprika: dill relish and smoked paprika.
- Avocado: mash ½ avocado into the dressing to reduce mayo.
- Curried: ½–1 tsp curry powder and golden raisins.
What To Eat With Egg Salad
Other than making the BEST Egg Salad Sandwich ever, this egg salad is super versatile and so tasty all on it’s own I eat it right out of the bowl with a spoon.
- Stuff an avocado half with a heaping spoonful of egg salad.
- Top a cracker for an easy appetizer or go low carb with a cucumber slice!
- Add it to an ordinary wedge salad to make it extraordinary.
- Wrap it in a lettuce leaf for a low carb sandwich wrap.
Egg Salad Sandwich Ideas
Sandwich Building Tips
- Crisp barrier: Layer lettuce under and over the salad to keep bread from getting soggy.
- Toast equates to texture: Lightly toast or griddle bread for sturdier stacks.
- Season last: Taste after assembly; bread can tone down the flavors.
Bread & Roll Pairings
- Toasted sourdough
- Brioche buns
- Rye or pumpernickel
- Whole‑grain or White sandwich bread
Toppings & Crunch
Greens (romaine, butter lettuce, arugula), tomato (patted dry), cucumber, radish, sprouts; dill pickles or pickled red onions.
Egg Salad Combos
Light & Bright: whole‑grain + sprouts + radish + pickled onions.
Classic Deli: toasted sourdough + romaine + tomato + dill pickles.
Herby Crunch: rye + arugula + cucumber + fresh dill + lemon zest.
Make-ahead and Storage Tips
Egg salad is a great make-ahead recipe.
- Refrigerate promptly in an airtight container.
- Keep it cold (40°F/4°C or below for food safety).
- Best within 3 days, and good up to 4 days when stored properly.
Do not freeze egg salad. The texture changes and it becomes watered down when thawed.
Food safety note: hard-cooked eggs on their own can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, but once you turn them into egg salad (mayo + mix-ins), it’s best to stick to the 3–4 day window for peak quality and safety.
More Easy Salad Recipes
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Warm eggs, watery add‑ins, or too much mayo. Let eggs cool fully, pat veggies dry, and mix yolks with the dressing first; fold whites in last.
I do not recommend freezing egg salad, mayonnaise separates and the texture becomes grainy. Plus, thawing can lead to a watery egg salad.
Stir in 1–2 tsp mayo or Greek yogurt; brighten with lemon juice or pickle brine.
Whoops! Just scrolled to top of recipe and see the information I was looking for was listed above recipe! Thanks!
Great! Thank you!
I’ve made this a few times. Super yummy. I just noticed your nutritional information. Is that for the entire salad or a serving? And if it’s for a serving how many servings did you determine this salad to feed? Thank you so much 🙂
One serving.
Peeling the perfect egg every time! I came across a technique that is simply steaming the eggs for 20 min, cool, and peel. I’ve found this to works perfectly for fresh farm eggs too. I have a pot with a steamer basket. I add about 2 inches of water below the basket (not touching), put my eggs in the basket, place the lid on top, and turn the burner on high to start steaming. Once I can here the water is likely boiling I turn the timer on for 20 minutes, and then turn the burner off when the timer goes off. Sometimes I let them sit and cool in the pot with the lid on, other days when I’m impatient and want to eat them right away I put them in cool water for a few minutes and then peel away!! It was almost therapeutic to peel eggs the first time I did this method! So freeing not to have to fight with the egg shells! Good luck!
This is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your tips!
The pioneer woman has the best easy fool-proof egg boiling/peeling method. I will NEVER use another! She has it on Pinterest. Place eggs in already boiling water. Boil 13 minutes, remove to an ice bath for 5 minutes. The shells fall off! Thanks for the egg salad recipe!
I’m going to have to try this!!
Easy way to shell hardboiled eggs.
1.When done empty hot water.
2.Place one egg in empty pan.
3.Shake it vigorously cracking the shell.
4.Take out of pan and prise the shell off with a teaspoon, curved side against the egg.
I put vinegar in water before boiling them then cool them under cold running water. They peel perfectly.
I’ll try that this week. thanks for the tip!
I put vinegar in the water with the eggs before boiling them. They peel perfectly after cooking them in cold water.
Did you ever find the secret to a perfectly boied egg? Cover eggs with water, bring to full rollig boil. Put the lid on the pot and TURN THE HEAT OFF, after 15 minutes, pourout the hot water nd cover wilth cold water nd peel. Th methodp is from Rachel Ray and works every time. Good luck!
I’ve tried this method too and sometimes it works….sometimes it doesn’t. The only thing I found that’s fool-proof is the Microwave Egg Cooker! 🙂
You can make a bunch of hard boiled eggs in an electronic pressure cooker in 5 minutes and they peel PERFECT EVERY TIME! 1 cup of water, a steamer basket, as many eggs as you can fit in one layer, 5 minutes under pressure, 5 minutes natural release, and 5 minutes in ice water. PERFECT EVERY TIME!
I guess I’m going to have to buy a pressure cooker now. LOL!
The electric pressure cooker does it perfectly every time!.
If you place raw, cut potatoes under those eggs, you’ll have the perfect start to potato salad, done without boiling potatoes in a pot of water.
I added a step to that method and it Works! After pouring the hot water off, crack the shells and let the eggs sit in the cold water for a few minutes.
Oh! I bet that works really well!!! Going to try it out. Thanks!
I use this machine for my boiled eggs. They’re perfect every time.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LTIYN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_IT-2ybNT7FP85
Yes I found your recipe.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m afraid that I don’t see either a recipe or a link to it. I’ll check back again to try to find it. Not sure what I’m missing.
Sorry about that! I’m using a new recipe card and it didn’t show up…should be fixed now. Thanks!
Me either….
It’s at the bottom of the post.
I would love to make your egg salad but there is no recipe. Can you share your recipe?
I would appreciate it if you would.
Thanks for your time & consideration.
Larry
Thanks, Larry! Should be fixed now.
I dont have a egg sandwhich recipe to share.
That’s why I wanted yours.
How to peel the eggs easily? I know..Put the egg in the saucepan carefully. Then add the water. After the eggs are ready rinse in cold water then roll them back and forth in your hands. You will be surprised. They will peel easily!
Hi Kellie!
I see that you found the egg recipe.
Thanks for sending it.
I love egg salad sandwiches.
Larry