Best Egg Salad Recipe
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A few little additions take this classic egg salad recipe from basic to really good, while keeping everything you love about the tried-and-true favorite.
Egg salad is a simple, familiar favorite, but it can be surprisingly easy to get wrong. For me, a good egg salad recipe begins with perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs, then it’s all about balance. Mayo adds richness, while lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a touch of Worcestershire bring brightness, tang, and depth. I add celery, scallions, and fresh parsley for crunch and freshness, which keeps the salad from feeling too heavy.
Pile it onto toasted bread for an egg salad sandwich, spoon it over greens, or serve it with crackers for an easy lunch.
“Without a doubt THE best egg salad ever! It was so good I made a second batch.”
What You’ll Need To Make Egg Salad
- Eggs: Properly cooked eggs are the foundation of a good egg salad. I like the yolks fully set but still creamy, without that dry, chalky texture you sometimes get from overcooked eggs. The method below will get you there.
- Mayonnaise: Forms the rich, creamy base of the dressing. Use a good-quality brand, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a little tang and sharpness to cut through the richness of the eggs and mayo.
- Lemon juice: A small amount of fresh lemon juice brightens the salad and keeps it from tasting heavy.
- Worcestershire sauce: My little extra. You only need a touch, but it adds savory depth and makes the whole salad more flavorful without calling attention to itself.
- Celery, Scallions & Fresh Parsley: These add crunch and freshness and keep the salad from feeling too rich. I like scallions here because they give you mild onion flavor without overpowering the eggs, while the parsley adds a fresh, herbal note.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Egg Salad
Hard-boil and chop the eggs: Gently lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for exactly 11 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool, then peel and chop.
Mix the egg salad: Whisk the dressing until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs, vegetables, and herbs and gently fold everything together. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Always give it a taste before serving—the seasoning can mellow as it sits, so it may need a little salt, pepper, or lemon juice to perk it back up.
Got Hard-Boiled Eggs? More Recipes You May Like
Best Egg Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup finely diced celery, from 1 stalk
- 3 tablespoons finely sliced scallions, from 2 to 3 scallions
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the cold eggs into the boiling water one at a time, taking care not to let them hit the bottom of the pan, which can crack the shells. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 11 minutes; this gives you fully set but still tender, creamy yellow yolks.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water. As soon as the eggs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath. Let cool for 10 minutes. Gently crack the eggs all over, then peel under cool running water, starting at the wide end. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Dry the eggs, then chop into ¼-inch (6-mm) pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add the chopped eggs, celery, scallions, and parsley. Using a rubber spatula, fold to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve or refrigerate until ready to use. (If you refrigerate the egg salad, be sure to taste it again before serving and adjust the seasoning; I find the flavors mellow out a bit after some time in the fridge.)
Notes
- Peeling Hack: Start peeling at the wide end of the egg, where there’s usually an air pocket. Peel off a small piece of shell at the bottom to expose the membrane, then slip the egg back into the water (ice water or room temperature water both work) for a minute or two. The water seeps under the shell and helps release it more easily.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The eggs can be cooked, peeled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3 days ahead. If you keep the eggs in their shell, they can last for up to a week. The egg salad will keep well in a covered container in the fridge for about 3 days.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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So good! Best egg salad ever.
Thank you for another delicious and easy to make recipe! I used my instant pot to make the boiled eggs (1 cup water, place on trivet, manual high pressure 5 min, natural release 6 min, then dunk in cold water, peel when cool – use Jenn’s suggestion of starting at the round bottom and using the air pocket).
The flavors worked harmoniously together without one in particular being the dominant flavor. Terrific egg salad that we will certainly make again.
This is so good! Easy and really brings an egg salad sandwich to life! Another winner in my house! Thanks again Jenn!
I was so excited to try this recipe, but I just didn’t love it. I found it a bit too salty and it just seemed to be missing something. I might try the horseradish others have suggested. For those having a hard time peeling their eggs, Google the science of steaming eggs…it works!
Followed recipe exactly as written, but my yolks were still a little soft, are they suppose to be that way, and I had an extremely HARD TIME peeling the eggs despite following your directions precisely. An interesting play of flavors, but I prefer a more traditional egg salad.
Hi Carol, The yolks should be just cooked through. You may have had very fresh eggs, which can be hard to peel.
Can this recipe be doubled?
yep!
I’m allergic to dijon. Could I substitute ordinary yellow hotdog mustard?
Sure, Lesley – that’ll be fine.
I have never been a fan of egg salad, because as you said, they are usually mayo laden and flat out boring. I made your recipe because I needed to use up some eggs and holy moley! This was flat out the BEST and most delicious recipe I have ever tasted for this simple, classic stand by! I didn’t change a thing because to me, I dislike reviews when someone has altered the ingredients and then complains about the outcome. I had enough to share with my neighbor and she raved about how yummy it was. I’m also going to add it to my tea sandwich collection for parties! Thank you, Jenn! I’d give it 10 stars if I could! Well done!
I was skeptical about the amount of sauce for the amount of eggs and didn’t initially add any sugar BUT, BOY, was this delicious as written!!!! Fresh, not overly mayonnaise-y and just really hit the spot for us today. I had made my fresh baked whole grain bread and this was a superb accompaniment! So Good!! Love your recipes Jenn!
Just made this egg salad for lunch. I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect, like all of your recipes! The eggs came right out of their shells, the seasoning was balanced and bright, and so much less mayo than usual. I served it on honey oatmeal-whole wheat bread (KAF recipe), with arugula and pickled pepper rings. Totally delicious! Thank you, Jenn!