Five basic ingredients is all it takes to make The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich recipe. Chances are you have everything already in your fridge and pantry for this easy lunch recipe. Want to jazz it up or make it keto and low-carb? I give you a list of additions and substitutions to try.

Egg salad sandwich on a paper plate and wicker charger

Egg salad is one of those recipes I love to make on a busy weekday or when I want something easy and delicious but don't want to go to the store.

The Instant Pot is the way I prefer to "hard boil" my eggs because the peel just rolls off, but I'll share how to cook them on the stovetop, too. Want to jazz up your egg salad sandwiches? I give you a list of ideas below.

What is in egg salad?

six farm eggs in a carton on marble surface

The very basic ingredients in egg salad sandwiches are:

Hard boiled eggs (or steamed)
Mayonnaise
Mustard (typically yellow)
Salt
Sandwich bread

Many substitutions and additions can be made to The Best Simple Egg Salad if you want to experiment with flavor and texture.

What can I add or substitute in egg salad?

Substitutions

For a low fat diet, all the yolks can be removed before mashing to make "yolkless" egg salad. To get the same yield just cook 12 eggs instead of six.
For vegan "egg" salad, firm tofu can be chopped in place of the eggs.
For keto-friendly and a low-carb option, dollop it on a Bibb lettuce leaf or roll it up in a low-carb wrap.
Light, extra creamy, organic, canola oil, olive oil, or avocado oil mayonnaise can be substituted for regular mayonnaise. Vegan dressing and spread can also be used.
Flavored mayonnaise and aioli like chipotle, garlic, and mayonnaise-based dipping sauces but taste before using. A flavor as strong as chipotle will overpower the mild flavor of eggs.
Not a mayo lover? Try sour cream, plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt.
Spicy brown, Dijon, country-style Dijon, and honey mustard can be substituted for yellow mustard. Sweet egg salad made with honey mustard does not appeal to me but your kids may love it.

Additions

Dill pickle and sweet relish is a common addition to egg salad.
Chives, green onion, and chopped sweet or purple onion are often added.
Fresh herbs, especially dill.
Spices such as celery seed, celery salt, paprika, curry powder, chili powder, and black pepper.
Olives
Avocado
BACON!

My egg salad is a little different than my mom's that I grew up enjoying (hold the onion, add more mustard, and she made her own mayo-yeah she's cool like that). But, it still takes me right back to Evening Shade, Arkansas on a hot summer day when mom would make egg salad as a side dish to almost anything she was cooking that day-which always included cornbread and pinto beans.

I'd love to hear in the comments below the printable recipe what you add to your egg salad to make it your own. Scroll to the bottom of the post.

What's the shortcut?

Saving an additional bowl to wash by mashing the eggs in same bowl where mayo mixture is combined
Mashing whole egg at a time with the smooth potato masher instead of chopping eggs
Cooking eggs in the Instant Pot to hard cook (steam) them. Saves time and frustration because eggs peel like a dream every single time!
Save even more time and buy boiled eggs in the deli area of your grocery store.

How to make The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich

Spooning eggs from Instant Pot into bowl of ice water

Bowl of ice water and eggs with timer set to 5 minutes

First, hard cook the eggs either in the Instant Pot or using the stovetop method. Here's my detailed instructions on How to Make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs. For the stovetop instructions scroll down a bit.
Immediately place the hot cooked eggs in a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes. This not only stops the cooking process but helps the peel release from the egg and peel easier.
Peel the eggs.

Mayonnaise, mustard, and salt in a clear glass bowl on a marble surface

Potato masher mashing boiled eggs in a glass bowl; boiled eggs on a cutting board

Combine mayo, mustard, and salt in a medium-size bowl.
To save washing another bowl, mash the hard cooked eggs in the same bowl. If you prefer larger pieces of egg, chop the eggs on a cutting board. I use my favorite smooth potato masher. It's a little different than the larger ones and mashes everything evenly.
Simply stir the mashed eggs together with the mayo mixture.
Serve immediately between slices of bread or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Egg salad can also be scooped up with crackers, vegetable chips, corn chips (my personal favorite), or thick-cut pieces of fried bacon.

How to boil eggs on the stovetop?

After doing quite a bit of research on the best way to boil eggs on the stovetop so they peel easily, I changed my mind on the best method. I went from adding cold water to eggs and bringing it up to a boil, to gently adding cold eggs to boiling water.

This method works ALMOST as well as the Instant Pot method and absolutely how I would recommend making them on the stovetop after many, many experiments and research.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
Gently lower the cold eggs in the pan with a slotted spoon or tongs; partially cover the pan with a lid. Boil the eggs for 12 minutes with water at a rolling boil.
Carefully transfer the eggs into a large bowl of ice water for at least 5 minutes.
Tap the eggs on the large side on the counter roll around. Peel the eggs under running water.

How long does egg salad last in the fridge?

Egg salad can safely be stored, covered, in the refrigerator 4 to 5 days.

Is egg salad keto-friendly and low-carb?

Egg salad, without the bread to make a sandwich, can be keto-friendly and low-carb. I sometimes scoop it up with celery or firm lettuce leaves.

Be sure to check the label on the bottle of mayo. Sugar is sometimes added. Miracle Whip is not mayonnaise and has added sugar.

How can I tell if my eggs are fresh?

A quick test to see if eggs are fresh is to place them in a bowl of water. Very fresh eggs will lay down on its side on the bottom of the bowl. Eggs that are perfectly safe to eat but not farm-fresh will sink but stand up, usually with the small end touching the bottom. Eggs that are too old to eat will float to the top.

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Print Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich

Five basic ingredients is all it takes to make The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich. Chances are you have everything already in your fridge and pantry for this easy lunch recipe. Want to jazz it up or make it keto-friendly? I give you a list of additions and substitutions to try.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: lunch,, Salad, sandwich

Servings: to 6 servings

Calories: 241kcal

Author: Kathleen Phillips | GritsAndGouda.com

Cost: 2

Equipment

Instant Pot or Saucepan

Ingredients

▢ 6 large eggs
▢ 1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (1/2 cup for extra creamy egg salad like in the picture)
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

First, hard cook the eggs either in the Instant Pot or using the stovetop method. Here's my detailed instructions on How to Make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs. See NOTES below to boil eggs on the stovetop.

Make the Egg Salad

Peel the eggs. Crack the eggs and roll around on the counter to help crack them.
Combine mayo, mustard, and salt in a medium-size bowl.
To save washing another bowl, mash the hard cooked eggs in the same bowl. If you prefer larger pieces of egg, chop the eggs on a cutting board. I use my favorite smooth potato masher. It's a little different than the larger ones and mashes everything evenly.
Simply stir the mashed eggs together with the mayo mixture. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
To make a sandwich, spread 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup on a slice of bread and top with another slice of bread.
This recipe makes about 1 2/3 cups egg salad.

Notes

How to boil eggs on the stovetop method:

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
Gently lower the cold eggs in the pan with a slotted spoon or tongs; partially cover the pan with a lid. Boil the eggs for 12 minutes with water at a rolling boil.
Carefully transfer the eggs into a large bowl of ice water for at least 5 minutes.
Tap the eggs on the large side on the counter roll around. Peel the eggs under running water.

Nutrition