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.
Egg salad is one of those recipes I crave on a busy weekday or when I want something easy to make and don't want to go to the store for extra ingredients.
The Instant Pot is the way I prefer to hard cook 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? I give you a list of ideas.
What is in egg salad?
The very basic ingredients in egg salad are:
- Hard cooked eggs
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard (typically yellow)
- Salt
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.
- 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, 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!
How to make The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich
For complete, detailed directions scroll down for the printable recipe. The following pictures and text give an overview of the recipe.
- 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 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.
- 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.
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?
- Place eggs in a saucepan
- Cover with water
- Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once the water comes to a rolling boil, remove the pan from heat and cover with the lid.
- Let stand for 10 minutes and get bowl of ice water ready.
- Drain the eggs and immediately put the eggs in the bowl of ice water. It's ok if they crack at this point. Let them stand in the ice water 5 to 6 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Drain the eggs and pat them dry. Crack the eggs and roll around on the counter to help crack them. Peel the eggs.
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.
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The Best Simple Egg Salad Sandwich
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.
For Stovetop Directions to Boil Eggs:
- Place eggs in a saucepan; cover with water.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, remove the pan from heat and cover with the lid.
- Let stand for 10 minutes and get bowl of ice water ready.
- Immediately place the hot cooked eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. This not only stops the cooking process but helps the peel release from the egg and peel easier.
- Drain the eggs and immediately put the eggs in the bowl of ice water. It's ok if they crack at this point. Let them stand in the ice water 5 to 6 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Drain the eggs and pat them dry.
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 cup egg salad.
This is a fantastic recipe! I add crispy crumbled bacon
Yassss! Bacon and eggs on a sammich! That's perfect!