This Egg Salad Recipe is easy to make with the best combination of mayo, relish, mustard, and simple flavor enhancers and seasonings. This is a perfect side dish idea and makes a great filling for sandwiches or lettuce wraps!

Be sure to try my Tuna Salad, Tuna Melts, and my Italian Pasta Salad Recipe next!

A white plate with a stack of egg salad sandwiches with chips in the back.

Egg Salad Recipe

I think we all too-often forget about classic egg salad! It’s such an easy recipe to make and is something you can pull from the fridge at a moment’s notice to eat by itself or make sandwiches or lettuce wraps.

Feel free to add some fresh lettuce, arugula, sliced tomato, avocado, and crispy bacon to those sandwiches to take things up a notch!

How Long to Boil Eggs

Here is a simple method for perfect hard boiled eggs every time:

  • Submerge the eggs in 2 inches of cool water in a pot on the stove-top. Gradually bring them to a boil. Once the boil is reached, cover the pot and remove them from the heat. Let them sit for 12 minutes.
  • Place them in a colander and rinse them under cool running water to stop the cooking process, then peel.
  • Some sources say to place the eggs in water that is already at a rapid boil but I prefer not to rapidly boil protein of any kind. You also run the risk of cracking the eggshells this way.

How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

First thing’s first. Eggs that are not super fresh peel much more easily. So no matter what method you use, if your eggs are very fresh, it could still be difficult to peel them.

I have tested several egg-peeling methods and found that the following method consistently works the best:

  • Crack the larger end of the egg on a hard surface and use your fingers to begin peeling. Slide a spoon in between the shell and the egg and rotate the egg until the shell lifts and is removed.

Fresh Egg Test:

 To test if your eggs are fresh, fill a bowl of water and place an uncooked egg in it.

  • If it lays on the bottom on its’ side, it’s pretty fresh.
  • If it stands up on the bottom, it’s less fresh and perfect for boiling.
  • If it floats to the top, it’s not okay to eat.

How this method works: Eggshells are porous, which allows air to enter inside of the shell. As the egg ages, more air continues to enter the shell, which increases its buoyancy.

How to Make Egg Salad

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Hard boil and peel the eggs (as outlined above). Slice them in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to remove the yolks. Dice up the egg whites into small squares of even size.

Add the vinegar to the warm egg yolks and let them cool. Incorporate the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, dill, paprika and garlic salt.

Making egg salad by separating egg yolks and whites and combining the yolks with a filling.

Mix until well-combined, then gently stir in the onions, celery, and egg whites. 

Adding diced egg whites, celery, and onions to egg yolk filling to make egg salad.

If possible, chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

A glass bowl of egg salad next to a serving bowl of chilled egg salad.

Make Ahead Method

  • Assemble the egg salad as outlined and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to serving.

Pro Tips

  • Mix the egg yolks with the vinegar while they’re still warm. The vinegar helps to prevent discoloration and enhances the flavor.
  • Add the mayo when the yolks have cooled to avoid an oily consistency. I use Hellmann’s Mayonnaise for this recipe.
  • Mashed or finely diced avocado makes a great addition to the egg yolk filling as well.
  • Diced green onions can be used instead of yellow onions as well.
  • If serving with sandwiches: Lettuce and/or arugula makes a great addition as well as sliced tomatoes and crispy bacon. You can also serve these in lettuce wraps for a low carb option.

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

A white bowl filled with egg salad with fresh dill on the side and lemon wedges.

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Two halves of an egg salad sandwich stacked on top of each other with lettuce.

Egg Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 6 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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This classic Egg Salad Recipe makes the best side dish idea and can be used as an easy filling for sandwiches and lettuce wraps. Bonus: It's easy to make ahead of time!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sweet relish
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped. (or 1 tsp. dried.)
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 rib celery, finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely diced

Instructions

  • Submerge the eggs in 2 inches of cool water in a pot on the stove-top. Gradually bring them to a boil. Once the boil is reached, cover the pot and remove them from the heat. Let them sit for 12 minutes.
  • Place them in a colander and rinse them under cool running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel each egg.
  • Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to remove the yolks and transfer them to a small bowl. Dice the egg whites into fine squares of equal size.
  • Add the vinegar to the warm egg yolks and let them cool, then add the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, dill, paprika and garlic salt. Mix until well-combined, then gently stir in the onions, celery, and diced egg whites until well comibined.
  • If possible, chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. If desired, serve over 4 sandwiches or lettuce wraps

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill can be used instead of fresh if needed.
  • Diced green onions can be used instead of yellow onions as well.
  • Mix the egg yolks with the vinegar while they're still warm. The vinegar helps to prevent discoloration and enhances the flavor.
  • Add the mayo when the yolks have cooled to avoid an oily consistency. 
  • I use Hellmann’s Mayonnaise for this recipe.
  • Mashed or finely diced avocado makes a great addition to the egg yolk filling as well.
  • If serving with sandwiches: Lettuce and/or arugula makes a great addition as well as crispy bacon. You can also serve these in lettuce wraps for a low carb option.
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Nutritional information shared is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe. To adjust the number of servings, hover over the number "4" at the top of the recipe card in the middle and adjust the slider up/down. Ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 335mg, Sodium: 898mg, Potassium: 149mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 610IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie