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My super traditional Homemade Egg Salad Salad recipe has the perfect balance of creamy-crunchy texture and a light-but-rich lemon herb dressing. If you’re feeling lazy and craving protein, whip up a batch of this hard boiled egg salad with celery and dill—it can be made in just 15 minutes flat!
If you’ve been on the hunt for a simple egg salad recipe that ticks all the flavor and textural boxes, you can finally rest! This, my friends, is the elusively superlative recipe you’ve been looking for. And, you only need 8 ingredients (plus seasonings) and 15 minutes to make it. You’re welcome.
Table of Contents
About this egg salad salad
Is it just me, or is a classic diner the most comforting 3rd space in the world? It’s a place where you can order diner home fries, snappy bacon hot dogs, coffee, pulled pork sandwiches, a short stack of golden brown pancakes, fluffy omelets, AND strawberry milkshakes at any time of day?
But of all the delicious fare to choose from, there’s one that I consistently use as my diner benchmark: the perfect egg sandwich. So, why is that the yardstick by which I measure a diner’s worth? Because SO MANY things can go wrong. You’d think it’d be an easy thing to nail, but I’ve had versions that are too soft, too gloppy, too bland, too watery. I’m telling you: find a diner that has a good recipe for egg salad, and the rest of the menu is sure to be aces.
As a bona fide egg-spert who has tried dozens of egg salad recipes that run the gamut of yummy to crummy, I’m happy to report that this creamy, dreamy dill egg salad recipe is the end-all, be-all of salads.
It’s rich, but not overly mayo-y thanks to a generous dollop of Dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice. It’s velvety from the delightfully balanced chive mayonnaise dressing and lush yolks, but also has some textural interest from the celery and scallions. And it couldn’t possibly be described as boring—the fresh dill, sharp alliums, sweet paprika, and hint of fiery cayenne are proof positive of it’s scrumdiddlyumptiousness.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick & Easy – If you’ve got your hard-boiled eggs on deck, you’ll have a bowl of cheerful yellow deliciousness ready to devour in just 15 short minutes.
- Inclusive Yums – This simple recipe for egg salad is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and vegetarian, and, depending on your mayo, can also be soy-free. If you’re looking to feed a crowd, this recipe yields 8 servings and is safe for most diets (including keto and paleo!).
- Budget-Friendly Protein – If you’re counting your macros and your pennies, this chopped egg salad is the way to go. Take whatever price you pay for a dozen eggs, then tag on $2-3 (which I think is an overshot) for the total cost. And that’s for EIGHT servings! In short, it’s the perfect rent week meal.
Ingredients for hard boil egg salad
Most of the ingredients for this really good recipe for egg salad are probably hanging around your fridge and pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Mayonnaise: For the best flavor and texture be sure to use a good quality, full-fat mayonnaise made with simple ingredients like eggs, oil, and vinegar – and no excessive additives.
- Chives: Fresh chives lend a delicate onion flavor to the egg salad dressing.
- Lemon: You’ll need both the zest and juice from a fresh lemon for bright, citrusy flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: Tangy, slightly spicy dijon is a classic addition to egg salad salads.
- Spices and Seasonings: A combination of sweet paprika, spicy cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper all provide robust flavors.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Fresh, large eggs are best for hard boiling. And if you’re looking for easy to peel hard boiled eggs, be sure to check out that article.
- Celery: You’ll need 2 crisp, firm celery ribs for crunch and freshness.
- Scallions: Green onions provide a mild onion flavor, but feel free to swap in red onion if you prefer a stronger onion flavor.
- Dill: In my humble opinion, it’s just not hard boiled egg salad without herbaceous, slightly anise-like fresh dill fronds.
Recipe variations
- Bacon and Egg Salad: If you’re a bacon lover like me and my family, add finely chopped cooked bacon to your eggs salad.
- Dill Pickle Egg Salad: Chop up dill pickles and add them to the salad along with a little bit of pickle juice for a terrifically tangy homemade egg salad.
- Cheesy Boiled Egg Salad: Add freshly grated parmesan cheese or any shredded cheese you love to the egg salad with celery.
- Curried Eggs Salad: Keep the recipe as it is and toss in a little curry powder.
- Sun Dried Tomato Egg Salat: Add sundried tomatoes or sun dried tomato pesto sauce.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning Egg Salad: Sprinkle everything but the bagel seasoning all over your eggs salad before serving.
- Ranch Egg Salad Salad: Stir finely chopped cucumber into the eggs salad and add a dash of ranch powder or buttermilk ranch dressing.
- BLT Egg Salad Sandwich: Serve your egg salad on toasted sandwich bread and top with lettuce, crispy strips of bacon, and juicy slices of beefsteak tomatoes.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
How do I hard boil the eggs perfectly?
Mastering the art of perfectly boiled eggs is a worthwhile endeavor for any home cook. I’ve got an entire article and recipe where you can learn my foolproof method for how to make easy to peel hard boiled eggs at home. However, here are a few tips when hard boiling eggs at home:
- Do not overcook the eggs. Overcooking will lead to rubbery whites and chalky yolks.
- Use an ice water bath. Be sure to drain the eggs once they are hard boiled and immediately add them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Peel under running water. When you are ready to peel, hold the boiled egg underneath a stream of gently running cool water and use your hands to peel the shell off the egg, discarding the shells.
What kind of mayonnaise is best?
For a really good homemade egg salad, be sure to use a high-quality, full-fat mayonnaise for the best flavor and texture. And be sure to look for a mayo brand that uses just simple ingredients like eggs, oil, and vinegar – avoiding any weird additives and preservatives.
Some of my favorite brands include Duke’s, Sir Kensington’s, and Kewpie (Asian mayo).
What other ingredients can I add?
The great thing about making a good recipe for egg salad at home is the ability to customize it to your own specific tastes. In addition to dill, celery, chives, and scallions, below are some other common add-ins:
Bonus: Be sure to check out the recipe variations listed above for some delicious flavor combinations!
- Carrots: Finely chop carrots to add some natural sweetness.
- Cucumber: Dice up a seedless cucumber if you’re looking for more crisp veggies.
- Seeds: Sunflower seeds and pepita seeds are a wonderful way to lend salty crunch.
- Bacon: Crispy cooked and crumbled bacon are the perfect addition for the meat eaters in your family. Garnish with a piece of bacon candy for truly the best egg salad recipe.
- Ham: Or stir in some leftover cooked ham if you prefer chewy texture to crispy texture.
- Hot Sauce: A couple splashes of your favorite hot sauce are an excellent way to spice things up.
- Olives: Add chopped green olives if you’re looking for briny Mediterranean flare.
- Jalapeno Peppers: Pickled jalapeno peppers are personally one of my favorite mix ins here.
- Fruits: Mix up a tropical egg salad by adding in crushed pineapple, diced papaya and/or mango.
- Spices and Seasonings: The easiest way to customize your eggs salad with spice mixes and seasonings. Try adding italian seasonings, greek seasonings, cajun spice, or even taco or fajita seasonings to name a few.
How far in advance can I make egg salad?
You can make this recipe for homemade egg salad up to 3 days in advance. Be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge to the flavors don’t start to deteriorate early.
Expert tips for the best success!
- Perfectly cooked eggs. The key to a great egg salad starts with perfectly cooked boiled eggs. Overcooking the eggs will lend to a rubbery, unappetizing salad.
- Quality ingredients. When it comes to simple dishes, such as boiled egg salads, the distinguishing factor of deliciousness lies in the quality of the ingredients. This begins right from the beginning with using quality ingredients.
- Flavor boosters. For the tastiest eggs salad, chop the hard boiled eggs into large bite-size pieces. And be sure to finely mince the filler ingredients (celery, dill, onions). This leads to a egg salad where the eggs are the star of the show.
- Creamy dressing to taste. Do not just dump all the dressing into the egg salad – dress the eggs to taste. Using too much salad dressing will lead to a very watery egg salad.
- Chill it. If you’re looking for a really good egg salad recipe, you’ll need to chill the salad for 30 minutes before serving. This allows all the flavors to marry and meld into delicious magic.
Alright, friends—we’ve cracked the code on how to make the perfect homemade egg salad with celery! As you can see, it’s egg-ceptionally easy and egg-straordinarily tasty with the right recipe. So, whip up a batch, and you’ll have everyone at your table egging you on for more. Until next time, keep your forks ready and your meals egg-citing!
Cheyanne
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More classic American summer salads!
Egg Salad Salad
Equipment
- 1 Clean Cutting Board (for chopping the ingredients)
- 1 Small mixing bowl (for making the egg salad salad dressing)
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl (for making the homemade egg salad)
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ Cup Good Quality Mayonnaise
- ½ Cup Chives – thinly sliced; (DIVIDED) (about 1 ounce or 28 grams)
- 1 whole Lemons – zested and juiced (1/4 tsp zest + 1 TBS juice) (sub: apple cider vinegar
- 2 slightly heaping tsp Dijon Mustard
- ¾ tsp Sweet Paprika
- 1/16 to 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- To Taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Optional ½ to 1 tsp Granulated Sugar – if you prefer a sweeter egg salad
Egg Salad
- 12 Large Hard-Boiled Eggs – peeled and chilled
- 2 medium ribs Celery – finely diced (about 2/3 cup)
- 5 medium Scallions – white and light greed parts only; (about 1/3 cup) (sub: minced red onion soaked in cold water)
- 1 heaping TBS Minced Fresh Dill Fronds – finely chopped and gently packed (about .25 ounces) (sub: Flat Leaf Parsley)
- Serving Suggestions: Toasted Sandwich Bread or Rolls, Butter Lettuce, and Sliced Tomatoes or Crackers
Instructions
- Make Dressing: To a small mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, all but 1 heaping tablespoon of the sliced chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, heaping ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and sugar if using. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until you’ve created a smooth, creamy dressing. Then, set the dressing aside.
- Prep Eggs: Place the peeled and chilled hard boiled eggs onto a clean work surface and use a sharp Chef’s knife to chop the eggs into large ½-inch pieces. Then, place all the chopped eggs into a large mixing bowl.
- Start the Egg Salad: To the large bowl with the chopped eggs, add the remaining tablespoon of snipped chives, all the diced celery, finely chopped scallions, and minced dill.Add Dressing to Taste: Add 2/3 of the dressing to the ingredients in the bowl. Then, use a rubber spatula or kitchen spoon to stir the ingredients together until you’ve created a harmonious egg salad filling. If you prefer a creamier egg salad, add more of the dressing to suit your personal taste.
- Optional – Chill: Cover the bowl of herb egg salad with plastic wrap and place into the fridge. Let the egg salad chill for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Taste and Adjust: Use a spoon to taste the egg salad and adjust the flavor profile as you see fit – adding more salt and pepper for overall flavor, lemon juice for acidity, zest for brightness, herbs for freshness, and dressing for creaminess.
- Serve and Enjoy: Garnish the egg salad with more fresh herbs and fresh cracked black pepper. Serve with crackers or dollop the egg salad onto toasted sandwich bread, rolls, or croissants with lettuce and tomato.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days, depending upon the freshness of your eggs.
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Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
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Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
- Recipe Serves: 6 to 8
Nutrition
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