This easy egg salad recipe is the best I’ve made! It’s super simple, with just mayonnaise, celery, fresh herbs, and lemon juice. It’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or a quick snack.
I grew up on egg salad sandwiches (with a few tuna salad sandwiches thrown in!). This recipe is inspired by my Mom, who truly makes the best egg salad!
Once you have hard boiled eggs, you can make this easy salad in 5 minutes. It also lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days. For more easy salads like this one, try our herb chicken salad or this smashed chickpea salad sandwiches.
Key Ingredients
- Eggs: You need hard boiled eggs to make egg salad. They are easy, especially with my hard-boiled eggs recipe. I add them to cold water in a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and cover for 12 minutes (for large eggs). Then, after 12 minutes, I transfer them to a cold water bath to stop them from cooking any more. If you have a pressure cooker, here’s my recipe for Instant Pot hard boiled eggs.
- Mayonnaise: I love egg salad made with mayonnaise. You can substitute some or all of the mayo with plain yogurt or mashed avocado (like I do in my avocado egg salad recipe) for a lighter option. If I have it in the fridge, I love using homemade mayonnaise!
- Celery: I like a little crunch, so I always add a little finely chopped celery. You can experiment with minced onions, dill pickles, or even apples (which may sound odd but is really good).
- Fresh Herbs: Chives are my go-to, but parsley or dill works well, too. I love chives and eggs and also add them to my scrambled eggs.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: I love a little lemon juice to cut through the rich mayo.
Ways to Serve Homemade Egg Salad
My favorite way to enjoy egg salad is to make egg salad sandwiches! I lightly toast some bread and then spread a generous layer of my egg salad onto it (sometimes I add a little butter to the bread, too). I usually enjoy my sandwiches open-faced and plain without any extras, but you can always add toppings like crisp lettuce, sliced tomato, or avocado for extra flavor and texture.
I also love egg salad wraps, especially when I make them with these homemade flour tortillas. Other ideas include adding it to your favorite salads or stuffing it into vegetables like hollowed tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers.
Easy Egg Salad
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This is my favorite way to make egg salad! I keep it really simple with mayo, herbs, a little crunch from celery, and some lemon juice. I don’t add mustard, but if you love it, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
You Will Need
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or substitute plain or Greek yogurt, try homemade mayo
1 medium-length celery stalk, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, parsley or dill
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 to 2 inches. Heat over high heat until the water comes to a rolling boil.
2Cover the saucepan with a lid, cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and let stand for 12 minutes.
3A minute or so before the eggs finish cooking, prepare a bowl of ice water.
4Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water using a slotted spoon and leave for 5 minutes (or longer).
5Crack egg shells and carefully peel them away. If the shells are not easily peeling away from the eggs, place them back into the ice water and try again in 5 minutes.
6Dice the hard-boiled eggs and add them to a bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, celery, herbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust with more salt or pepper.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Homemade egg salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. We do not recommend freezing it.
- Eggs: Instructions for eggs are for large eggs, for medium or extra-large, see this hard boiled eggs tutorial with accurate timing.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed mayonnaise and did not include any bread.
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There is nothing like Mayo, celery, onion and just a smidge of horseradish salt and fresh cracked pepper.
YUM!! I’m definitely going to add dill pickles. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so very much for your amazing mayo recipe… I just made three batches, one for my two daughters and one for me. I cant have soy bean oil of any kind. Your home made mayo is quick and easy…taste great! Can’t wait to make this egg salad with your mayo..I am sure it will be outstanding. 🙂
Has anyone tried the mayonnaise made from olive oil? I just bought some but have not opened it.
Nothing beats Hellmans Original Mayonnaise!!!
I’ve tried the olive oil kind, but it doesn’t beat the original.
I love pickles so they are for sure a great addition but I omitted the lemon juice, just didn’t think that was necessary with pickles. I will try it without pickles sometime though.
Sounds very good
I add cucumber salad dressing instead of mayonnaise, very tasty and fewer calories
that cucumber salad dressing sounds great! I have never noticed it but will look for it now. What a great idea to cut calories, and I’m sure it tastes great! Thanks for the tip!! ?
Delishhhhhhh
Sometimes I add a little chopped olive.
Thanks for the tip about the lemon!
I definitely can’t do egg salad without mayo, mustard, celery, and minced red onion. Top with a dash of salt and cayenne.. Delish!
I add a little grated onion and sliced green olives. I like to top an opened tomato with the egg salad. Delish!