Classic Egg Salad
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Searching for the best homemade egg salad? Look no further — this is the only egg salad recipe you’ll ever need!
Egg salad is a simple dish that’s undeniably delicious when done right (and, let’s be honest, falls a bit flat when it’s not). The trick is to begin with perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs, aiming for tender whites and creamy yolks. From there, it’s all about amping up the seasoning with a good-quality mayo, a squeeze of lemon, a spoonful of Dijon mustard, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. For a little crunch and color, I like to stir in some celery and fresh parsley, and finish it off with scallions for a subtle onion flavor. The result? An egg salad that’s rich and creamy yet also vibrant and fresh — perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or simply on its own.
“Without a doubt THE best egg salad ever! It was so good I made a second batch.”
What You’ll Need To Make Egg Salad
- Eggs: Hard-boiled and chopped, they’re the protein component and base of the salad.
- Mayonnaise: Adds creaminess and binds the salad together. Use a good-quality brand, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Dijon mustard: Introduces a tangy depth and sharpness.
- Fresh lemon juice (or white wine vinegar): Adds brightness and acidity, balancing the richness of the eggs and mayo.
- Worcestershire sauce: Offers a hint of umami and complexity to the salad, deepening the flavors.
- Celery: Provides a crunchy texture and a fresh, slightly bitter contrast to the creamy components.
- Scallions: Add a mild onion flavor and a touch of color, enhancing the freshness of the salad.
- Fresh parsley: Contributes a pop of color and a fresh, herbal note.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by hard boiling the eggs. Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer, and fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the eggs by about an inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Carefully pour out the hot water; place the pan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs until the pan is lukewarm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and refill with cold water; let stand until the eggs are room temperature, about 10 minutes.
Gently crack the eggs all over and peel under running water. Then dry the eggs and chop into 1/4-inch pieces.
Meanwhile, finely chop the herbs, celery, and scallions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Add the chopped eggs, celery, scallions, and parsley.
Using a rubber spatula, fold to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then serve or refrigerate until ready to use.
If you refrigerate the egg salad, be sure to taste it again before serving and adjust the seasoning; I find the flavors mellow out a bit after some time in the fridge.
Video Tutorial
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Classic Egg Salad
Searching for the best homemade egg salad? Look no further — this is the only egg salad recipe you’ll ever need!
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup finely diced celery, from 1 stalk
- 3 tablespoons finely sliced scallions, from 2 to 3 scallions
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer, and fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the eggs by about an inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Carefully pour out the hot water; place the pan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs until the pan is lukewarm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and refill with cold water; let stand until the eggs are room temperature, about 10 minutes. Gently crack the eggs all over and peel under running water. Dry the eggs, then chop into ¼-inch pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add the chopped eggs, celery, scallions, and parsley. Using a rubber spatula, fold to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve or refrigerate until ready to use. (If you refrigerate the egg salad, be sure to taste it again before serving and adjust the seasoning; I find the flavors mellow out a bit after some time in the fridge.)
- Make Ahead: The eggs can be cooked, peeled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3 days ahead. If you keep the eggs in their shell, they can last for up to a week. The egg salad will keep well in a covered container in the fridge for about 3 days.
- Tip: When peeling an egg, start at the wider end -- there's usually a small air pocket in there, which makes the egg shell easier to remove.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 214
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 248 mg
- Cholesterol: 285 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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So good! Best egg salad ever.
Thank you for another delicious and easy to make recipe! I used my instant pot to make the boiled eggs (1 cup water, place on trivet, manual high pressure 5 min, natural release 6 min, then dunk in cold water, peel when cool – use Jenn’s suggestion of starting at the round bottom and using the air pocket).
The flavors worked harmoniously together without one in particular being the dominant flavor. Terrific egg salad that we will certainly make again.
This is so good! Easy and really brings an egg salad sandwich to life! Another winner in my house! Thanks again Jenn!
I was so excited to try this recipe, but I just didn’t love it. I found it a bit too salty and it just seemed to be missing something. I might try the horseradish others have suggested. For those having a hard time peeling their eggs, Google the science of steaming eggs…it works!
Followed recipe exactly as written, but my yolks were still a little soft, are they suppose to be that way, and I had an extremely HARD TIME peeling the eggs despite following your directions precisely. An interesting play of flavors, but I prefer a more traditional egg salad.
Hi Carol, The yolks should be just cooked through. You may have had very fresh eggs, which can be hard to peel.
Can this recipe be doubled?
yep!
I’m allergic to dijon. Could I substitute ordinary yellow hotdog mustard?
Sure, Lesley – that’ll be fine.
I have never been a fan of egg salad, because as you said, they are usually mayo laden and flat out boring. I made your recipe because I needed to use up some eggs and holy moley! This was flat out the BEST and most delicious recipe I have ever tasted for this simple, classic stand by! I didn’t change a thing because to me, I dislike reviews when someone has altered the ingredients and then complains about the outcome. I had enough to share with my neighbor and she raved about how yummy it was. I’m also going to add it to my tea sandwich collection for parties! Thank you, Jenn! I’d give it 10 stars if I could! Well done!
I was skeptical about the amount of sauce for the amount of eggs and didn’t initially add any sugar BUT, BOY, was this delicious as written!!!! Fresh, not overly mayonnaise-y and just really hit the spot for us today. I had made my fresh baked whole grain bread and this was a superb accompaniment! So Good!! Love your recipes Jenn!
Just made this egg salad for lunch. I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect, like all of your recipes! The eggs came right out of their shells, the seasoning was balanced and bright, and so much less mayo than usual. I served it on honey oatmeal-whole wheat bread (KAF recipe), with arugula and pickled pepper rings. Totally delicious! Thank you, Jenn!