• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Millennial Kitchen
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast + Brunch
    • Appetizers
    • Entertaining
    • Dips, Dressings + Sauces
    • Soups + Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Weeknight Meals
    • Comfort Foods
    • Mains
    • Vegetarian + Vegan Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Drinks
    • Sweet Treats
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Let’s Work Together!

Classic Egg Salad – Just 6 Ingredients

March 5, 2021 by Ashley 3 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Classic Egg Salad is a perfectly balanced mixture of hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard & spices. Best served on soft white bread for a taste of childhood!

Classic Egg Salad was something we ate a ton growing up. It’s such an easy recipe, with minimal ingredients you probably already have on hand! It’s full of protein and can be dressed up or down, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Egg Salad is a basic recipe, with so much potential for variation!

egg salad in a pink serving bowl with ingredients in the background

How to Make Classic Egg Salad

This is a very simple and straightforward recipe, with minimal ingredients. There are a few steps involved to help with boiling your eggs and assembling the egg salad. I have outlined it all below so you can follow along, step-by-step!

egg salad sandwich on white bread served on a pink plate

What You Need to Make Egg Salad

Classic Egg Salad is made up of just a few simple ingredients. Most of which you probably already have in your kitchen!

  • eggs
  • mayo
  • mustard
  • paprika
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • sliced bread (if you’re making sandwiches)
classic egg salad ingredients

How To Boil An Egg

Hard boiling eggs used to be a complicated task for me in the kitchen. It’s a simple task, but I was never sure how long to boil them? If I needed to add salt? Do I start with hot or cold water? So. Many. Questions. I finally found a method that works for me, and it works every time, which is crucial.

You can boil an egg anywhere from a soft boil (3-4 minutes, still runny) all the way to a hard boil (12 minutes, completely set). Plus every variation in between. For egg salad, a hard boil is best, because the yolks are completely cooked. This makes it much easier to chop up the eggs and combine them with the other ingredients. If the yolk is still slightly jammy or soft, it’s can be difficult to break down.

This method is specific to hard boiling eggs. Soft boiling & jammy eggs will have a slightly different process.

  1. Begin by placing your eggs in the bottom of your pot. The size will depend on how many eggs you’re boiling at once. Just make sure the eggs can sit flat at the bottom of the pot and are not overlapping.
  2. Cover the eggs with cold water. Fill the pot with enough water that the eggs are fully submerged and there is about 1 inch of water covering them.
  3. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for exactly 12 minutes.

Prepare the Ice Bath

In order to stop the cooking once the timer is done, you have to ‘shock’ the eggs. This is just the term used to describe putting food directly from the boiling water to an ice bath. The ice bath will immediately drop the temperature of the eggs and stop the cooking. This not only helps to cool down your eggs, but it also prevents your eggs from being overcooked. This method can also be used to stop vegetables from overcooking, after boiling.

Prepare your ice bath when the timer has just a few minutes left. Fill a bowl with ice and top it off with cold water. Make sure the bowl you’re using is big enough to fit the eggs, and the ice water.

Measure Out Your Ingredients

While your eggs are cooling, you can measure out remaining ingredients so when the eggs are ready, you can quickly assemble the egg salad.

classic egg salad ingredients measured out in measuring spoons and cups

Chopping the Eggs

Once the eggs are cooled and peeled, it’s time to chop! I like to separate the yolks from the whites when making egg salad because of their textural differences. The yolks are more of a powder-like consistency and the whites are solid. I separate the yolks into the bowl first, and mash them until they are completely broken up. Next, I chop the whites into a small dice. This method results in an Egg Salad with creamy yolks, and whites with more texture. You are more than welcome to chop up the eggs all at once, or even throw them into a food processor for a super quick blitz!

Assembling the Egg Salad

Once you have your eggs chopped and ingredients measured, it’s time to assemble! It’s as simple as throwing everything into a bowl and giving it a good mix. You want to make sure the eggs are mixed well and all the seasonings have been distributed evenly. Once the whole mixture is homogenous, it’s ready to go! It can be eaten immediately or set in the fridge to let the flavors develop further.

  • bowl of chopped eggs waiting for other ingredients to make egg salad
  • bowl of chopped eggs with other ingredients to make egg salad

Time to Serve

My favorite way to eat egg salad is in a sandwich, but it’s also delicious eaten with crackers, on a salad, or by itself! You can make a batch at the beginning of the week and have it waiting for you to serve up all week.

egg salad sandwich on white bread served on a pink plate

FAQs about Classic Egg Salad

Can this be made ahead of time?

I like to make my egg salad the day before I plan to eat it, because the flavors develop more when it sits overnight. It can be eaten immediately, but will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Can I add other ingredients to spice up the Egg Salad?

Definitely! This recipe is a basic egg salad, and would be delicious with the addition of extra ingredients or spices!

egg salad sandwich on white bread served on pink plate

Classic Egg Salad

A perfectly balanced mixture of hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard & spices. Best served on soft white bread for a taste of childhood!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken salad sandwich, egg salad, egg salad sandwich, eggs, hard boiled eggs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 322kcal
Author: Ashley Pelaez Walker

Ingredients

  • 4 Eggs
  • ¼ cup Mayo
  • 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Begin by hard boiling your eggs. Place your eggs in the bottom of a medium saucepan. Add cold water to completely cover the eggs, by about 1 inch. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
  • Once water is boiling, lower heat to low and cook for exactly 12 minutes.
  • After the eggs have boiled, immediately move them to a large bowl filled with ice and water. Allow the eggs to cool completely in the ice bath. About 10 minutes.
  • Peel and chop the eggs into small pieces. Place chopped eggs in a medium bowl.
  • Add mayo, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine well.
  • Taste and adjust for seasoning.
  • The egg salad can be stored in the fridge for another time, or served immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 339mg | Sodium: 969mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
« 6 Foot Grazing Table – Mascot Aesthetic
Chipotle Shredded Beef – a Slow Cooker Recipe »

Filed Under: Comfort Foods, Recipes, Sandwiches, Vegetarian + Vegan Dishes Tagged With: easy recipes, egg, egg salad, egg salad recipe, egg salad sandwiches, eggs, lunch, lunch ideas, lunch recipe, lunch recipes, simple recipes, summer recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Krissy E

    March 30, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    I usually suck at boiling eggs so I never make egg salad but this recipe made it so easy and it was so delish! Definitely a new staple in our house! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

    Reply
    • Ashley

      March 30, 2021 at 6:33 pm

      I’m so glad! It can be so tricky but once you get it down, it’s so simple! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Jenn

    August 13, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    5 stars
    This is now my go-to egg salad recipe. I made it once without the salt to fit someone’s dietary needs and it was still so flavorful.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Ashley!

I am the Recipe Developer & Food Photographer behind Millennial Kitchen. I have always had a love for cooking & grew up watching endless hours of the Food Network. This love, paired with my teaching background, gives me the tools to help others gain the confidence they need to feel like a pro in the kitchen! My recipes are simple, but delicious & very approachable for people of any skill level!

 

Let’s Get Social!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe to get your FREE copy of my Ebook “10 Super Simple Recipes”

I promise, I'll only send you delicious emails!

Privacy Policy

Easy Weeknight Meals

Flaky Cheesesteak Pie

Flaky Cheesesteak Pie is a golden and flaky crust stuffed with juicy shaved ribeye, melty cheese, sautéed peppers and thinly sliced onions for a twist on a classic.

Italian chopped salad with ingredients unmixed on serving plate. Extra ingredients are in the background

Italian Chopped Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

A classic Italian Chopped Salad with marinated chickpeas for an extra boost of flavor. The salad is tossed in a Parmesan vinaigrette for a creamy and tangy bite!

seafood pasta with tomato cream sauce

Seafood Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Scallops and shrimp gently poached in a creamy tomato sauce, tossed with pasta, fresh parsley and parmesan cheese for a simple but decadent dish.

Footer

Let’s Get Social!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Millennial Kitchen on the Foodie Pro Theme