Classic Egg Salad with Dill is easy and quick to make. Whether you’re making a delicious egg salad sandwich, lettuce wrap, or eating it on its own, it makes an easy, perfect lunch. 

classic egg salad sandwich on a croissant with fresh dill

Egg Salad with Dill

This egg salad with dill is an easy-to-make, filling, quick meal. It can be served on sandwiches, in wraps, or eaten on its own. 

Whether you’re looking to make egg salad sandwiches or have a quick lunch, this is an easy recipe to help you with that.

It’s a great alternative to the classic tuna salad and only uses a few basic ingredients. 

Why is it called egg salad?

Egg salad is considered a salad because it combines eggs with dressing.

The egg salad dressing is made of a combination of mayo, mustard, dill, paprika, pickle juice, salt & pepper. 

Egg Salad Ingredients

Hard-boiled eggs – I like to use large eggs

Mayo – Using high-quality mayonnaise is going to be important. Not only does it affect the flavor, but it can also affect the creamy texture. 

Mustard – you can use yellow mustard, dijon mustard, or even spicy mustard

Kosher Salt – kosher salt is larger so if you decide to use table salt, be sure to use a little less

Black Pepper – fresh ground pepper will give the most flavor and leave those pretty black flecks throughout. White pepper also works well. The recipe states 1/2 tsp, but you can add more if you like a stronger pepper flavor.

Fresh Dill – fresh dill is best for maximum flavor, but if you can’t find fresh you can substitute with dried dill. Fresh herbs will give you the strongest flavor.

Paprika – I prefer smoked paprika, but sweet paprika is okay too

Pickle Juice – the juice from the jar of dill pickles

ingredients to make easy egg salad recipe

How to Boil Eggs for Egg Salad

You can boil eggs for egg salad on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. I find that these Instant Pot Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs come out perfect every single time.

If you want to make them on the stovetop, here is how:

  1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Fill until there is an inch of water above the top of the eggs. It’s important to use cold water rather than hot water. Hot water can result in overcooked eggs and cause them to crack. 
  2. Bring them to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. 
  3. As soon as the 10 minutes are over, remove them from the heat and drain them. Immediately add them to an ice bath. 
  4. Allow them to sit in the ice water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully crack and peel each egg rinsing any remaining shell pieces. 
  5. Place them in the refrigerator to cool.

How long to boil eggs for egg salad

When boiling eggs for egg salad, I recommend boiling them for 10 minutes.

This will result in a fully cooked yolk that is not overcooked. You want the yolks firm and fully cooked. 

How to Peel Eggs for Easy Egg Salad

If you allow the eggs to cool in a bowl of ice water once cooked, you should be able to peel them very easily. 

Take the egg and gently crack it completely around. Take your thumb, slide it under the skin-like layer, and gently peel the shell from the eggs.

It should come off in large pieces if you get under the layer. 

An interesting fact, fresh eggs are more difficult to peel. Using older eggs will help them peel smooth and easy.

How Do You Make Egg Salad?

Detailed instructions and measurements to make egg salad are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

1. Start by chopping the cooked eggs and adding them to a mixing bowl. You want to use both the egg yolks and the egg whites. 

chopped hard boiled eggs in a mixing bowl to begin making an easy egg salad recipe

2. Add the mayonnaise and mustard to the chopped eggs.

3. Add in the salt, pepper, paprika, and fresh dill to the mixing bowl.

4. Pour in the pickle juice and mix to combine making sure all of the egg is coated in the dressing.

pickle juice added into the egg salad recipe ingredients in a mixing bowl

Taste for seasoning because you don’t want a bland salad. Add an extra pinch of salt if needed.

You don’t want the egg salad salty, so keep that in mind with the flavor of the mustard. You may also want to add a bit more ground black pepper depending on your taste.

Egg Salad Wrap

You can make an egg salad wrap using either a standard wrap or lettuce wrap. Take the tortilla wrap and top with egg salad. 

Add in any extras you want like lettuce, bell peppers, green onion, and hot sauce. Wrap tightly like a burrito and serve. 

Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

To make egg salad tea sandwiches, take your sandwich bread (the type of bread will matter – be sure to use something fluffy) and top it with egg salad.

Top with the remaining piece of sandwich bread. 

Trim the crust from the sandwiches and slice it into triangles. Serve immediately. 

What is the best bread to use for tea sandwiches?

The best bread to use for tea sandwiches is fluffy white bread from which you can trim the crust. White bread is not required and you can use your favorite bread of choice. 

Can tea sandwiches be made in advance?

While some tea sandwiches can be made in advance, I don’t recommend making egg salad tea sandwiches ahead of time. The egg salad can make the bread soggy over time. 

They will have the best results and taste fresh if you make them shortly before serving. 

Egg Salad Recipe Easy Additions

There are a lot of things you can add to have a few variations of egg salad. You can add:

  • chopped celery
  • onion
  • avocado
  • cherry tomatoes
  • bacon
  • pickles – you can use dill pickles or sweet pickles
  • olives
  • hot sauce 
  • chopped bell peppers
  • green onion or red onion
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • fresh chives
  • lemon juice
easy egg salad on a croissant topped with fresh dill

Storing Dill Egg Salad

To store leftover egg salad, you need to place it in an airtight container. It will remain fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator when stored properly. 

Keep in mind that the egg salad may get runny over time as it sits in the refrigerator. 

How long does egg salad last in the fridge?

Egg salad will last up to 3 days in the fridge when stored correctly. 

Can you freeze egg salad?

I don’t recommend freezing egg salad. The texture of the eggs will become rubbery once thawed. Even the best egg salad recipe will give you rubbery eggs once thawed.

Egg Salad Calories

Each serving of egg salad is 207 calories and 13 grams of protein.

classic egg salad sandwich on a croissant with fresh dill

Classic Egg Salad Recipe FAQ

What makes egg salad watery?

There are often two main causes for egg salad becoming watery: mayonnaise and overcooked eggs. 

Using high-fat, high-quality mayonnaise will help combat this. Mayonnaise with water listed as the first ingredient could begin to cause issues the longer the egg salad sits in the fridge. 

Overcooking the eggs could also be a reason for watery egg salad. If the eggs are overcooked, they can hold extra water that continues to come out as they sit in the fridge. Perfectly hard-boiled eggs are possible. 

How do you firm up egg salad?

If you find your egg salad too runny, you can try adding more eggs, using a thicker mayo, or even adding in a tablespoon of bread crumbs to soak up some of the extra liquid. 

How do you mash up eggs for egg salad?

There is no need to mash the eggs for this easy egg salad recipe. You can roughly chop them before adding them to the egg salad with a knife. 

Can you substitute the mayonnaise in egg salad?

Mayonnaise is what gives egg salad its classic taste, but there are a few things you can use in its place. You could try using plain Greek yogurt, Miracle whip, or smashed avocado. 

What to Eat with Egg Salad

You can make several things with egg salad. If you don’t want to eat it alone or in a classic egg salad sandwich, you could try one of these:

Egg Salad BLT Sandwich – amp up your standard BLT by adding some egg salad to it. The crispy bacon and crisp lettuce give it a nice crunch and bit of texture

Crispy Egg Salad Melts – take a piece of crusty bread, top it with egg salad (and tomato if you’d like), then add some melted cheese on top. Season with salt & pepper and you have a delicious melt. 

Can I make egg salad paleo or Whole30? 

It’s easy to make this egg salad paleo. You just need to be sure to use compliant mayonnaise. Primal Kitchen makes a mayo that is compliant that you can use. 

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Easy Egg Salad

5 from 30 votes
Prep 5 minutes
Total 5 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Classic Egg Salad with Dill is easy and quick to make. Whether you're making a delicious egg salad sandwich, lettuce wrap, or eating it on its own, it makes an easy, perfect lunch. 

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Start by chopping the cooked eggs and adding them to a mixing bowl. You want to use both the egg yolks and the egg whites. 
  • Add the mayonnaise and mustard to the eggs.
  • Add the salt, pepper, paprika, and fresh dill to the mixing bowl.
  • Pour in a splash of pickle juice and mix to combine.
  • Taste for seasoning because you don't want a bland salad. Add an extra pinch of salt if needed. You don't want the egg salad salty, so keep that in mind with the flavor of the mustard. You may also want to add a bit more ground black pepper depending on your taste.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 376mg, Sodium: 793mg, Potassium: 159mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 721IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Brunch, Lunch
Cuisine: American

Hi! I’m Kara!

Kara loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes.

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