Egg Salad Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Published Feb 24, 2026

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A classic Egg Salad Recipe with distinct, tender chunks instead of a mashed paste uses a hand-chopped method for the hard-boiled eggs, just the right amount of creamy dressing, and a no-fail, 11-minute simmer.

A slice of seeded bread topped with leafy greens, creamy egg salad, fresh dill, and cracked black pepper, resting on a wooden board with scattered crumbs and herbs.

Egg Salad is a classic dish for a reason. When made right, it’s a perfect blend of creamy, tangy and herbaceous with plenty of crunch. Heap it into egg salad sandwiches on your favorite bread, pile it high onto a soft croissant, scoop it over tender greens or spoon it onto crackers or inside avocado halves. It’s as versatile as it is delicious!

There are a few simple keys to making the best egg salad: don’t overcook your eggs or chop them too small, don’t overdress with mayonnaise (no one wants goopy egg salad), and always embellish with tangy Dijon mustard and lemon juice, fresh herbs like chives and dill, and bits of raw celery for crunch.

Recipe at a Glance
Egg Salad Recipe Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
How to boil eggs for egg salad
How to Make Egg Salad
Pro Tips
How to Store
More Recipes for Egg Lovers
Egg Salad Recipe

Recipe at a Glance

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Skill Level: Easy

Egg Salad Recipe Ingredients

A top-down view of ingredients in bowls for egg salad: fresh chives, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, fresh dill, eggs, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and chopped celery, all labeled on a light surface.

Eggs: Use 8 large or extra-large eggs. Slightly older eggs tend to peel easier than very fresh ones.
Mayonnaise: Use a good-quality, full-fat mayonnaise.
Dijon mustard: You want a smooth Dijon with a balanced flavor. I find that those made in France are reliably good, regardless of the brand.
Fresh lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice works, but fresh is much better.
Celery: Choose a firm inner rib. The outer ribs are more tough and stringy and won’t give you the clean crunch you’re after in this salad.
Fresh chives: You want firm, bright green chives. You can mince them with a sharp knife or snip them with scissors as I often do.
Fresh dill: Tear the fronds rather than mincing so they taste fresh instead of bruised and bitter.
Kosher salt and black pepper: Always season at the end to avoid adding too much of either.

Why This Recipe Works

The Boil-then-Simmer Method: Starting with a 30-second rolling boil before a low simmer makes eggs easy to peel, prevents rubbery whites and keeps yolks tender.
The Immediate Ice Bath: This stops the cooking process instantly, ensuring you never see that gray-green sulfur ring.
Hand-Cut Coarse Chunks: Cutting into 1/2-inch pieces by hand instead of fork-mashing gives you distinct bites of egg instead of a mashed paste.
The Dressing Ratio: Just over half a cup of dressing for eight eggs is just the right ratio to coat the salad evenly without drowning it.

Three slices of toasted bread topped with creamy egg salad, fresh greens, and dill are arranged on a wooden board with scattered crumbs and a piece of torn bread nearby.

How to boil eggs for egg salad

There are a lot of opinions about how to boil eggs and sometimes I feel like I’ve tried them all. But a few years ago, I came across this no-fail method and have never looked back. The boiled eggs have perfect yolks every time and their shells always slide off beautifully.

Lower eggs into enough boiling water to cover them by an inch and let them boil for 30 seconds.
Cover pan and reduce heat to low; let simmer 11 minutes.
Transfer eggs immediately to an ice bath and let cool 15 minutes.
Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
When you’re ready to peel eggs: gently crack shells all over and peel under a thin stream of cold, running water.

How to Make Egg Salad

Boil and cool the eggs: Use the boiling method described above to cook and peel your eggs, ensuring they are cooled completely in a bowl of ice water before starting the salad.

A hand uses a spoon to place a brown egg into a pot of water, while a bowl with more brown eggs sits nearby on a light countertop.

A glass bowl filled with ice cubes and water contains two brown eggs, seen from above on a light-colored surface.

Mix the dressing: While eggs cool, stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until the dressing is completely smooth.

A glass bowl containing a dollop of mayonnaise and a small amount of mustard on a light countertop.

A metal whisk rests in a glass bowl filled with creamy, smooth batter or sauce on a light-colored surface.

Combine gently: Peel eggs and chop them into 1/2-inch chunks. Fold the chopped eggs into the dressing with celery, chives, and dill. Season to taste and stir just until coated.

Chopped hard-boiled eggs scattered on a wooden cutting board, with a kitchen knife placed to the right and an uncut egg nearby.

A glass bowl containing chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, fresh dill, and mayonnaise on a light surface, ready to be mixed for egg salad.

Pro Tips

Don’t overmix: Fold the dressing in gently until the salad is just coated. Over-stirring turns the salad into paste instead of keeping those nice distinct chunks.
Season at the end: Taste the dressed salad before adding salt and pepper. Both the Dijon and the mayo bring salt of their own, so you may not need much.
Chill before serving: If you’re making egg salad sandwiches, refrigerate the salad for 20–30 minutes before assembling. It firms up slightly and the flavors have more time to meld.

How to Store

Store any leftover egg salad refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. (Some sources say it keeps for up to 5 days, but I like to eat it within 3.) It takes just a few minutes to make egg salad if you already have boiled eggs in the refrigerator and you can boil your eggs up to 5 days in advance.

More Recipes for Egg Lovers

Mediterranean Egg Salad

Spicy Deviled Eggs

Spinach Salad

Nicoise Salad

Egg Salad

5 from 9 votes

By: Marissa Stevens

Prep: 15

Cook: 11

Total: 26

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 321

Servings: people

A slice of seeded bread topped with creamy egg salad, fresh greens, and garnished with dill, on a wooden surface with scattered herbs and crumbs.

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An easy recipe for creamy and delicious egg salad for making sandwiches, salads and more!

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Ingredients

▢ 8 eggs
▢ 1/2 cup mayonnaise
▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
▢ 1 rib celery finely chopped
▢ 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives plus more for garnish (optional)
▢ 1/4 cup torn fresh dill fronds plus more for garnish (optional)
▢ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot, bring enough water to boil to cover eggs by 1-inch. Carefully lower eggs into boiling water and allow to boil 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer 11 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a bowl large enough to fit all of the eggs.
When eggs have simmered 11 minutes, immediately transfer to ice bath and let cool 15 minutes. (see recipe note #1)
While eggs cool, stir together mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
When eggs are cool, gently tap one egg all over on a cutting board to crack the shell; peel egg under a thin stream of cold water. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Cut eggs into coarse, 1/2-inch chunks and add to mayonnaise mixture in bowl. Add celery, chives, and dill; gently toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve. (see recipe note #2)

Notes

You can boil eggs up to 5 days in advance. Remove from ice bath and refrigerate in shell until ready to use.
Refrigerate prepared egg salad for up to 3 days.