Before seeing this recipe in the April issue of Bon Appétit, I'd defined egg salad to be a mayonnaise and celery affair. But this version was dressed simply with olive oil and lemon, spiced with za'atar and cilantro, and crowned with tangy green olives and pine nuts. I had to try it.

I'm so glad I did - egg salad has a new definition.
This recipe is very similar to the one printed in Bon Appétit, but I chose to up the number of eggs and replace shallot for red onion, a more subtle onion flavor. Serve this as a simple lunch or dinner with crackers, toast or atop lightly dressed salad greens.
Mediterranean Egg Salad
Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend. It can contain: oregano, thyme, savory, sesame seeds, dried sumac.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon za'atar seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 6 hard-boiled large eggs chopped
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crackers, toast, or salad greens lightly dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar
Instructions
- To make the dressing, add oil, za’atar, and lemon juice to a small bowl; whisk to combine.
- Toss dressing with eggs, olives, cilantro, shallot, and pine nuts; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve on crackers, toast, or salad greens lightly dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Notes
Note that cooking time doesn't include time to hard boil eggs.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 238mgPotassium: 114mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 340IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.
I don't really like regular egg salad because of its smoothish texture. So, I'm loving how chunky this egg salad is! Trying this soon, for sure. Pinned 🙂
Thanks, Anna! And I know what you mean, definitely prefer chunky to creamy when it comes to egg salad (and peanut butter! 🙂 ).
Oh man, I love egg salad, and this sounds like such a great twist! I've never had zata'ar in a salad like this before. Super intriguing!
I hadn't either, Eileen, but it's really good!
This recipe seriously breaks barriers in egg salad, a dish I never have any desire to make. I can't wait to try it out!
I'd love to hear what you think!