Southern Egg Salad

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My southern egg salad recipe is a riff on the classic version. I add a little spice using Creole mustard and Cajun seasoning, fresh dill, and cornichons. You’ll love these mix-ins, resulting in a creamy egg salad with tener egg whites and just the right amount of crunch and tanginess to leave you wowed! We veer from the classic egg salad recipe with our delicious add-ins, and I’m sure you’ll adore our version!

Egg salad is so versatile. Make an egg salad sandwich, add it to a green salad, or top your toast or crackers with this luscious egg mixture. Add some avocado to the mixture for a wonderfully rich and creamy version. The addition of pimento, red onions, and celery makes this my favorite go-to snack!

I hope you’ll check out our classic deviled eggs, southern deviled eggs, and our deviled eggs with capers.

SOUTHERN EGG SALAD INGREDIENTS

• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard boil your eggs yourself. With pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs the whites can be rubbery. The texture will be much better when made at home.
• Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise will give your egg salad a creamy and slightly tangy base and bind all the items together.
• Celery: Mince your celery finely for a subtle crunch.  If you like a chunky salad, chop them a little less fine.
• Red onions: I love the taste of red onions. When minced finely, they give such a nice pungent, and crunchy bite. If you don’t have red onion, use minced green onion.
• Yellow mustard: I use yellow mustard for a tangy and savory flavor.  You can also use Dijon mustard for a little more savory tang.
• Creole mustard: Similar to Dijon but with a bite! This mustard adds a little heat to the mixture.
• Cornichons: These little gems are briny, sweet, and tangy.  I love the addition of this tart, sweet and sour, crunchy pickle.  These are also known as Gherkins. If you prefer dill pickles, use them instead. My grandma used sweet relish in her egg salad. It, of course, works deliciously, but I prefer the cornichons!
• Pimento: This little red pepper is mild with a sweet flavor. Find them in a jar and drain them before chopping.
• Dill: Fresh dill adds a slight licorice taste that brings a lot of freshness to an egg salad. I also like a little fresh parsley added in. It’s not on our recipe card, but feel free to add it.
• Cajun seasoning: I like a little spice in my egg salad. This seasoning adds depth and earthy heat!
• Sugar: A little white sugar balances out all the flavors in the tasty salad.
• Black Pepper + Salt: Freshly cracked pepper and table salt to taste.

TIPS EASY EGG SALAD RECIPE

• How To Make Peeling Easier:
  • Use older eggs. Eggs fresh from the market are harder to peel. Weird, huh?
  • Eggs made in the air fryer peel more easily.
  • Shock It! Place hard-boiled eggs in an ice bath immediately after boiling. Tap the egg on the counter to crack and loosen the shells. Remove the peel under running water!
• Baking Soda or Vinegar: Many people claim that adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda or a splash of vinegar to the water used to boil the eggs will make them easier to peel. I can’t say I’ve had much success with doing so. Have you?
• What Fresh Herbs Taste Best In Egg Salad? We use fresh dill in our recipe. I think dill is the most delicious choice. I also like to use fresh parsley, chives, or thyme to change up the overall flavor.
• How Do I Make Spicy Egg Salad?
  • Skip the salt and add Cajun or Creole seasoning.
  • Add the hot sauce of your choice to taste.
  • Add chopped jalapeños to the recipe. Remember, most of the heat in a jalapeño is contained in the seeds and ribs. Include or omit them per your desire for spicy!
• Homemade: As stated, make your hard-boiled eggs at home.  You save money, and the results are great. To keep it easy, try our air fryer hard boiled eggs.
• Mix Yolk Well! When mixing, it’s nice to make sure the yolks get well mixed into the mayonnaise and seasonings. This makes for a really nice creamy mixture that incorporates all the spices and mix-ins. Yum.
• Avocado Anyone? Add avocado for a richer texture. Egg salad is one of those things where you can omit or add whatever you crave.  Top with crumbled bacon, add a little paprika, or follow my recipe exactly for a very tasty salad as is.

HOW DO I MAKE EGG SALAD WITHOUT MAYONNAISE

Replace the mayo in this egg salad with Greek yogurt, or avocado. 

HOW TO MAKE HARD BOILED EGGS ON THE STOVETOP

1. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Fill the pot with cold water and cover it with one inch of water.
2. Over high heat, bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and remove from the heat. Let sit for 10-12 minutes
3. Shock It! Place hard boiled eggs in an ice bath immediately after boiling. Tap the egg on the counter to crack and loosen the shells. Remove the peel under running water!

HOW  TO SERVE EGG TO SERVE EGG SALAD

My favorite way to serve and eat this egg salad on fresh country bread. You can also serve it on pitas bread, in a lettuce wrap, or in a small bowl.

STORAGE + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD

• How Long Can You Keep This in The Refrigerator? Leftover egg salad will last up to three in the fridge.
• Can You Freeze This? It is not recommended.
• Make-ahead: This dish can be prepared several hours in advance. Just keep it chilled.
• Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.

HOW TO MAKE THE SOUTHERN EGG SALAD RECIPE

1. Chop the hard-boiled eggs and place them in a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Serve on fresh bread or with crackers.

***See the full instructions below.

MORE EASY SNACK RECIPES

• Antipasto Squares
• Turkey Pinwheels
• BBQ Chicken Quesadilla
• Pizza Fries
• Pizza Salad
• Bacon Wrapped Smokies
• Sausage Pinwheels
• Everything Pigs In A Blanket

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Southern Egg Salad

My creamy southern egg salad recipe is a riff on the classic version. I add a little spice using Creole mustard and Cajun seasoning, fresh dill, and cornichons.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• ▢ 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ▢ 1/4 cup celery, minced
• ▢ 3 tablespoon red onions
• ▢ 1 teaspoons yellow mustard
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Creole mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornichons, minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pimento, chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/8 black pepper
• ▢ salt, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Chop the hard-boiled eggs and place them in a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly, breaking up the yolks with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve on fresh bread or with crackers.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Creamy Ham Salad Recipe
• 
  Ina Garten Potato Salad
• 
  Ranch Deviled Eggs
• 
  Shrimp Spread

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Notes

1. How To Make Peeling Easier:
   • Use older eggs. Eggs fresh from the market are harder to peel. Weird, huh?
   • Eggs made in the air fryer peel more easily.
   • Shock It! Place hard-boiled eggs in an ice bath immediately after boiling. Tap the egg on the counter to crack and loosen the shells. Remove the peel under running water!
2. Baking Soda or Vinegar: Many people claim that adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda or a splash of vinegar to the water used to boil the eggs will make them easier to peel. I can't say I've had much success with doing so. Have you?
3. What Fresh Herbs Taste Best In Egg Salad? We use fresh dill in our recipe. I think dill is the most delicious choice. I also like to use fresh parsley, chives, or thyme to change up the overall flavor.
4. How Do I Make Spicy Egg Salad?
   • Skip the salt and add Cajun or Creole seasoning.
   • Add the hot sauce of your choice to taste.
   • Add chopped jalapeños to the recipe. Remember, most of the heat in a jalapeño is contained in the seeds and ribs. Include or omit them per your desire for spicy!
5. Homemade: As stated, make your hard-boiled eggs at home.  You save money, and the results are great. To keep it easy, try our air fryer hard boiled eggs.
6. Mix Yolk Well! When mixing, it’s nice to make sure the yolks get well mixed into the mayonnaise and seasonings. This makes for a really nice creamy mixture that incorporates all the spices and mix-ins. Yum.
7. Avocado Anyone? Add avocado for a richer texture. Egg salad is one of those things where you can omit or add whatever you crave.  Top with crumbled bacon, add a little paprika, or follow my recipe exactly for a very tasty salad as is.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 284mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 140mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 46mg

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