The Crunchy Ingredient Your Egg Salad Sandwich Is Missing

Whether you like egg salad sandwiches filled with jammy yolks or fortified with cream cheese, there is no denying that it's a delicious way to enjoy the protein powerhouse in its simplest form. Easy to prepare and store, the dish is a great meal prep option for home cooks that wish to make batches of it to use all throughout the week. And there are so many ways to prepare it beyond just sandwiches, like slathered on a piece of crostini as a snack or scooped on top of a bed of greens. Any way you like it, it's an easy way to add hearty nutrition and taste to any meal.

However, if you are someone who enjoys different textures, the traditional egg salad recipes can seem a bit bland, especially since there is no real textural contrast between the mashed up egg and the mayonnaise-based dressing. However, if you add a layer of potato chips to your sandwich, you can be greeted by a savory crunch with each bite, giving the dish a textural boost that brings it to the next level.

The key to adding potato chips to egg salad lies in choosing the right kind of crunchy topper. While technically all types of chips will do the trick, the best option will stay crispy as you take a bite. As the chips come into contact with the egg salad, the moisture from the salad will start penetrating the crispy surface of your extra ingredient, causing it to become soggy and limp. If you plan to make an egg salad sandwich in the morning to eat at lunch, for example, it might be best to use thicker chips for the task, such as those with a ridged surface or kettle-cooked, which are heartier and more resistant to moisture.  

Another tip to incorporate potato chips into an egg salad sandwich is choosing the right flavor to compliment the dish. Since egg salad can be made with a huge variety of seasonings, you can use the chip flavor to enhance the overall result. For example, if your variety contains green onion, choosing sour cream and onion-flavored chips would be a great match.

Potato chips aren't the only crunchy topper to reach for when making egg salad. You can mix in a bit of salsa and layer tortilla chips on top to create an a dish with a southwestern twist. If you enjoy the flavors of bacon, pork cracklings (also known as chicharrones) add crunch as well as a hit of pork-infused flavor to your egg salad. And shrimp chips, which are very popular in Asia, can be layered on top of egg salad that has been mixed with chopped shrimp for some Asian-inspired taste.

Aside from potato chips, there are other ways to give egg salad a crunchy texture. For instance, chopped pickles can provide a tangy and salty crunch, while finely diced vegetables such as celery, breakfast radish, red onions, or scallions can add a pop of freshness. If you're making an egg salad sandwich, toasting the bread also makes a difference, with the thick slices adding a crunchy counterpoint all on their own to the soft filler inside.