The Mistake You're Probably Making With Your Egg Salad

Though egg salad is one of the most simple dishes to make, there's no shortage of easy ways to take it to the next level. You can add a variety of different spices to it to change the flavor profile, toss in some herbs or veggies, or stir in some pickled goodness.

But the trick to making the best egg salad actually lies in the technique. Rather than chopping up the whole eggs and mixing them with mayo and seasonings, try taking an approach more akin to preparing deviled eggs. After boiling, remove the yolks and set the whites aside. Then, mix the yolks with the rest of your ingredients — everything from mayo to spices to diced veg. To finish it, chop up the egg whites and fold them into the yolk mixture.

By prepping the egg salad this way, it's easier to evenly disperse the seasonings, but it also creates just the right texture. The delicate whites retain their chew and shape since they're not being handled as much.

Meanwhile, holding the whites until the end gives you the chance to whisk together the dressing until it's silky smooth, leaving you with the creamiest results. Plus, it gives you better control over the consistency — if you like a chunkier egg salad, you can add all of the cooked egg whites, but if you prefer it creamier, just leave some out and reserve them for other dishes — like garnishing a crunchy greens and bread salad.

At the heart of any successfully executed egg salad is perfectly boiled eggs — but as simple as that seems, it can prove to be challenging. Fortunately, there are a few tricks to achieving perfectly boiled eggs.

First, take Julia Child's boiled egg advice and plop your eggs into a pot of cold water before turning on the heat. Then, once the water is almost boiling, cover and take the pot off of the stovetop and allow the eggs to rest in the hot water before plunging them into an ice bath. How long you leave them in the warm water before cooling them depends on your desired doneness for the yolk, but it should be less than 15 minutes. Using Julia's method ensures that you don't wind up with an unsightly green tinge to the yolk, which can make for an unattractive egg salad. Plus, the whites are even more soft and delicate — making them perfect for folding into the yolky mayo dressing.

The no-boil method and the cold shock are two ways to make sure that your eggs for the salad aren't overcooked. However, you may want to consider alternative methods. Instead, for a softer and creamier egg salad, ditch the boiled eggs altogether and try scrambling. If you want something tender but still like the chewiness of the white, ditch the hard boil and aim for jammy eggs instead. This way, the runny yolk will blend together even more easily with the mayonnaise, the whites will be bouncy but tender, and you'll end up with a seriously satisfying salad.