Someone pointed out to me a few weeks ago that this site has not a single recipe in the archives for egg salad. However, unlike the time I realized the broccoli archives boasted but a single recipe (and quickly sought to populate it) or the time I accepted that a quickie from-scratch homemade chicken noodle soup deserves a place in every arsenal, the egg salad-shaped hole in the archives went unnoticed less due to editorial oversight and more because, well, you know: egg salad; it’s pretty dull. Could anything be more uninspired than an amalgamation of smashed-up hard-boiled eggs and the dreaded mayonnaise? I mean, have you seen the yellow, flavorless mounds of dubious origin and assembly date most delis scoop onto a slice of bread and try to pass off as lunch? It would hardly make an enthusiast out of you. Or anyone.
But for those of us who see past the lack of beauty-queen stature and fervor around it, we know egg salad can be rather delicious if made properly, which is to say, at home, with perfectly cooked eggs and just enough dressing to cling, not drown them. At home, I make three small additions that I think transform it from the unglamorous status-quo to something I find crunchy, bright and absolutely perfect on a slice of whole-grain toasted bread in the middle of the day. The first is that I love to use coarse, or whole-grain Dijon mustard. Not only is it the prettiest thing in my fridge, the combination of the faintly crisp/crackly seeds and its milder flavor are heavenly here, adding texture and just enough kick to the eggs. The second is finely minced shallot, just a little. You could use red onion, too, but I think the texture is key. You want it to be noticeable enough that you enjoy it but not so loud that it upstages the star, kind of like surprise guests at a halftime show.
The last thing is the one that will make you say, “Wha? No, no way.” but trust me, a spoonful of lightly pickled celery is wonderful here. I talked about my love of this a bit in the book, where I put it on a fingerling salad with a sharp dressing but I promise, once you make it, it has a habit of showing up everywhere, from chopped to tuna salads. It adds a little accent and crunch, and once you fall in love with it here, it will be impossible to make it any other way, so consider yourself warned.
One year ago: Cheddar, Beer and Mustard Pull-Apart Bread
Two years ago: Mushroom and Farro Soup and Meatballs Subs with Caramelized Onions
Three years ago: New York Deli Rye Bread, Best Cocoa Brownies, Chana Masala and Walnut Jam Cake
Four years ago: Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad, Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes and Crisp Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Slaw
Five years ago: Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree, Candied Grapefruit Peels and Matzo Ball Soup
Six years ago: Asparagus, Artichoke and Shiitake Risotto and Miniature Soft Pretzels
Egg Salad with Pickled Celery and Coarse Dijon
If you rest the eggs in the fridge for a day or so after cooking them, they’re usually easier to peel while keeping the eggs intact. (Although mine, three days old, still were not. Punks.) If you’re not into mayo (I know you’re not, even if I don’t agree), you can use plain Greek yogurt instead. I have you make more celery than you’ll need because trust me, it will get used, as it’s great in everything from tuna to potato salads.
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons Kosher salt (you can go up to 1 tablespoon if using the lighter weight Diamond brand; here’s why)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 stalks celery, trimmed, diced tiny
4 large eggs
1 heaped teaspoon whole-grain Dijon
2 teaspoons minced shallot or red onion (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or full-fat plain yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh dill (to garnish, optional)
Pickle your celery: Combine vinegar, water, Kosher salt and sugar in a jar and shake it until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add diced celery to jar, cover it and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally one hour and up to one week.
Cook your eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with an inch of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and set your timer for 10 minutes (for perfectly cooked through eggs), or 9 minutes (if you like them just-barely-set in the center, like mine above). Once the timer rings, drain eggs and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. To quickly chill them so you can use them right away, cover them in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make your salad: Peel your eggs and chop them, placing them in a medium bowl. Add 1 heaped tablespoon of pickled celery (more to taste), Dijon, shallot, mayo, salt and pepper and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on toasted whole grain bread, garnished with fresh herbs.
Looks wonderful!
I’ll have to try it. I never loved egg salad sandwiches until I had one at Il Cane Rosso in San Francisco. I only committed to half a sandwich because everyone told me how incredible it was…and it SO was! I actually found the recipe online, but I can’t get the Acme bread here in Austin. Thankfully, there are many really good bakeries here.
Here’s a link to the Il Cane Rosso recipe:
http://www.7×7.com/recipes/secret-recipe-warm-egg-salad-sandwich-il-cane-rosso
Celery is just one of those things that I can’t stand in any form (original, seed, salt, etc). I know, it’s weird, but I love the idea of this salad. Think some regular pickles would work instead?
I use regular pickles and it is fine:)
I no longer peel my eggs for egg salad, tuna salad, or potato salad as I did for years. Just break them in half by wacking them gently with the edge of a spoon then break them apart and scoop out the egg and mash with a potato masher. So simple and easy…no more trying to perfectly peel eggs!
I also use a few sprinkles of McCormick Salad Supreme in egg salad. Really bumps it up without knowing what is in it. Comments about my egg salad…this is so good, what is in it?
Love salad supreme on my hard boiled eggs. Now to add it to my egg salad… Not sure why I didn’t think of that!
This is so good. I saw it on Instagram today, and amazingly had every single ingredient. I put in extra pickled celery, because YUM. And garnished with dill and parsley. All gone. Perfection.
Can we use white balsamic vinegar, instead of sugar and white vinegar?
You might, but it’s not an exact swap. You can remove the sugar from the pickle part, but you’d want to tone down the salt then, too, or it becomes out of balance.
Appetite for Books!!! I used to live in Montreal, right around the corner from Appetite for Books. The little strip of shops where it is, is my old hood! Fora fellow foodie, may I recommend Patisserie de Gascogne for a quick stop before or after? It is literally steps away, on Sherbrooke. Appetite for Books can guide you over their quickly, it is literally about a 3-minute walk. Wherever you end up, bon chance et bon voyage!
Brrrr! Have fun in Montreal – it’s too cold for me!
I was glad that I stumbled across (a while ago) your explanation about the different measurements of kosher salt. I was having problems with some recipes coming out too salty. I was using the Morton’s brand. Thanks. You should add a link back to that post with your mention above. It’s interesting.
I am soooo going to have to try this!
I love egg salad and I always pick the celery out of my jars of giardiniera first but I’ve never thought to pickle it a whole jar of the stuff. Have you tried the Russian egg salad on Orangette? Because it’s pretty amazing. My go to for when I need to get out the door is a hard boiled egg mashed up with 1/2 an avocado, and lots of svaneti salt I get from here: http://www.worldspice.com/blends/seasoned-salt-svaneti
When I don’t have hard boiled eggs, but need egg salad, I use scrambled eggs.
Woo woo woo!!! Another person who admits to loving egg salad. Do you know how many times I had to pretend I didn’t like my sandwich in elementary school, just to maintain street cred? Also, your celery is chopped so beautifully, and I’m loving your cookbook.
I used to hate egg salad as a child, but it’s grown on me as an adult. Funny that in all the years you’ve been doing this, you’ve never put up an egg salad recipe. Well, at least you did one now. I think it sounds marvelous!
This recipe has me longing for spring time! This would be great to bring on a picnic! Looks so delicious.
I adore egg salad! ps we loved the lemon bars in your book (going to post about them on my blog) and the grapefruit olive oil pound cake is AMAZING (going to make it for the second time tonight).
PS I am pickling celery in preparation for making this right. now!
That sounds delicious. I make egg salad an unusual way too. This is my Great Aunt Jean’s recipe. Instead of mayonnaise add 1 brick of softened cream cheese to the eggs. To that add sauteed diced onions and sauteed diced mushrooms. Seriously it is the BEST egg salad ever. All it needs is salt and pepper.
Interesting! I usually make my egg salad with capers and celery, but I’ll have to try this pickled celery idea.
I think it’s funny that my guy says that he doesn’t really like egg salad but he likes deviled eggs. Aren’t they pretty much the same ingrediants?
Deb! This looks so good and like exactly what I want to eat today (how do you always do that?) I’m thinking of experimenting with a beet-pickled egg salad tartine. You’ve inspired me to get to it.
I love egg salad, and while I have a recipe that I’m very happy with already, I’ll have to give this one a try.
BTW, for those who don’t want to own a single-purpose gadget like an egg slicer, I’ve found that the perfect tool for chopping eggs for egg salad is a good pastry blender (one with stiff spokes cut from a single sheet of metal, not one of the crappy ones with wires).
I use the same thing on boiled yolks for deviled eggs. It’s incredibly perfect and provides the perfect texture.
Brilliant tip with the pastry cutter!
I also use my cheapie Pampered Chef rotary cheese grated for my eggs. Choose the course or fine grater wheel depending on how you prefer the texture of your eggs in the salad. And I’m dying over the pickled celery addition. Where has that been my whole life?!
pickling celery this instant! hello egg salad with butter lettuce!
i actually love homemade egg salad—it is a completely different entity than what is sold premade (same is true of pimento cheese and cole slaw, btdubs). definitely look forward to trying it with your picked cucumber rec!
This recipe looks awesome!!! I’m always looking for ways to spice up a regular egg salad recipe– thanks for posting!
Mmmm sounds fabulous. Stay warm in Montreal!
I can’t wait to try picked celery – I love anything pickled!
My mom’s trick for easy-peeling hard boiled eggs: heavily salt the water you cook them in. Also, older eggs peel more easily.
This looks great! I can’t wait to pickle some celery. I can’t wait to pickle most things :)
I love a good Egg Salad and with pickle celery it does sound divine. I have his on my must make list. Actually I printed and put it in my “make” file. :-)
Pickled Celery! I think my life just got better :)
When I lived in NYC I had a laundry day ritual: Into the washer went the dirty clothes and towels, and up I ran to my 6th floor one-bedroom. I’d whip up a bowl of egg salad, consume, and chug back down to move the clothes into the dryer. The salad had celery, a smidge of red onion, and chopped up cornichons from Fairway. Something pickled is a definite must, so I’m excited to try the pickled celery. (Bread and butter pickles for tuna, though.)
Molly — Why do I have a feeling that wherever you’ve moved, you no longer jog up and down six flights to do laundry? ;)
Jess — There’s no difference but the color the chickens they come from. (More here.)
You had me at pickled celery. Of all the canning and pickling I do, I never thought: celery. Its already sitting in brine in my fridge! So stoked to try it!
my husband who worked in a restaurant taught me a trick for peeling hard boiled eggs perfectly every time, and i have never had ugly hard boiled eggs since, no matter if i let them sit in the fridge, peel them right away, and it doesn’t depend on how fresh – or not fresh – the eggs are, either.
peel off a small piece of shell, and then slide a spoon under and lift of the shell. repeat until no shell is left. this trick allows you to slide under that membrane between egg and shell that seems to be the culprit for destroying boiled eggs. give it a try!
here is a funny youtube demonstration –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkDRN-YzSEY
(love her hat!)
Deb — what’s the difference between brown eggs and white eggs? I used to spring for the brown ones, only to hear that they’re the same as the white. What are your thoughts?
I have never really been tempted to make an egg salad before, but this just changed that! Looks yummy.
Hi, I certainly expect to use this pickled celery up pretty quickly, but would you take a stab at about how long it will keep in the fridge? Say, if I make a batch for camp, will it keep a couple of months?
Sandy — I am totally not a food science expert, so I’m just telling you what I do; it may not be officially deemed “safe,” but I find they’re fine for a few weeks.
I’ve been making my egg salad with your quick celery pickles and the lemon dijon aioli from the chicken salad in your cookbook since it came out! It also very lovely combo for tuna salad or my new favorite- poaching and shredding tilapia fillets then mixing in the pickled celery, the aioli and some panko breadcrumbs and baking them into the most delicious riff on a crab cake. Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe!
Crab costs an arm and a leg where I live, if you can find any to start with, so this sounds delicious.
Mmm. Sounds lovely.
I’m partial to the egg salad at Le Pain Quotidien, which has salted capers in it (or maybe on it).
Mmm, pickled anything is awesome. So is coarse dijon. I can taste the flavors from here!
And how awesome you’re going to be hanging out with the Baked guys, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Nice! Have fun at your events, Deb, and I love the term Sloth January :)
i have always unabashedly loved egg salad – and i started loving it even more once i added in grainy mustard. for those of you with a wegman’s nearby, they sell a store brand that has whole mustard seeds as well. i’ve never really liked celery in my egg salad but i think i may try it pickled – i have a hunch i’ll like it.
also? another great alternative to an egg slicer is a potato masher.
Great, thanks Deb. Any quick pickled thing I make usually keeps 3-4 weeks, just wanted your opinion! Your cookbook is on my wish list!
Such a great idea. Not only will the celery provide crunch, it will also lend some nice acidity. I might throw some capers in there as well :)
I have red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, rice wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar…but no white wine vinegar. Can I substitute with any of those?
The good news is it should be warming up by the weekend. Welcome to my our fair city! Would love to have known about this sooner. I think you are absolutely delightful and your recipes amazing. You are my go-to website. Will try this soon, and actually making the rigatoni with eggplant tomorrow night.
Oh dear. This is not one for me I am afraid but that is very rare with your recipes Deb! Egg salad and I just don’t get on! I wil have to make one of your cakes instead!! By the way, I LOVE your “surprise me” button!
Oh boy, can’t wait to try this. Your quick pickled red onions are now a fridge staple for me–I make a big batch and I swear they make everything better (rich meats, basic salads, tuna, cabbage). I have feeling I’ll feel the same way about pickled celery…
Regarding eggs that are hard to peel: The key is to get them into cold water for at least a minute or two right as they are done cooking. I sometimes do a small ice bath even. This shock of cold makes them shrink just a tiny bit within the shell, separating from that very thin filmy skin. Then stick them in the fridge as you would normally to finish cooking. I hope this helps. I do this with batches of dozens of eggs and it works every time.
Cooling, obviously.
Hi there, this is not related to your salad but related to me and you.
I’ve just stopped by your site and wanted to let you know I linked to your site in my recent post. I referred to you as my inspiration on the photograph category as I am writing posts about photography, digital photography and food photography.
I can’t wait to make this. My husband and I didn’t consult before hitting up the farmers’ market on the same day, resulting in a fridge containing 36 eggs. Oops.
There is another great egg salad recipe in the book Miriam’s Kitchen, by Elizabeth Ehrlich. Has sauteed onions and mushrooms in it. Very rich! http://orangette.blogspot.com/2011/05/pile-it-on.html
??-Question: could you mix the shallots in with the celery to pickle both together?
I’ve started eating eggs again because of your scrambled egg sandwich, sidewalk vender style, and haven’t had the problems with eggs that I thought I had. I guess it was all in my head from a bad experience once before! I used to love egg salad made with lots of mustard, deviled egg style, but haven’t had it in years and years.
If you go to Montreal, you must (MUST) try the treat of the same name at Patisserie Kouign Amann, 322 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est Montreal, QC H2T. Seriously. I don’t work for them or anything (it would be a long commute from my home in Buffalo). It’s just the best thing I’ve ever eaten and I would hate for anyone in the universe to miss out on it. They will warm it for you too. Say yes. And then make sure to get another piece.
Ha! I, too, have an egg slicer!!!! Which i find useless.
BTW WHERE did all that marvelous, glorious LIGHTING come from in that summery celery shot??
Gorgeous!
According to eatingfromthegroundup.com, if you add a slice or two of lemon to the pot while you’re cooking your eggs, it adds just enough acid to the eggs to let them peal easily. I did this while making eggs to serve deviled eggs at Christmas. I’ve so far only tried it the one time, so I don’t know if my eggs would have just peeled easily that time anyway, but they were super easy to peel.
I really like egg salad when done right. My version is with a lot of herbs. I pickle the shallots or red onions and keep the celery fresh… I want to try making it next with the whole grain mustard like in your version. It sounds delish.
Here’s my recipe:
http://food52.com/recipes/16730-sharp-and-tangy-egg-salad
Ummm this looks delicious. And pickled celery? I am totally down to try that!
Yes, please! I’ve been hunting for a good egg salad recipe. This one seems like it will fit the bill.
I’ve always liked egg salad, but a lunch restaurant in San Francisco has a twist that takes it out of this world — big piece of lox/smoked salmon on top. I don’t work by that place anymore but I still dream of that sandwich.
Egg salad is gross, unless it’s my own. I just made some the other day — love the idea of the pickled celery. I include “regular” celery and a very little minced onion, but the pickled celery sounds like a wonderful addition.
Love the idea of pickling celery! Have to try!
Mmm, egg salad, with mustard. Love it. I cover my eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Then I put a lid on, turn off the heat, and let sit for 12-15 minutes (I like them less done, but my friends and family don’t agree so I cook them longer for others). I can’t wait to try this recipe!
My favourite egg salad addition is watercress. Very yum. Also very traditional if you’re from the uk like me.
Hope I can come to see you while you’re in Montreal!
I’ve been craving egg salad and this looks delish! My tummy is growling now….
I love egg salad with a bit of zing. And I haven’t thought to cut the eggs the way you do. Usually, I use a grater. I’m a big fan of smaller pieces of eggs that fit perfectly into the sandwich bread of choice.
I just, this very afternoon,made “boring egg salad”. I am going to pickle some celery and throw it in after-the-fact. Sounds yummy that way, and I will be happy that I did it, I know. Have no grainy mustard (of any degree of beauty,) so that will have to wait until next time. All you Mayonnaise haters out there..have you ever tried Cains? It is awesome in everything, read the label compared to the competitors, next time you are in the store and you will see why I have been using it exclusively for thirty years. It TRULY makes a gigantic difference.
I like to put olives in my egg salad. and bacon. yum!
Looks Yummy!! Will try it soon. I am curious about the device you used to slice up the eggs. Looks much better than my old tool used for making pie crust.
And, the flatbread with goatcheese, chard and leeks is more than devine. Have now made it 3 times and taught my daughter-in-law how to do it.
Suegramma — It’s an egg slicer. I’m not sure why I own it as it’s not good for much else (button mushrooms, maybe?) and thus just takes up room. But, I slice the egg in two directions and like the juliennes it creates in salads.
I love egg salad, but I agree that it can be done poorly. this one looks great… I especially like the way you sliced the eggs :)
I think all egg salad should have some sort of pickles in it. I myself like capers. Mmm. Now I’m thinking that pickled radishes would be amazing.
What a travesty! Egg salad is my dad’s favorite deli sandwich by far. I have to try this one for sure. Your raspberry macaroons are already a hit at my house!
Montreal? You’ll have a great time. First, go to Frites Alors!. It’s a small burger chain there, and they’re really good burgers. Order some poutine. It looks awful, but trust me, it’s awesome. Walk around a bit around town and when you can no longer stand the cold, go to Juliette et chocolat (http://www.julietteetchocolat.com/) for hot chocolate.
As always, this recipe looks fantastic! *reaches for eggs and pot for water…*
Sounds delicious!! I made your potato salad with sieved eggs and pickled celery, but, gasp, I pickled onions instead. This time I WILL try it your way, I hope. I’ve never looked down on egg salad; I have chickens who lay creamy brown eggs and that makes absolutely absolutely everything better. How do you think this would be with fennel featured as more than a garnish? Would the flavor be a little too overpowering? Did you make the pickled celery in honor of Alex? (Just wondering.)
Egg salad is the opposite of dull! Oh man, with lots of thinly sliced radishes and chopped dill…yes please. :) The pickled celery si a really interesting idea.
Deb, I have been following your delightful blog for about a year now, and this is my first time commenting. My love affair with mayo is what has drawn me out of the wood works. I LOVE egg salad (and potato salad, and anything else that is just a reasonable excuse to eat mayonnaise) and am so excited to try your recipe! It looks perfect.
You know, I hate celery, truly madly and passionately. But since I tried your pickled celery from the book, I really do find it creeping into my daily lunches! You, ma’am, are a culinary wizard.
I am sure this is the best egg salad recipe ever. Despite liking almost every food on earth I really really hate both hard boiled eggs and especially mayo. The mayo thing is tough — egg salad , tuna, lobster, chicken salad, potato salad, mayo-ish slaw… all are completely wasted on me.
But I am posting because this marks the very first recipe in a very long time that you have posted that I do not want to make right away. I am just pausing to be grateful for all the others.
I love egg salad! If you ever see the McIlhenny Tabasco brand of mustard, grab some. They used to sell a whole grain mustard, but I haven’t see it lately, so I make do with the course ground. That, some dill, good mayo, and I am in heaven.
I adore egg salad! And Jaques Pepin taught me how to boil up the perfect egg and better yet, PEEL the egg easily without destroying it!
Pickled celery sounds like a great addition! I have a friend who’s biggest treat from my kitchen is…. Egg salad!
Thanks Smitten!
Hope—-is the tilapia recipe from deb’s recipes as I looked and could not find it. Help. As sounds good with the panko and aioli. Thanks
Pickled celery sounds like a brilliant addition! Looking forward to trying out this recipe. I’m also a huge fan of this variation on egg salad that my mother makes: hard boiled eggs, mayo, sour cream (which pairs so beautifully with mayo and who says it’s excessive), spinach, scallions, dill, and s&p. No measurements currently available though, sorry!
Heaven on earth! Pickled additions make everything taste better.
FYI, I peeled my first can of chickpeas last night. It took longer than 9 minutes, but it did make a differnence and the hummus was wonderful
One question: would dumping the chickpeas in a food mill remove the skins?
Yummo! Trying to serve things my gkids like and sneak in more veggies too. They love egg salad, and this is a super recipe. Come visit me too!
On Top Chef and all of those high cheffy chef shows, the contestants are always pickling stuff. I always think “Who does that, and for what purpose?” but when I see this recipe, it actually makes sense and I can sort of taste it in my own mind, ha! I’m wanting to try some other pickled things, but this pickled celery seems like a good place to start. Not too scary.
Also, re: the egg slicer… Have you seen the hundreds of satirical comments on the banana slicer being sold on amazon.com (Just google.com Amazon Banana Slicer) hilarious. I would post the link here, but don’t want to violate the comment policy. :)
I made this pronto, for lunch! And you’re right – the pickled celery is the secret. Thanks for the recipe!
I have a confession, I love egg salad! But I despise mayo, I’ve used stone ground mustard in my version for a while now with just a hint of mayo for consistently. However have never tried pickled celery and now will add that to my sandwich next week!
-jessica
I haven’t had (made or ordered) an egg salad sandwich in more years than I can even remember… and hadn’t really thought to, UNTIL I read this wonderful little recipe. I am having this for lunch one day this week, for sure! Thanks!
Perfect for a picnic! I may add onion jam.
I love egg salad! When I make it, I cut up the whites separately from the yolks and mash the yolks with the mayonnaise and some curry powder and dijon. The curry powder makes the egg salad interesting! I am excited to try it with your pickled celery next time in place of the celery and spring onion I usually add.
How many servings/sandwiches does this make? If it’s more than a couple, do you think the egg salad would be good leftover in the fridge for at least a day or two?
OMG, Marti, I’m so with you (assuming your olives are GREEN). I fantasize about egg salad with green olives. It would be very hard to even think about making it any other way…but I’m such an egg salad freak that I might be able to force myself to try with the pickled celery.
looks yum and easy!! have to try it out.
Wow, you’ve given me ideas to spruce up my egg salad sandwiches! Thanks!
This blog always makes me crave SOMETHING. So dangerous. I have never been a huge egg salad fan until recently and I think I might have to try this…
I have like 18 eggs in my pantry right now and there’s only 2 of us living in the house. No idea why I got so many eggs but what I do know is that egg salad will be lunch tomorrow. Sad thing is I finished the last of my celery yesterday. Need to go and get some more later. Ciao!
Nice ideas, and you got me thinking. Here in Vietnam it is almost TET (starts Sunday), the Lunar New Year when once-a-year delicacies make their way to the family tables all over the country. Pickled garlic and pickled chives (the white only) are two of the specials and both would be great adds to your egg salad recipe. Celery is difficult to find here, but with some searching in the best markets it is available, and of course eggs are more than plentiful.
One other thought–in North Africa the Jews (and perhaps the muslims as well) would boil eggs for 24 hours or longer. Often a cloth was placed over the pan to prevent rapid loss of water, but regardless you will need to continue to add more water to the pot. Boiling eggs for this long causes the whites to turn brown, a light tan color, and gives them a nut-like taste. It is wonderful, unique, and easy, and adds no calories! I think that egg salad made with “brown” eggs would be wonderful, and I’ll try it this holiday season. Previous attempts to introduce new American foods to the TET table have failed miserably (worst disaster was Roast Turkey, although the Stove Top Stuffing was very well received), but I keep trying. Sooner or later I’ll find something that the family will like, but even if I don’t, at least I have some comfort food for my palate.
Perfect! A friend gave some fresh eggs – the real deal, West Cork eggs :) last night – I know what I’m going to do with them now – Thank you!
the only time i have problems with peeling eggs is if they are fresh from the farm (mine are since i raise chickens). so, i don’t bother peeling but split the egg in half and scoop out the lusciousness. if i am chopping them up anyway, it’s much easier than trying to peel them.
Quick recipie. Simply intresting and amazing recipie, which is making my mouth watery. Thanks for the recipie. Can i use simple vineger instead of white wine vineger?
I am a lover of trying different mustards, so this sounds good. Also THANK YOU for the pickled celery, I use the same recipe to do cucumber too and they are both fab in salads. I know you’re doing a lot of travelling over the next few weeks – I hope you like Montreal, they take their food very seriously. I’m heading to New York in early March and want to make the most of the city’s food scene – do you have any tips, any must-visit cafes or restos? Coming from Europe I’m keen to get a real feel for such a food-oriented city. Any tips really appreciated! (it would make a great blog post too, right, “my favourite food places”?)
You know I have never thought to make egg salad before but now I am a little bit tempted. I love the idea of using the whole grain mustard. Yum!
Another great idea pickled celery! We are going to have this for dinner soon with some challah rolls. Mohave a wonderful time in Montreal I have always wanted to visit especially since I watched the movie the “score”. Be safe.
P.S. I am taping the Today – just To see you.
I love egg salad!!! I’ve always added pickle relish to mine. I’m not real fond of celery in egg salad, but maybe after it’s pickled? I’ll have to give this a try.
This looks super yummy! I love a really great egg salad. Hard boiled eggs that will consistently peel are one of the great mysteries of the universe, though.
Love your book, love the blog and most all your recipes. Just wanted to chime in on the “how to peel an egg” info. We have 7 hens that are laying like clockwork and I’ve had to wrestle with the cooking/peeling thing. What really works for me (with fresh fresh fresh eggs) is to STEAM them for 15 minutes and then immediately plunge them into ice water. Since I’ve switched to this method I’ve not had any issues at all with peeling. Love egg salad and love my egg slicer which gets much more of a workout now with having our own hens:)
I’ll never ever go back to boiling eggs, either! 10 Oz of water in a big 3 quart pan, 10 minutes steaming with lid on medium heat….it’s like egg yolk caviar. Add 1 minute longer for desired doneness. My Mom likes a firm 12 minute steam. Husband likes a custard-y 9 minute steam. Endless possibilities and outcome.
Any thoughts on the brand of mayonnaise to use?
I cannot wait to make this! My beautiful daughter,Rebecca, gave me your book for my bday. It’s a wonder! We made the iceberg lettuce salad this past Sat. Sooo yummy– and beautiful. Thank you for such a fun and delicious cookbook.
Leave it to you Deb, to bring back egg salad. I love the idea of pickled celery in it. My go to mix in for egg salad is honey mustard. The heat-sweet combo is great with egg salad.
Have fun in Montreal. Bundle up,
My little kick for egg salad is a Tablespoon or two of drained and rinsed capers–and I do add celery but haven’t tried pickling. The capers add the same kind of briny salty kick as your pickled celery, I think. Will have to try pickling it– when the back-of-the fridge celery gets a little wilty, it seems like a good rescue. PS–My husband adds pitted calamata olives to his egg salad, also yummy but very rich!
I always get raves for my egg salad. Try adding some ground mustard and some chicken powder bouillon base. I know…I know – it has msg in it…but it’s just a small amount or find one without msg. I’ve used both. And I just usually use the heart of the celery-just the leaves chopped up fine. But i will try the pickled remedy for the celery. it’s amazing how much I throw away.
…also – try grating the egg instead of the slicer. I think it’s a better consistancy
Over here on the Pacific Northwest coast, egg salad is one of those things not found too frequently. I happen to be an enthusiast, however, of both egg salad and pickling. So this is right up my alley! Thank you!
I too, love all things pickled. Not long ago at a restaurant we were served a tomato soup garnished with pickled mustard seeds. It was wonderful. I found a recipe for these with a google search. So, if I didn’t have whole grain mustard I could probably add some pickled mustard seeds.
I make a version of egg salad where I add grated horseradish and bacon. Kind of a Pennsylvania Dutch twist. It’s delicious.
This looks amazing! So excited to try it!!! Was wondering, though, if you have any thoughts as to making the most AMAZING deviled eggs?
Marissa — This is one of my favorites. I also have a tapas-inspired Smoky Deviled Eggs with Crisped Jamon and Crushed Marcona almonds in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.
Barb — I’m a Hellmans girl, because it tastes familiar, but there are much better, smaller-batch brands out there. Or, you could make your own. ;)
This looks sooooo good, I must have this for lunch!
I love egg salad for breakfast, but at that time of day, I have to say I’m not interested in pickled anything. Instead, depending on mood, I sprinkle Basque pimenton on top for a little zing and color, or I slice cucumbers paper thin to put on top. Favorite toast by far is walnut bread, but I also like it on Wasa Sesame crackers.
But here’s a tip for those of you frustrated by peeling eggs: take the shells off first! I crack the eggs into the little cups of an egg poacher and cook them over barely simmering water to keep the white tender. When done I just flip them out into the special shallow wood bowl that goes with with my mezaluna and chop them up. So easy!
Egg salad perfection! I was wondering what to have for lunch today, and this recipe hit the spot. I loved the pickled celery! Perfect amounts of mayo and mustard…and your method for hard-boiling eggs worked well for me. Thanks! On another note, hope you have time to visit Old Montreal. It is beautiful. And forgive me, I have to put in my recommendation–Olive & Gourmando in Old Montreal. A wonderful little spot to cozy up with a latte and have lunch or a sweet treat from the bakery. Au revoir!
Not a fan of celery but love to add a little chopped red pepper to my egg salad. The color and the crunch is perfect.
Although I am sure it will be good all year, I am thrilled to have a new recipe for Lent. And I have an egg slicer and use it exactly as you do..great minds think alike!
Whole grain mustard – I’ve been looking for one to love for a while, yet so far its been failure. All the ones I’ve tried have had too much horseradish. Does anybody have brand name suggestions? Or a recipe they suggest?
Deb….love the little hand in the picture….
yay! finally some egg salad love! I mean, I understand where you’re coming from – whenever I mention having a riotous egg salad craving I can feel the eye rolls coming from 360 degrees around – but I’m totes excited to try some variations with pickled vegetables now. Also: love the posh egg-slicing.
Deb, why don’t you have any fish recipes? Other than the fish tacos, you have no salmon or tilapia or anything else to help with my dinner for pescatarian friends next week… please help!
Do you have any tips for peeling the eggs? This is one of my most nagging problems in the kitchen…I’m sure there’s a better way of doing it than what I do (picking, basically).
Random fact: someone I know once went on a hunger strike (for terribly insignificant reasons) and gave it up the first time they thought of egg salad. “Oh I forgot about egg salad!” I imagine them thinking, “I must have some immediately.”
Also, saw you in Brookline at the Coolidge Corner Theater. You are a delight and I wish you all the best.
Egg salad is my go-to Sat lunch. I’ll give this version a try!
Can’t wait to meet you in Montreal this weekend!
Pickled celery!!!! Woooaaaahhhh! I love it! So many people muck up egg salad with too much mayo, this looks just right, simple and perfect! I want to make your rye bread recipe and stack some of this on it!
Deb, I hope you post links to the videos and podcasts of the radio and tv events you do, so those of us who miss them as they are aired can enjoy them later!
I always put a spoonful of sweet pickle relish and yellow mustard in my egg salad–your version sounds yummy too!
I’ll be making this. I love egg salad.
What a fun take on egg salad! As someone who is from the South, I love me some egg salad… but I completely agree with your assessment that there are so many blah recipes out there featuring it. I cannot wait to give yours a shot!
I’ve been obsessed with pickling since your twist on potato salad with green onions. Such a great accent, really brightens these classic dishes. Thanks for reminding us that simple meals like these don’t have to be ordinary with a few thoughtful touches.
I don’t go a day without looking at your blog. Your pictures are incredible and your food is a work of art!
Happy Cooking! Love this blog :)
Mmmm! That fingerling salad in your book was delicious. I can’t wait to try this. The pickled celery is addicting!
I adore egg salad and cannot wait to try the pickled celery! I make egg ‘n olive because that’s what I grew up on in Tennessee. It was big hit in my Little Rock “shop” back in the 90’s–my customers there had never had egg salad with olives. Dijon is a the stand-by but for a little kick, try Coleman’s English mustard. Thank you for your wonderful blog! :) K
Made it and LOVED it. Thanks for another great recipe Deb!
I recently learned that leaving eggs to cool in cold water for too long makes them difficult to peel. Who knew?
At a friend’s suggestion, I tried chilling them as fast as possible—really just to stop the cooking—and then refrigerating. To my amazement (I have been cooking eggs for 50+ years) this method appears to work.
This looks great!
I have to say I missed the salt entry and you have rocked my world!! Thank-you for this little secret!!! This explains so much… I have used both and now I know why I like the Diamond!
We had this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! Thank you for making an old favorite even better. We love your cookbook, too!
Thanks, this looks so mouth-watering. A question: how come your recipes don’t always show number of servings? Should I assume this makes 2 sandwiches or 4? Can’t wait to try this!
Lynn — I rarely do servings because I usually guess wrong what others consider a serving. I’d say this would make 2 very generous sandwiches, or 4 slim ones, but I might be off.
LOVE egg salad, but have never tried this version. Usually make it with mayo/coarse mustard/bit of Tabasco mixed, thinly sliced scallions and lots of coarsely chopped dill. Lots of cracked pepper.
This is definitely next on my to be tried schedule. Thanks.
God, now i just have to run to the store! It looks yummy!!
Me again…I’m so curious to know where you’ll be dining in Montreal, and what you think of our awesome restaurant scene!
I LOVE egg salad! My grandma always made the best egg salad and it totally reminds me of spending summers at her house. It’s a major comfort food for me. Celery is a must and this looks so delicious.
Just made this for lunch today, and I’m immediately regretting not making a double batch. Delicious! Thank you, Deb!
ok its official! after 2 days of eating pickled celery in everything i could thing of,im addicted and making my second batch!
Deb, any idea if I can use a different kind of vinegar (sherry, rice, etc.)?
Diane — Yes, it will just change the flavor profile slightly. Not a big deal, though.
Love this! Just made it sans celery (I’m a plain girl!) and it was delicious! Shallots make it.
Put a little vinegar when you boil helps the peeling of the eggs ! I so tried to get into the Montreal signing. It was sold out, I was put on the waiting list. Didn’t know about the after signing! Hopefully I can make it down, already made plans, but we’ll see. My baby decides on spur of the moment planning now.
Ps. Lots Of snow tomorrow ( Friday) bring some wool socks it’s cold !
Delish! Made it today following your instructions to the letter. Best egg salad I’ve had–and I do love my egg salad!!
Amazing! Thank you!
My sister and I made this for dinner last night with Irish soda bread and a green salad. It is going to be our new standard egg salad. So delicious!
For perfect hard-cooked eggs, I bake mine. Just put an egg in each cup of a muffin tin, add some water to each cup, and bake at 325 degrees for 30 min.
Loved it! Made the recipe exactly as the directions say and it was wonderful. I let my celery pickle for about an hour and it was pitch perfect, thanks!
Best whole grain mustard in the world…..
Kozlik’s Triple Crunch from Canada!!
It’s like a mustard muse in a bottle…..really!
Yes! It is by far the best whole-grain mustard I’ve ever had. Unfortunately I can’t find any in the shop is to get it and have been looking everywhere for it. I don’t know where to order it without having to pay astronomical shipping costs. Once you’ve tried Kozlik’s Triple Crunch, Nothing else will do
OK. So, in addition to the usual eggs, light Miracle Whip, chopped onions, and some salt, we’ve always put piccalilly in our egg salad along with dried mustard, and chopped celery. Easy and available and delicious.
Hi deb, I am a professional,socially adept, very busy woman who has gone bonkers for you and your website. I have become obsessed with your recipes; so much so that you are referred to in my house as my “best friend”. If you make it, i will cook it! Thank you for your humor and beautiful photos, as well. PS egg salad was delicious made with red wine vinegar pickling!
I didn’t realize how much I missed you……thank gawd you are back!
Anyone not wanting celery, like Shannon, try diced seedless cucumber. Great substitute.
Yay Ive been looking for a good egg salad recipe, this is perfect, thank you. I love hard boiled eggs but Ive always hated the whole boiling process. I finally tried that whole baking the eggs thing last weekend and Im converted. It was easy, the eggs came out perfect, they smelled way less, they were ridiculously easy to peel, and no pot to wash!
I’ve tried (and loved many of your recipies and knew I had to try this. After all I love everything pickled and coarse dijon mustard? I can eat it straight from the jar … I was not dissapointed! Didn’t have dill (also a favorite of mine), but it still tasted wonderful! Thank you. Here’s a picture of your egg salad on a slice of toasted bread – in Norway: http://instagr.am/p/Vgc4FmF6Zi/
Look forward to your next post!
Love the pickled celery! Used it and pickled onions with radishes and golden raisins for a tasty chicken salad. Hope you don’t mind I posted your pickled celery recipe on my site with a link to you!
Every recipe for hard boiling eggs I’ve found has mentioned poking a small hole in the narrow end of the egg, to (so I thought) prevent eggsplosion. Not so?
We are in the middle of the 2013 storm today. Still snowing here in Maine. Made your egg salad with what I had on hand. Red wine vinegar instead of white, a teaspoon of grated white onion instead of the shallot. It was delicious! Will keep this dish. Love your cookbook.
Made this subbing cider vinegar for white wine vinegar, and a yellow onion instead of shallots. It turned out well, but I think it would be better with shallots. I’ll have to make sure to get some next time I buy more celery.
It looks so good. I’d definitely try it. Thanks for sharing.
My daughter is obsessed with eggs. Being a two year old, and only wanting to eat that and nothing else, this is definitely worth a try to give my “menu” a nice twist. Thanks!
The pics look fab which made me want to read the menu and follow it to the letter. Just finished making the egg salad and it tasted devine. I love cooking and making food that is fresh rather than the ready meal rubbish you get from the supermarkets. Will add the recipe to my favourites list. Yes I do have one.
I never thought I’d say this but I’m reeeheeeally craving an egg salad right now! Excellent idea using pickled celery.
First visit to your website yesterday, and I’ve made this egg salad twice, as well as your salted caramel brownies. Both recipes are ridiculously amazing, without being a huge amount of work. Thank you so much! Needless to say, I am really excited about finding your blog and can’t wait to try out more recipes!
So, I’m not a picky eater by any means, but hard-boiled eggs have always been one of a very small handful of foods that I couldn’t stand. All the same, when I saw this recipe, I found myself reconsidering my aversion. SO glad I did. I have been converted! This was amazingly delicious. Can’t wait to eat tonight’s batch for lunch tomorrow.
I love celery in tuna salad but I like egg salad to be unadulterated eggy creaminess…this does look good though, esp. with the whole grain dijon.
The pickled celery was so good! I made this recipe into potato salad by adding a pound a fingerlings and chopped fresh dill. It was OUTSTANDING! Maybe better than Rosanne Cash’s…is that possible?! Thanks Deb!
Just made this and almost died. The flavors are perfect. I liked egg salad, but I know I’m going to sit around craving this. Thank you!
I’ve made this recipe twice already (which is not great for my mayo intake), but it’s so delicious! I have to admit, I was skeptical about the pickled celery at first, but found myself adding in a bit extra since it was so tasty. Thanks for the great recipe Deb!!
Loved this recipe. Used Greek yogurt and Farm Boy 9 grain seed bread. 5 eggs so I could use them up before heading to Florida (yeah warm!) next week. Tasted the pickled celery on it’s own and it seemed okay but in the salad it was awesome. A definite make again. Hope you enjoyed your time in Montreal.
That declarative finger issuing forth from the grey sleeve. Read, mark, learn and in this particular case, inwardly digest. Lovely.
FYI, it will be in the mid-70s by the end of the week in Phoenix. As in, a full 70 degrees warmer than Canada. Just a thought. :)
There is nothing better than a crusty chunk of bread topped with a smooth, creamy egg salad. Well done!
ok.. i just made this… i just have a complain: the recipe dont make a lot!! ISSS SOOOOO GOOOODDD!! im going to make doble portion the next time!! tks!!
Hi,
Just noticing how beautiful you eggs look. I know you’re in BK; wondering where you got them? Flying Pigs at the Grand Army Plaza farmers mkt? They have good eggs. If you have another supplier do tell.
Also, I love your photos. Very helpful.
Thanks
Belle — Can’t remember where I bought them but I buy them at a range of places — a market if I’m near one when I need them or anywhere that “promises” (I’m dubious) cage-free better-treated chickens. Oh, and I’m a total freak about buying plastic. I’d rather buy a non-organic egg than one in a plastic container; I only buy eggs in cardboard crates. Fortunately I rarely have to make this choice.
Growing up, my mom always added pickle relish to egg salad (and tuna salad come to think of it). I’m guessing the pickled celery will be a huge improvement!
I have the perfect egg salad addition….minced bacon! Of course, bacon makes everything better : ) I also try to use cage-free eggs from a local MN farmer and it makes a difference.
A fantastic egg salad/deviled egg addition is capers. In the recipe above take out the celery & parsley and pop in some pre-rinsed coarsely chopped capers. Also excellent is to take that same basic recipe and add a teaspoon of Curry Paste (Patak’s is good). It takes on a beautiful rosey color. To that add a couple tablespoons full of dried currants. Great on a bed of lettuce with some toasted pita or naan along side. :-)
Oh – and I am soooo lucky, my son-in-law provides me with eggs fresh from the chickens he raises. There is a world of flavor difference in fresh eggs. I use the store bought (cardboard crates also) for cooking and pass the crates along to him.
Deb,
I just made this egg salad last night, and it was amazing! I love the pickled celery! Now I’m off to try the gyoza-wrapped varenyky! I just bought your cookbook, but it is not signed :( – I’ll have to order another one!
I served your egg salad to the “old ladies” at my Valentine Tea…all of my guests were in their late 70’s and a few in their late 80’s…and they all loved your egg salad! I don’t eat eggs, it’s one of my many weird quirks, but I did eat the egg salad, served as finger sandwiches and loved every bite…the celery did the trick for me! Thanks for the wonderful recipe, which I passed out to the old gals, who all said they were going to make it for their families! xo, Nan
OK, I pickled my celery on the date of this post. Drained it a week later, since recipe says pickle it up to a week. Boiled the eggs in the interim and left them in the fridge. FINALLY got around to making this egg salad today with my waiting celery and eggs, and WOW. Truly different from any egg salad I have ever had. Sublime. It’s the first Smitten Kitchen recipe I’ve done, and I am a convert! Thanks for posting.
NOW I also know why my pickles have always been SO salty!! Thanks for linking your old post on the differences between the kinds of canning salt. And tomorrow, there will be egg salad.
Pickled celery is a genius idea. I am having the most delicious sandwich right now, thanks to you!
Deb — This is the best egg salad I’ve ever had! Thank you for sharing!
What kind of eggs do you use Deb? Do you have a local farm stand for the pasture raised variety? My chickens will be proud that their eggs will be used in such a unique way. I’m trying this recipe now
Looks amazing, although I must admit to using homemade bread and butter pickles in egg salad…it’s all about memories of grandma :)
Hey, I saw in Sauce Magazine you are going to be in St. Louis for your book tour, welcome to our fair city! Hopefully you will have good weather, blessings on this leg of your tour!
:) Terri
Ciao from Italy! Deb, I made this salad on saturday and it was amazing! Thanks a lot for this lovely recipe : )
Made this last night, eating it for lunch right now. DELICIOUS and so easy!!
This egg salad is great! I added some rosemary to garnish at the end, and had to have it on home made toasted white bread because I was out of whole wheat, and it was an awesome lunch! Thanks for sharing :)
simply scrumpdilliumptious. served mine on pretzel rolls from costco. bam!
I just tried this recipe yesterday and it was phenomenal! The course dijon and pickled celery are a brilliant combination.
I made this today and HELLO! This is the BEST EGG SALAD EVER!!! and I really love egg salad. The pickled celery adds so much so don’t skip it!! Deb, you’re coming to Minneapolis/St.Paul next Tuesday and I hope you have a wonderful visit to my neck of the woods!! I am the Flight Attendant that begged you to stop on your first book tour and I am super excited to meet you!!!
This recipe has me thinking about summer. I’ve made 2 batches with plans for a third. And it goes wonderfully with a side of your pickled grapes! Oh Deb, what have you turned me into?
My roommates consistently but too many eggs and we never know how to use them all up. This is a great recipe to de-egg our refrigerator and it sounds delicious. Also, thanks for the tips on hard boiling. My eggs always seem to come out under done.
I’m a little late to the party on this post, but is it possible to use honey instead of salt for the pickled celery? I’m avoiding refined sugars.
Hey Deb,
Pickled celery sounds amazing. Just wondering if I can substitute white wine vinegar for a mixture of distilled white vinegar and white cooking wine….
Also, Megan @ CookingOnEmpty, I usually place my eggs in a pan of water on the stove and let the water heat to boiling. I start the 15 minute timer the moment I turn on the stove. When the timer goes off, I pour the boiling water out of the pan and sit the pan in the sink while running cold water into the pan for 5 minutes or until the eggs are cold to the touch. You can then do what you want with the eggs, sit them in a bowl in the fridge to grab as needed for use right away. I hope this is helpful.
Deb,
How many sandwiches will this make? I selected this recipe for a meal train of a friend of ours that just had a baby. Will it make atleast 2 sandwiches?
malika — It will make two sandwiches, four slim ones.
Who would have thought that egg salad could be so interesting and zingy! Your pickled celery idea is stellar, and the Dijon! We are on our third batch–today open-faced on Olive ciabatta bread. My husband adores this sandwich and it is so nice to have the egg salad tucked safely in the fridge for an impromptu gourmet lunch. Next variation may be in croissants, for those wishing to enhance their calorie and cholesterol counts:). Keep it coming! Your success is truly inspirational! Best way to beat the cooking doldrums–log on to SmittenKitchen.com:)
Just thought I would let you know that today I managed to buy your book in London UK. I had been looking for it but finally found it today at Waterstones. Love it and love your blog/ideas. SO LONDON IS NOW SMITTEN !!!! Regards Janet
Totally awesome
Slightly off topic but I wanted to report the use of pickled celery in deviled eggs… stellar! I used an odd number of eggs so there isn’t a strict recipe but for 14 hard boiled eggs, roughly puree of 2 red bell peppers, a small splash of soy sauce, 4 dashes white pepper, half a teaspoon salt, heaping tablespoon of pickled celery. This is particularly remarkable because I generally detest vinegar and anything pickled!
seriously…we are on our 4th batch of pickled celery. this condiment is pure genus!
This is where my colored eggs are going to end up this year around. Looks great! I am looking forward to falling in love with the pickled celery.
My grandmother turned me on to egg salad when I was a kid… and oh my, she would have loved this one. Thanks again for a great recipe!
Just made this one following Deb’s recipe exactly.( I cheated the last time) Could NOT stop adding spoons of pickled celery to it! This is “grown-up” egg salad, the mustard and the celery combo ROCKS!This celery is going to go into a lot more stuff this weekend. Glad you made us all make extra Deb- you are clairvoyant for sure.
I made this a couple of weeks before Passover when one of my friends posted the link on FB. I swapped out a couple of ingredients, but not the pickled celery–love that! It became (with a couple more swaps) a really fantastic Passover recipe. Thanks!
The pickled celery is genius and really makes this dish. I adapted the recipe ever so slightly …mainly due to what I had in my pantry at the time, and just posted it on my blog for a local Westchester Paper. Hope you like my rendition of your brilliant salad! http://food.lohudblogs.com/2013/04/10/seasonal-chef-different-ways-to-cook-with-dill/. Thank you for the inspiration!
I have been searching for years for the perfect egg salad sandwich. Thanks to you, I have found it!! I used “Dave’s Killer Bread” for my sandwich and OMG. I ate another sandwich for dinner and for lunch the next day. So grateful for you and your yumminess!
My husband loves eggs, especially in a gorgeous creamy salad like this or deviled. Here’s my challenge. I hate the smell. I must be doing something wrong because deviled eggs anywhere else never smells as bad as when I take a great looking salad out of the fridge… and it smells like I just dumped a bag of rotting trash on the floor. Help! Is it the water, the timing, the ???
Yup. Delicious. Those celery pieces are a must-have for our egg salad from now on!
This is a great recipe! I would have never thought to pickle celery and it turned out to be more delicious than I expected and now my boyfriend’s a ‘celery convert’! haha
I made this tonight – added some bright pink pickled radish as garnish and a slice of cucumber between the egg salad and bread: http://wp.me/p1Sgzv-IS
I just recently rediscovered your wonderful blog for myself, and my recent obsession with celery has brought me to this recipe, which, by the way, I am totally making for today’s lunch! I just thought I’d share an egg-peeling trick, which I was surprised not to find in all of the comments. While holding eggs under running water works fine, I found that adding just a pinch of salt to the eggs while boiling them works magic – you get perfectly peeled eggs every time, hot or cold.
I made this with sriracha sauce and added a bit of red pepper flakes as well and it was absolutely. positively. life changing.
Hi Deb, can you please tell the brand of the egg dicer you are using me and where I might be able to get one from?
Thank you
Hi Lochy — I don’t see it on Amazon anymore, but it looked a bit like this. I just put the egg in once, carefully lift and turn it 90 degrees, and slice it again to make those juliennes.
It needed more mayo for my taste; but the pickled celery was a great addition as was the mustard. Now I just need to think of other uses for the celery. It is not potato salad weather here in the frozen midwest.
I have made this at least 10 times. I tend to triple the recipe, so it will last me and my guy at least 3 lunches each… It is SOOOO good. Sometimes I add some shallot to pickle with my celery, which is also awesome. This is anything but bland. I literally crave it!
Pickled celery = genius! I don’t know why, but in spring i get a hankering for little pickled things.
Celery pickling and eggs boiling right now! And I use Duke’s mayo. I think this might be dinner, with sliced radishes and lettuce.
I got frustrated with ugly gouged out boiled eggs when I made a batch for deviled eggs at Easter time. After some research I found out that fresh eggs are not great for boiling and that you want ones that have been sitting around for a week or 2 to make peeling better. That sucks if you have no idea how long your eggs were hanging out at the grocery store and quite frankly I’m all about fresher is better so I wasn’t happy about that. Then I happened on an article that suggested steaming them. Put the eggs in a steaming basket over simmering water for 15 minutes. It has worked like a charm every time I’ve tried it since. Even with the thickest shelled brown organic egg. I am excited to try this egg salad, thank you.
I thought I didn’t like egg salad until I tried this recipe. The pickled celery intrigued me and I’m so glad I gave it a try! On whole grain bread I found I had to add a bit more onion and celery. Thanks for the awesome recipe as always!
I loved this! The pickled celery was delicious. I had some watermelon radish that I didn’t know what to do with, so I pickled that along with the celery. It turned the pickle a pretty, pale pink. Instead of making a sandwich, I put the egg salad on a red quinoa pilaf that had some herbs and onions cooked in and served it with toasted sliced almonds on top. The whole thing was terrific.
Pickled celery was a good addition. I cooked my eggs until they were actually cooked all the way through, otherwise I followed the recipe as is. Yuck, no partially cooked yolks at my table. 12 minutes.
Crispy, buttered, grain and nut bread. Very good
After years of boiling eggs and having them crack and the whites leak out, I found my go-to, fool-proof method. It came via the Eggs.ca app which includes an adjustable timer for different types of eggs and a great “chicken cluck” alarm. The “aha” part is that you only boil the eggs for 2 minutes and then leave them in the water for whatever time the timer says. Then, you pour cold water over them to stop them cooking and use them or put them in the fridge. Recently, I’ve tried pouring most of the water out of the pot and swirling the eggs around with some force which cracks the shell and gets some water in the shell. They’ve been peeling perfectly!
I have never in my life craved egg salad and rarely tolerated it. I saw that picture this morning and HAD TO HAVE IT. Thanks for inspiring a delicious breakfast!
Ok, don’t laugh, but my husband and I (while not even remotely vegan) enjoy a version of “egg” salad that’s made with crumbled firm tofu. I had some tofu in the fridge and when I saw this recipe pop up on Facebook recently, I thought “I wonder…..”. Yesterday I made my tofu “eggless” salad and incorporated the pickled celery. It was an absolute revelation. Can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch! Also can’t wait to try the recipe verbatim at some point soon.
To shell hard-boiled eggs. When the time is up take off the heat. Drain. Shake the eggs in the saucepan so the shells are broken. Add cold water and leave to cool. The shells will either be off or easy to remove. Simples!
Wow, I just made this and it’s delicious. Love the pickled celery!
Just made this today and it was absolutely delicious. I added a little more mustard for an extra kick but otherwise followed the directions exactly and the end result was a delight. The pickled celery was an especially inspired touch.
I know you said coarse dijon, but my all time favorite mustard is Nance’s Sharp and Creamy. Such a good acidic bite to it. It’s not sold everywhere, but when I do find it, I buy about 6 bottles of it.
Ok…stupid question…when you put the pickled celery in and ask for a heaping teaspoon full, do you include the pickle juice with that or drain it out?
Sorry so late to respond to this comment; I don’t include it but you can if you want more of a salty vinegar punch to your mixture.
Love this recipe. I have taken to making big batches of pickled celery (and, separately, picked red onion) and keeping them in the fridge for handy, transformative addition to all sorts of salads. And hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot are a transformative, shell-slides-off, experience.
Yes, I love doing hard boiled and soft boiled eggs in my stove top pressure cooker(pc). For hard boiled I add them to boiling water in pc cover and cook under pressure 5minutes with quick release and for soft boiled 3 minutes. In both cases, the shell slides off.
How is the average score for this recipe is 3 stars?! I made it so many times and it’s the best thing ever.
I’m adding just a drop of maple syrup to contrast the saltiness of the taste, but besides that – amazing!
I made this and tripled the recipe to bring it to a potluck. I have to say I’m not fully content with the recipe. There’s a “zing” in the salad that I love, but a creamy/bland/blend-together/goo-quality that I don’t love. More zing, less goo. I am going to try adding more more pickled celery (or maybe just actual pickles), more red onion for sure, and definitely less mayo.
So I strained the remaining salad in a colander and let it get less “wet.” Since then I’ve been eating it on toast for breakfast—delicious!
Haven’t pickled celery before, will have to give it a go.
Here in the UK cress is often added to egg mayo, or watercress, to add a little peppery greenery. I love a properly made egg salad though, definitely giving this a go. Book pre-ordered too. :)
I no longer peel my eggs for egg salad, tuna salad, or potato salad as I did for years. Just break them in half by wacking them gently with the edge of a spoon then break them apart and scoop out the egg and mash with a potato masher. So simple and easy…no more trying to perfectly peel eggs!
I also use a few sprinkles of McCormick Salad Supreme in egg salad. Really bumps it up without knowing what is in it. Comments about my egg salad…this is so good, what is in it?
Please tell me about your egg slicer!
I second this question, it looks cool, do you love it? Do we need one? I’m about to get onto Amazon!
I’ve had one like this (but not this exact model) for years. Can’t say we use it a ton but love to have it. Theoretically, it’s also good for mushroom caps.
Deb
I Love your egg salad with pickled celery and course dijon. Pickled celery is amazing! I was wondering how you pickle red onions for salads?
Thanks for all your posts and hints. They are so helpful for a novice like myself.
I’ve made this a few times and love it! Nice to have in the fridge for a quick sandwich. I double the pickled celery in the salad and sometimes add a dash of smoked paprika when serving.
About those absent egg-peeling forces: Count your blessings! You had really fresh eggs – which are always harder to peel than older ones.
Would another vinegar work if I’m out of white wine vinegar? Apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar?
Could we use a different vinegar?
This recipe is incredibly delicious. Made exactly as printed, wouldn’t change a thing. Definitely a keeper!
I found a tip on Food 52 that works for easier peeling. After you’ve ice bathed your eggs, have a bowl of warmer/room temperature water. Tap eggs to crack them then put in the warm water for maybe a minute. Then peel, I guess this pulls the shell/membrane away from the egg.
This is the best g.d. Egg salad I’ve ever had. I want to eat it everyday for the rest of my life. Thank you for bringing pickled celery into my life.
Just made this replacing mayo with yoghurt . Ate it straight from the bowl with a spoon. I loved the pickled celery. Thanks Deb.
Hunkering down has allowed time to try some of your recipes. The first was the tortilla torte. Despite getting only five layers (as opposed to the six called for) in the cake pan and sans the corn (which we do not care for) it was fantastic on my first attempt!! Tasty and filling.
Next up cacio e pepe. Cannot wait to avoid the clumping of the cheese.
Aloha.
What a great lunch! Love this dish! Will add to my rotation.
My daughter is highly allergic to raw celery! Could you please recommend a substitute? Thank you!!
Absolutely amazing egg salad. The simple addition of pickled celery and coarse Dijon made a world of difference.
That pickled celery! Sheer delight in a dish! I made more and will keep some in the fridge, possibly forever!, to add to lots of things :)
The grainy mustard was perfect also. I’ve always used it and my husband has avoided it when he can, but he is now converted.
is that lovely looking slice of bread purchased or homemade? bc if it’s one of your recipes, i want to make it. & if it’s not, what type of bread is it, if you remember or can tell?
ps, made both the apple & honey challah & the fig challah again for RH this year & *chef’s kiss* everyone thinks i’m amazing 😉 ALSO, make the fig challah but swapped the figs for cranberries & the red swirls were gorgeous. and finally, have you ever added orange zest or juice to the dough? bc i did on the cranberry one & yum 😋
It’s a sourdough miche from a bakery — either Balthazar or Le Pain Quotidien.
This recipe absolutely rips every time I make it people freak out
Hi there…love your recipes and have been cooking them for years. Had a few cookbooks too and lost them in a flood…Anyway I have been boiling eggs for years and only a few months ago discovered steaming them. Talk about wonderful…In a large cast iron pot I boil about two cups of water with the lid on the pot. When boiling I place the eggs in a steamer basket and set it in the pot…usually the water is not touching the eggs. Put the lid back on and steam for 14 min. When the timer goes off put them in an ice bath for 14 min. I am amazed and wondering why I didn’t do this 60 years ago….
Exactly what I need tonight with a very empty fridge. Thank you for always making great recipes!
I also used my ninja foodi for the first time to pressure cook the eggs and it was super fast and simple!
How long would the egg salad itself keep? And about how many servings would this make?
Depending on what else is on the table, I’d estimate 2 eggs per person. I’d eat it within 3-4 days.
Deb,
It was perfect. Amazing that such a old standby could be improved upon. I sprinkled fresh tarragon on the top and ate my sandwich on toast.
Thank you!
Definitely steam your eggs perfect every time peel easily. If your not into Mayo try 1/2 Mayo half sour cream – I first did this with potato salad now all creamy salads are 1/2 best foods 1/2 sour cream light sour cream works well too. Love this recipe my previous attempts at egg salad had way too much Mayo not enough eggs.
I made this and loved it!!! Any specific recommendations for other dishes to use the pickled celery in? I absolutely love it. Thanks for introducing me to this ingredient!!
It’s also great in chicken salad, if you eat it, and I like it on sandwiches even in regular salads.
i had always been afraid of egg salad, but with this, I am a convert. not sure i’d trust anyone else to make it but me, but truly, it was a delight. though more of a pain in the ass than anticipated, having never made hard boiled eggs before? regardless, thank you for ~expanding my horizons~ … to egg salad. added some cornichons.
Good morning, Deb!
I just ordered the Weck clamp jars for your pickled vegetable sandwich slaw and can’t wait to receive them to make your recipe!
Could you please tell me what type of jar to you use for the pickled celery? I just bought 2, 17 oz. clamp jars yesterday but don’t if they would work.
I can’t stop reading about you, your recipes and looking at all the beautiful photos—I’m hooked!
I have to limit myself reading your blog—my mornings go by too quickly 😂.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Have a great day!
Susan
oh hey it’s only the best egg salad I’ve ever had in my life. the pickled celery is a game-changer.
Love this egg salad. Thank you!
I only had red wine vinegar and it still turned out great.
This is wonderful and when I had to make it without the onions it was still amazing. My life changed dramatically when I developed an “onion and garlic” allergy suddenly last year related to Covid. It literally feels like the end of the world sometimes and when I make something like this and it’s still okay for me and even my family it is such a gift….
I have always hated chopping celery for tuna or egg salad. Not sure why but I would always skip it. If only I had known how absolutely fabulous pickled celery is!! Made this today along with basic egg salad for my husband as I didn’t think he would care for the additions. He did agree to try and and then I had to share with him!! A keeper for sure and I think pickled celery may be a new favorite snack 😉
In many parts of the South egg salad always has sliced green pimento stuffed olives in it.
I like to dice the whites and mash the yolks separately, then add the yolks to the mayo. gives it an eggier taste which i like. The celery sounds great. My aunt Jean added finely diced dill pickle to potato salad along with leftover pickle juice. I never throw away after the pickles are gone. Too good to waste.
Where has pickled celery been all my life? It’s divine! I forgot about the herbs, instead topping my egg salad toasts with chopped spinach, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and red pepper flakes. I think I’ve found my go-to egg salad :-)
Thank you for the idea to use yogurt as I never eat mayo. I used Fage Greek yogurt and added a few extra drops of vinegar. The picked celery was great even without using the sugar in the brine, and substituting apple cider vinegar for the specified white wine vinegar. It was great!.
I will try the pickled Celery. I’m acelery junkie so this is perfect. Have you ever tried curried egg salad? Celery, tiny bit of shallot, mayo/yogurt & some of your favorite curry powder
Also great subbing eggs with trader joes super firm tofu grated
This is the best Egg Salad I have ever eaten. The pickled celery is amazing. I have made this about 7 times in the last week.
This is a general comment- you reference Tik Tok often. Do you realize that although it may be trendy & popular, many of us emphatically do not want to load or use Tik Tok. It’s a Chinese website and full of awful stuff.
It’s not a requirement to enjoy the site — the recipes all live here.
Deb! Is this your hard boiled egg cooking method or is https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/how-to-hard-boil-an-egg/ this?
So delicious! The best egg salad recipe and was able to turn a few converts with it.
Instead of covering your eggs with water, use same recipe in a steamer basket. The eggs will peel like a dream! Pickled celery!! I love pickles and celery in my salads-and mayo. Visiting California, forgot they put mustard in tuna salad here-yum!
When were married my husband owned an electric egg cooker which steams the eggs. I’ve found that hard cooked eggs cooked this way always peel easily.