When you’re craving something easy and satisfying, this deviled egg salad recipe hits the spot because it’s hearty, versatile and comes together in about 30 minutes. Anticipate an easy egg peel using my fuss-free hard cooked eggs method! This recipe is vegetarian and easily gluten-free. For a chickpea version of this recipe, check out this reader favorite Smashed Chickpea Salad! [ see recipe VIDEO on recipe card ]
Pinterest Review: “This has become a weekly staple for me!” ~ Mary
Easy to Make Deviled Egg Salad
If you’re a fan of hearty Egg Recipes, and have been looking for an egg salad with dill pickles, you’re going to enjoy this one! You may be wondering, is deviled egg salad easy to make? With my easy method of cooking and peeling hard boiled eggs, you’ll appreciate how simple it is to pull this classic together.
The flavor profile of this creamy egg salad recipe is so tasty, I created a Double Pickle Dill Pickle Deviled Egg recipe to accompany it. So now we have the best of both worlds!
This Recipe Is
- easy egg peeling – no more moon cratered hard-cooked eggs
- versatile – see so many ways below!
- adjustable to taste
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How to Make Deviled Egg Salad
step by step
Instead of hard boiled eggs, we’re making hard cooked steamed eggs here for a fuss free egg peel. While the eggs are steaming, the other ingredients can be prepped and chopped.
About the Key Ingredients
- Large Whole Eggs – organic if possible, farm fresh if you can. Those extra golden yolks are hard to resist!
- Mayonnaise – creates a creamy, tangy texture. Use your favorite. I like Vegenaise.
- Prepared Yellow Mustard – adds tangy flavor and golden color! Try whole grain mustard if you like.
- Chopped Dill Pickles – adds texture and briny tangy flavor. You can use prepared dill pickle relish (unsweetened) for convenience. Add pickle juice for extra tang (the secret ingredient)!
- Fresh Dill – adds freshness egg salad is known for! Although I recommend fresh when in season, dried is perfect when fresh isn’t available.
- Fresh Chives – if you can get ahold of chives with chive blossoms, these make a tasty and beautiful flower garnish. Dried may be subbed.
- Smoked Paprika – adds smoky with a bit of spice and sweet flavor.
The Best Method for Cooking Hard Boiled Eggs for Easy Peeling!
Learning an effecient method of peeling hard cooked eggs was a revelation in my motivation to make egg salad. The tip came from America’s Test Kitchen in an episode with Elle Scott and Julia Davidson. They recommend steaming the eggs, verses boiling, and then cooling the cooked eggs in an ice bath.
If you’re like me and get frustrated at the thought of peeling hard boiled eggs then you’ll love the Test Kitchen’s method! I’ve tried every method out there with fresh and not so fresh eggs, and my eggs almost always looked like the moon’s cratered surface after peeling. But with ATK method, the egg shells are SOooo much easier to peel! It’s my go-to cooking method.
Traci’s Tips
- Chunky or Fine? I prefer a chunkier deviled egg salad here, but for a spreadable, even creamier version, chop the eggs fine, grate with a cheese grater or use a potato masher to break the eggs down.
- Adjust to Taste: This is one of those recipes that can be easily adjusted to taste, especially where salt and pepper are concerned. If you want a little more zing, sprinkle in a bit more pickle juice.
- Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich: grab your favorite sandwich bread, like Multigrain Sourdough Bread, Gluten Free Sourdough Bread or Yeasted Soft Multigrain Sandwich Bread and spread the egg salad over one side. Enjoy simply, with microgreens or lettuce and a plump juicy tomato slice.
Quick Deviled Egg Salad (No Potatoes or Pasta!)
Ingredients
- 8 Whole Eggs large
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) Mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Prepared Yellow Mustard
- 1/3 cup (62 grams) Dill Pickles chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Pickle Juice
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Dill chopped, or sub 1/2 to 1 tsp dried dill (add more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Chives chopped fine
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Cayenne or Tabasco optional
Instructions
For the Eggs
- In a medium sauce pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring one inch of water to a boil. Add the eggs to the steamer basket, and lid. Set a timer for 13 minutes and steam the eggs.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl. Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice bath. Set a timer once again for 15 minutes and allow the eggs to cool.
- Peel the eggs by tapping the larger end of the egg on a hard surface, then roll the egg gently to crack the remaining surface. Remove the shell, then rough chop the cooked egg, leaving the eggs chunky (or fine chop for a more spreadable texture).
For the Salad
- While the eggs are steaming or cooling, to a medium mixing bowl, add the mayo, mustard, pickles, pickle juice, dill, chives, salt, pepper and paprika.
- Transfer the chopped eggs to the mixing bowl and mix throughly. The yolks will become creamy as you stir. Taste for seasoning adjustment, adding a sprinkle more of pickle juice for added tang, salt and/or pepper to taste. For a bit of heat, add a pinch of cayenne or a few glugs of Tabasco sauce.
- Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes (an hour if you have time) before enjoying so the flavors can marry.
To Store
- Store the deviled egg salad in a lidded container in the fridge for up to four days. You may notice the a bit of liquid forming in the bowl after 24 hours in the fridge. You can stir this back in or drain it off.
Hi Traci! I have been making this recipe (with the addition of minced onion) since I was about 9 years old – maybe it’s a Texas staple? My mother used dill pickles in it, and I always loved it. I sometimes add a little horseradish for spark. Thanks for the note on easy-to-peel eggs; I’ll be using that process in all recipes with cooked eggs!
Hiii Sherry! Oh my… I think you’re right about it being a Texas staple. Horseradish sounds sooo good! Can you believe how easy those eggs are? Makes making deviled eggs SO much easier! Thank you for your note and sending a smile!
I add a bit of horseradish to my egg salad for a bit of a Kick.
Oh my that sounds delish, Gail! Thank you for your tip!
Very good!!!
Thank youuu Whitney!
I have always made egg salad this way using dill relish, (sometimes onion), so glad to hear I am not alone with using dill (not sweet)!
Hi Anita… Yes to not sweet dill pickles! It’s sooo good!
delish!!!
Hii Abbie! Thank you for your note and five star review!
My daughter tried this recipe first and said she accidentally ate all of it. Lol. Im doing it for our thanksgiving dinner as she has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her pregnancy. I love how it came out. I found that doing the 5-5-5 method for hard boiled eggs works great if you have an insta pot. Put 1 cup of water in the bottom of the inner pot, using your trivet, put in the desired amount of eggs, put on the lid, select pressure cook for 5 min, let it naturally release for 5 min, fast release the rest of the steam, do an ice bath for 5 min. I have never had boiled eggs come out so perfect and easy to peel.
SO happy your daughter enjoyed the egg salad … but so sorry to hear about her GD during pregnancy. Thank you you for your note and sharing your IP tips, Renae! Especially since I don’t own an IP, but I know a lot of folks do – this will be super helpful!
I never had egg salad but I am a fan of eggs. Your egg salad looks good and tasty on bread… Good Day Traci, Nathan
Thank you Nathan! Let us know if you give the egg salad a go!