Today friends, we are going to make an egg salad! Egg salad fits well in the nostalgic, frugal food file. I hope that most of these ingredients are also consuming space in your refrigerator. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that 80% of my fridge is condiments of all kinds. Relish, mayo, ten kinds of pickled somethings, and at least as many mustards are all stuffed in the doors and shelves. So, dig into your doors and get crackin’. Let’s make egg salad with pickles.
So pretty! I love the speckled brown eggs, the vibrant green of the dill, and when we get to it, the beautiful golden centers of our hard-boiled eggs.
What You Need to Make Egg Salad with Pickles
- Eggs! Eggs of all kinds are available in stores today. Purchase what makes sense for you. I’m using a standard egg. Egg salad is a great way to use up hard-boiled eggs from the holidays and will save you even more time if the eggs are already cooked.
- Pickles! I’m using sweet pickle slices, then dicing them so the pieces are bit larger than relish. However, you can use relish, you just won’t have the beefy pickle parts. Dill pickles or relish will work too if you prefer that flavor over a sweet pickle.
- Mayo and Mustard – I prefer using mayonnaise over Miracle Whip. Mayo is the core of the dressing. The second main component in the sauce is mustard. Use your favorite spicy, ground brown, or yellow. I’m using a classic yellow mustard.
- Seasoning – Pretty basic, granulated sugar, sea salt, ground black pepper.
- Dill – I love the smell of dill. I know, I know, we’re using sweet pickles. You can leave this out if you like. Dill is aromatic, beautiful in color and it adds a bit of classic pickle flavor. I like that this is like a lobster roll, but egg salad style with a sprinkle of fresh dill.
- Buns – Hamburger or hot dog buns will work, or just a really delicious white bread. I used a split top bun.
How to Make Egg Salad with Pickles
First, you’ll want to get the eggs going. This means placing the eggs in a large saucepan and covering the eggs completely with water, allowing the water to fill 2″ above the eggs. Keeping the pan uncovered, bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, cover the eggs with a lid and remove them from the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. While the eggs are resting, prepare the sauce.
First, chop the pickles into smaller pieces. The goal is to have pieces which are larger than relish and will be easily identified and tasted in each bite. Next, rinse, pat dry, and chop fresh dill.
Dressing for Egg Salad
In a small mixing bowl, begin to add all the dressing ingredients: mayo, mustard, pickles, sugar, dill. Add salt and pepper to taste. What does this mean ‘to taste’. Literally, add a bit of salt and pepper. Then, taste the dressing to see if you need more. I recommend less than 1/8 of a teaspoon of each. Remember, you can always add more, you can’t take it out.
Mix the dressing and chill it in the refrigerator until the eggs are ready.
If your 15 minutes on the eggs is up, drain the hot water and replace it with ice. Cover the ice with cold water and let the eggs rest again until the ice is nearly all melted or the eggs are completely cool to the touch.
Once the eggs have cooled, drain the water and any remaining ice. Give the eggs a gentle shake in the saucepan. The eggs will collide against each other and the pan, cracking the shells. Don’t be too aggressive with your shaking. You don’t want the broken shells pressing into the soft egg.
Next, gently peel the shells removing them from the egg. Submerse the eggs in water or under running water if needed to help remove the shells. Rough chop the eggs and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Finally, pour the dressing over the eggs. With a large spoon, gently fold and mix the eggs with the dressing. Scoop hefty helpings of the egg salad onto a burger bun or, as shown below a split top hot dog bun. Top with additional fresh chopped dill. Enjoy!
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- Use Easter Eggs. Making egg salad is a great way to use up those beautiful decorated hard-boiled eggs. Having eggs already boiled will cut the prep time down to just minutes. Hard-boiled eggs will store well and are great on salads, so boil up a few to make weeknight dinner a breeze.
- Substitutions. Egg salad is delicious, and handy, because it’s so easy to make and most of the ingredients are always available. If you don’t have dill… don’t worry. Use miracle whip or avocado mayo if you don’t have traditional egg-based mayo. Use whatever mustard you have in the refrigerator. Dill or sweet relish in place of pickles or chop up whole pickles. Whatever is lurking in the way back of your fridge.
- Tasty Alternatives. Try a mashed avocado or bacon bits. Add a little heat with hot sauce, or sriracha.
- How Long Can I Store Egg Salad? I would recommend no more than 3-4 days in a well-sealed container, refrigerated.
Egg Salad with Pickles
Equipment
- small saucepan
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- cutting board
- knife
- large spoon
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons chopped sweet pickles or sweet relish
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 3 teaspoons mustard
- 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
- to taste sea salt (1/8 teaspoon or less)
- to taste ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon or less)
- 4 buns
Instructions
Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Boil. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the eggs to a boil.8 eggs
- Rest. Once the water is at a boil, remove the eggs from the heat. Cover the saucepan and let the eggs rest in the hot water for 15 minutes.
Dressing
- Pickles. Chop the pickles into small pieces and set aside.2 Tablespoons chopped sweet pickles or sweet relish
- Dill. Rinse, pat dry, and chop the fresh dill. Dry will work too if that's what you have handy.1 Tablespoon fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- Combine. Add the mustard, may, sugar, pickles, and dill to a small mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste… I recommend literally adding a bit, tasting and adding more if needed. I would say no more than 1/8 of a teaspoon each. Mix and chill until the eggs are ready.1/4 cup mayo, 3 teaspoons mustard, 3 teaspoons granulated sugar, to taste sea salt (1/8 teaspoon or less), to taste ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon or less)
Back to the Eggs
- Drain. After the eggs have rested in their hot tub, drain the water, and replace it with ice. Fill up the pan, then cover it with cold water. Let the eggs chill until the ice is melted or the eggs are completely cool to the touch.
- Shake. Drain the water and any remaining ice. Give the eggs a gentle shake in the saucepan so that they collide against each other and the pan to crack the shells. Don't go overboard or the shells might puncture the soft egg.
- Peel. Peel the eggs. Tip: run the eggs under water or submerse them as you peel to help remove stubborn pieces of shell.
- Chop. Slice and rough chop the eggs. Leave the pieces a bit chunky. Add the eggs to a bowl.
Combine
- Dressing. To the eggs, add the dressing. Using a large spoon, gently fold in the dressing until the eggs are completely coated.
- Buns. Scoop hefty spoonfuls of egg salad with pickles onto buns.4 buns
- Enjoy! Sprinkle with additional dill and serve immediately.
