A creamy egg salad, bound with mayonnaise and perked up with mustard, capers, and chili flakes.
The creamy dressing coats the chunks of egg, the mustard adds bite, the capers cut through with their salty tang, and the chili flakes leave a distinct heat. This egg salad is a cold dish of hard-boiled eggs bound with mustard mayonnaise, with a fresh herb and a tangy condiment. Serving 2 people, it takes 10 minutes to prepare and 7 to 9 minutes to cook the eggs. Allow roughly 1 g of net carbs per serving. File it alongside my keto soups and salads.
What is egg salad?
Egg salad is a cold dish of cooked eggs mixed with a dressing. Its base combines chopped hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise to bind, mustard for a kick, a fresh aromatic, and a tangy condiment. Chives add a delicate herbal freshness; spring onions, also known as scallions, offer a more pronounced flavor and a little crunch.
The balance is mainly about texture. The salad should be creamy without ever being runny, and the egg whites should remain visible beneath the dressing to retain some bite. Capers or a gherkin temper the richness of the mayonnaise, mustard brings the heat, and extra virgin olive oil gives this richer version its signature touch.
The idea behind this version
This egg salad is a simple, practical homemade dish designed for buffets, picnics, and impromptu lunches. Cooked eggs, a creamy binder, a little mustard, a touch of freshness, and a tangy note are all you need.
How you serve it depends on the occasion. Spooned onto baguette slices, it makes an appetizer; tucked into a sandwich or wrap, it becomes a quick meal; at brunch, with toast and hot coffee, it rounds out the spread. The ingredients remain classic, but the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of chili flakes add richness and a pronounced kick.
The main ingredients
The 3 eggs for 2 people form the base: cut into chunks, they provide structure and tenderness while retaining some bite. Fresh chives, two handfuls, are delicate and herbal; spring onions, two stalks sliced into half-moons, are more assertive and crunchy. Choose one or the other, rather than using both.
A generous tablespoon of capers or a small gherkin livens up the dressing; draining them well keeps it from becoming watery. The 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise coat the eggs and carry the flavors, acting as the binder and the main source of creaminess. For a milder, umami-rich variation, Japanese mayonnaise also works. The 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard add body and a hint of heat.
A tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil adds a velvety touch. The 2 teaspoons of chili flakes can make the salad quite spicy, depending on their strength; they are more than just decoration. As for salt, 3 generous pinches of sea salt are enough, since the mayonnaise, mustard, and condiments already contribute salt; 2 pinches of black pepper round out the seasoning.
Technique and serving tips
Two things matter most at the outset: cooking and chopping. Allow 7 to 8 minutes for yolks that are still creamy, or 9 minutes for fully hard-boiled eggs, with their size and starting temperature affecting the result. An air fryer soft-boiled egg requires more precise cooking if you want a runny yolk. When mixing, a light touch keeps the chunks intact: first combine the eggs with the herb and capers, then coat everything with the mayonnaise, mustard, oil, chili, salt, and pepper without crushing it.
Keep the liquid from the caper or gherkin jar out of the mixing bowl, as it could dilute the dressing: the salad should stay creamy, never watery. At the table, serve it on toast, baguette slices, or crackers; in a sandwich or wrap, add it just before serving so the bread does not go soggy. Soft sandwich bread, as used for a tamago sando, really showcases this filling. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container at 4 °C or below, should be served cold, and does not freeze well.
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Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 handfuls fresh chives or 2 spring onion stalks
- 1 heaped tablespoon capers or 1 small pickle
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or smooth mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 3 generous pinches salt (Celtic sea salt)
- 2 pinches black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the eggs (7 to 8 minutes to keep them slightly creamy, 9 minutes for fully hard-boiled eggs). Then run them under cold water to stop the cooking and let them cool a little.3 eggs
- Halve the spring onion lengthwise. Slice it into half-rings, rinse in a colander and leave to drain. Alternatively, finely snip the chives.2 handfuls fresh chives
- Leave the capers to drain. Alternatively, chop the pickle and pat it dry.1 heaped tablespoon capers
- Peel the eggs and cut them into pieces.
- Place the spring onion, capers and eggs in the bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, mix, and it’s ready.3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or smooth mustard, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons chili flakes, 3 generous pinches salt (Celtic sea salt), 2 pinches black pepper
