How to Make an Egg Salad Sandwich

How to Make an Egg Salad Sandwich

An egg salad sandwich is a simple meal you can prepare ahead of time and bring to work, school, or on a picnic. The protein from the eggs will keep you full, and you can flavor it however, you want. To get started, hard-boil and peel the eggs for your egg salad. Then, mix in mayonnaise until the eggs are creamy and chunky. Layer the egg salad on your choice of bread that is toasted or untoasted. Enjoy the classic egg salad sandwich with a little salt and pepper to taste, or transform it by adding sliced vegetables and additional seasonings.

Ingredients Egg Salad

8 large hard-boiled eggs

12 c (120 mL) mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

1-teaspoon (4.9 mL) Dijon or yellow mustard (optional)

1-teaspoon (4.9 mL) lemon juice (optional)

Sandwich Components

Egg salad

8 slices of your choice bread

Sliced or chopped vegetables like lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapenos, or green onion (optional)

Herb sprigs like rosemary, thyme, or cilantro (optional)

Crispy bacon (optional)

Yields 4 sandwiches

How to Make an Egg Salad Sandwich

Boiling and Peeling the Eggs

1. Boil 8 large eggs in a pot filled with water over a high heat for 10 minutes. Boil the 8 eggs that are submerged in a pot of water. Then, remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on the pot, and let the eggs rest in the hot water for 10 minutes.[1]

This will produce hard-boiled eggs that will be perfect to use for the egg salad.

2. Drain hot water from the pot and refill it with cool water to chill the eggs. Use a heat-resistant spoon or the lid of the pot to hold back the eggs as you drain the water. Tip the pot slowly to avoid cracking or jostling the eggs. Then, fill the pot with enough cool water to submerge the eggs. The cool water will prevent the eggs from continuing to cook as they rest.

Alternatively, use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs into a colander. Then, run the colander under cool water to temperate the warm eggs.

3. Allow the eggs to cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before peeling them. Leave the eggs in the cool water and place them into the refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling, or transfer the eggs into a smaller bowl without the water and refrigerate them. Leaving the eggs in the water may help to soften the shell for peeling, but it is not necessary to do.

If the eggs are still warm after the 30 minutes, let them remain in the refrigerator for at least another 15 minutes.

4. Tap the ends of an egg against a countertop to create cracks around the shell. Start at by tapping each of the ends of the eggshell against the surface. Use a gentle force to avoid crushing or splitting the hard-boiled egg inside.

Instead of tapping the egg against the countertop, you can tap the back of a metal spoon against the shell to create the starting cracks

5. Roll the egg against the countertop to spread the cracks. Apply a gentle, but firm pressure against the egg as you press and roll it along the countertop or between your hands. This motion with spread the starting cracks around the entire shell of the egg.

Repeat this process for the other 7 hard-boiled eggs.

Roll the egg against or over a paper towel to catch any shell pieces that fall off. This will make cleaning up easier.

6. Use your fingers to gently peel away the shell on each of the eggs. Start peeling the shell at the wider end of the egg, as that end will have a small air pocket to work from easily. Continue to work your fingers around the egg until the shell is removed entirely. Then, rinse the egg under cool water if needed to remove any shell fragments.

If you are having a hard time peeling the eggs, try peeling them under running water over your kitchen sink. The water will get between the egg and its shell, and cause the shell to peel off easier.


How to Make an Egg Salad Sandwich

Making the Egg Salad

1. Cut the 8 peeled eggs in half and place the halves into a mixing bowl. Place the eggs on a cutting board to avoid scratching the surface you are working on. Then, use a knife to carefully cut the eggs in half. This will make it easier to break up the eggs into small pieces.

If you want, you can leave the peeled eggs whole, but you may have a harder time mashing them.

2. Mash the eggs with the back of a spoon or fork to create smaller pieces. Press each egg half against the side of the mixing bowl with the back of a spoon or fork. Break up the eggs into a mixture of 12 in (1.3 cm) and 1 in (2.5 cm) sized pieces. Avoid mashing the eggs into pieces smaller than a marble. This way the finished egg salad will have a varied texture over a purely creamed one.

3. Add 12 c (120 mL) of mayonnaise to the mixing bowl with the eggs. Use your spoon or fork to coat the egg pieces in mayonnaise. Rotate the eggs gently rather than rapidly stirring the mixture. This will help retain the size of your egg pieces.

If the egg salad seems dry or if you want the texture to be creamier, add in more mayonnaise until you reach a desired consistency.

Make the egg salad tangy by mixing a 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, or lemon juice in with the mayonnaise.

4. Season the egg salad with spices and herbs to further elevate the flavor. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Then have fun experimenting with other spices and herbs to further flavor the egg salad.

Make the egg salad spicy by mixing in a 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) of paprika or chili powder. Alternatively, dice up some jalapenos or bell peppers and stir those into the egg salad.

Add some sprigs of rosemary or thyme to give the egg salad a subtle earthy flavor.

Egg Salad Sandwich

How to Make an Egg Salad Sandwich

Assembling the Sandwich

1. Place 2 slices of bread on a flat surface to use as a base for your sandwich. Choose a type of bread that you enjoy eating. Just make sure that the slices are at least 12 in (1.3 cm) thick; otherwise, it might not support the weight of the egg salad.

Make a classic egg salad sandwich with 2 slices of white bread, or opt for a more flavorful option like rye bread, pumpernickel, whole wheat, or whole grain bread.[12]

Give the sandwich an added crunch by lightly toasting your bread before assembling. The warmth of the bread will meld the flavors of the rest of the ingredients on your sandwich.

Consider using a hunk of Italian bread, a warm croissant, a toasted bagel, or even a large tortilla as the base of your sandwich.

2. Spread 1/4 of the egg salad onto one of the bread slices. Do not feel like you have to use exactly 1/4 of the egg salad mixture on your sandwich. Spoon on as much or as little as you want. Then, use a butter knife to spread the mixture across the surface of the bread.

Just be careful not to add more egg salad than the bread can handle. This way, the bread will not fall apart and you will be able to comfortably pick up and eat your sandwich.

3. Add dimension to the sandwich by layering on sliced vegetables or meat. Enjoy you’re a classic egg salad sandwich by eating it plain, or give the sandwich texture by adding vegetables and meat. Think of some of your favorite sandwich ingredients and include them on your egg salad sandwich.

Transform the classic egg salad sandwich into a BLT-combo by adding crispy slices of bacon, a couple leaves of lettuce, and thin slices of tomato.

Create a Mexican food inspired sandwich by pairing the egg salad with creamy slices of avocado, chopped green onions, and fresh cilantro.

Compliment the creaminess of the egg salad by sprinkling some sharp cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese for flavor.

4. Place the second piece of bread on top of the piece with the egg salad. Carefully press the sandwich together. Serve the sandwich by itself, or pair it with a side of mixed fruit to break up the creaminess of the egg salad. Then, cut your sandwich in half with a serrated knife to make it easier to pick up, and enjoy.

Repeat this process for the other 3 sandwiches or save the rest of the egg salad for later.

5. Store leftover egg salad in a sealed container and refrigerate up to 5 days. If you are not planning to eat all of the egg salad at once, then transfer it to a container that can be sealed. Then, place it in the refrigerator, and enjoy over the next 5 days.

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