If you love a good deli-style egg salad, you’re going to want to save this recipe. With a handful of pantry staples and a few simple tricks, this version delivers all the creamy, tangy flavor you’d expect from your favorite deli—without the mess! I’ll also show you a small technique that helps keep your egg salad inside the sandwich (instead of falling out on your plate!).
Ready to mix it up? Let’s go!
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Why You’ll Love This Deli Style Egg Salad
There’s something so comforting about a simple egg salad. Whether served on toasted bread, tucked into a croissant, or scooped into lettuce wraps, it makes an easy, satisfying meal.
This recipe brings out the best of classic egg salad:
- Creamy and flavorful
- Quick and easy to make
- Great for meal prep
- Won’t fall out of your sandwich thanks to a simple mashing trick!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make deli style egg salad:
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion (or green onion)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickle
How to Hard-Boil Eggs
Perfectly cooked eggs are key to a great egg salad. No grey yolks or rubbery whites here!
- Place the eggs in a large pot. Cover with water, about 1 inch above the eggs.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold or ice water. Let them cool completely before peeling.
Mashing Tip: How to Keep Egg Salad in Your Sandwich
This little trick is a game-changer!
Mash all of the eggs finely but leave a few larger pieces for texture. If you cut all the eggs into large chunks, they tend to fall out of the bread when you take a bite. Leaving most of the eggs finely mashed helps bind the salad together, keeping it perfectly between those slices of bread.
How to Make Deli Style Egg Salad
Follow these easy steps:
- Hard-boil and peel the eggs.
- Mash the peeled eggs in a large bowl, leaving a few larger chunks for texture.
- Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, white pepper, salt, chopped onion, parsley, and chopped dill pickle.
- Gently fold everything together until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering how to serve your egg salad? Here are a few ideas:
- On toasted sandwich bread
- Inside croissants for a rich, buttery treat
- Wrapped in lettuce for a low-carb option
- In pita pockets
- As a filling for tea sandwiches
Pro tip: Toasted bread holds egg salad better for packed lunches.
Tips and Substitutions
- Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt or a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Onion: Sweet onion, green onion, or red onion all work well.
- Pickles: Try using bread and butter pickles for a sweeter twist, or leave them out if you prefer plain egg salad.
- Spice: Add a pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper for a little kick.
- Herbs: Swap parsley for fresh dill if you love that classic deli flavor.
Storage Tips
Store your egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze egg salad? I don’t recommend it. The texture of the mayo and eggs doesn’t hold up well after freezing and thawing.
Final Thoughts
That’s it! A deli style egg salad that’s creamy, flavorful, and holds together beautifully. Once you try this little mashing trick, I bet it’ll become your go-to method.
Do you have a favorite way to serve egg salad? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Until next time, let’s mix it up!
How To Make Pickled Vegetables
Deli Style Egg Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sweet onion or green onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup dill pickle finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with water (about 1 inch above the eggs).
- Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold or ice water and let cool completely.
- Peel the eggs.
- In a large bowl, mash all of the eggs finely, leaving a few larger pieces for texture.
- Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, white pepper, salt, chopped onion, parsley, and dill pickle.
- Gently fold everything together until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- Serve on bread, toast, croissants, lettuce wraps, or however you like!
Notes
- Use Greek yogurt in place of some or all of the mayonnaise for a lighter version.
- Try fresh dill instead of parsley for a classic deli flavor.
- Bread and butter pickles can be used in place of dill pickles for a sweeter variation.
- Store egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.