Healthy Egg Salad with Pickles – Combine hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika, to make a creamy egg salad with pickles; use it as a salad topping or filling for a sandwich or croissant.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Eggs: It wouldn’t be egg salad without hard-boiled eggs; make Instant Pot hard boiled eggs for perfectly cooked eggs every time.
- Mayonnaise: Use mayonnaise to bind the ingredients together and provide creaminess. You can adjust the amount based on your desired consistency.
- Dijon Mustard: Use Dijon or whole-grain mustard for a tangy twist.
- Pickles: Chopped dill pickles add crunch, flavor, and freshness.
- Spices: Season the egg salad recipe with pickles using salt, paprika, and pepper.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
- Replace some or all of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado for a creamy twist. And for a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
- Incorporate chopped bacon or smoked salmon into the salad.
- Add Madras yellow curry powder for a curried version of the dish.
- Add diced vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, or carrots; it’s a great way to incorporate more veggies into your meal.
- If you enjoy a bit of spice, add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or diced jalapeños.
HOW TO MAKE EGG SALAD WITH PICKLES
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet in an Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water. Secure the lid and set it to manual high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release naturally for 5 minutes. Next, add the cooked eggs to an ice bath for another 5 minutes.

Chop the hard-boiled eggs and transfer them to a serving bowl.

Add the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, chopped pickles, salt, paprika, and pepper.

Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

EXPERT TIPS
- Begin with perfectly boiled eggs. My favorite way to prepare them is in the Instant Pot. Cooking hard-boiled eggs this way produces easy-to-peel eggs each time. The Instant Pot 5-5-5 technique requires three steps- 5 minutes of high pressure, 5 minutes of natural release, and 5 minutes of an ice-cold water plunge.
- Our egg salad with pickles recipe is best served cold; pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before digging in.
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SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve egg salad on toasted bread or croissant to make a classic egg salad sandwich, or spread it on crackers. Fill romaine or butter lettuce as we do for our beef lettuce wraps for a lighter option. The salad is also an excellent topping for bagels or a filling for wraps.
WHAT GOES WELL WITH EGG SALAD SANDWICHES?
- Toppings: Avocado, Smoked Salmon, Crumbled Bacon, Pickled Onions, Sumac Onions, Sliced Peppers, Tomato Slices
- Salad – Fruit Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Cucumber Beet Salad, Piyaz, Corn Salad
- Coleslaw – Vinegar Coleslaw, Homemade Coleslaw with Cilantro and Mint
- Potatoes – Potato Chips, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Potatoes
- And more tasty sides like Baked Beans with Hamburger, Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container; egg salad with pickles will keep for 2-3 days.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I hard boil the eggs on the stovetop?
Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 9-12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Does egg salad contain pickles?
Pickles are often used as an ingredient in egg salad to add a tangy, crunchy element to the mixture. Diced pickles, usually sweet or dill, can be added to the egg salad along with other ingredients such as mayonnaise, mustard, and spices. However, some recipes include fresh or dried dill rather than chopped pickles.
What kind of pickles do you put in egg salad?
Chopped dill pickles are my go-to choice for adding a tangy and sour flavor to egg salad- they perfectly complement its creamy, rich texture. You can also chop sweet pickles or bread and butter pickles for a bit of variation.
However, I recommend setting aside the time to chop the pickles (no matter what flavor you choose) instead of using relish; it makes all the difference in the consistency and texture, especially if you prefer a little crunch.
What makes egg salad soupy?
Overcooked eggs will release more moisture, affecting the salad’s consistency. So, here’s a tip: dunk those eggs in an ice bath right after cooking to stop them from cooking any further. Let them cool down completely, and give them a good chop before tossing them into the salad. I also recommend using the suggested amount of mayonnaise in the recipe.
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Egg Salad with Pickles
- 8 large eggs, hard-boiled
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2-3 dill pickle spears, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs:
- Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet in an Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water. Secure the lid and set it to manual high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release naturally for 5 minutes. Next, add the cooked eggs to an ice bath for another 5 minutes.
For the Egg Salad:
- Chop the hard-boiled eggs and transfer them to a serving bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, chopped pickles, salt, paprika, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- Begin with perfectly boiled eggs. My favorite way to prepare them is in the Instant Pot. Cooking hard-boiled eggs this way produces easy-to-peel eggs each time. The Instant Pot 5-5-5 technique requires three steps- 5 minutes of high pressure, 5 minutes of natural release, and 5 minutes of an ice-cold water plunge.
- Egg salad with pickles is best served cold; pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before digging in.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.