Mayo-Free Egg Salad Recipe

This might be controversial, but I’ve never been a fan of mayonnaise. To me, it’s too rich, too eggy, and too gloopy. This is most likely because I grew up in a Miracle Whip household, where mayo was nowhere to be found. In its place, we dolloped the tangy zip of Miracle Whip onto tomato sandwiches, into our egg salad, or even folded it into our chocolate cake batter.

While I’ve retired my jar of Miracle Whip dressing, my deep love for egg salad sandwiches remains. They remind me of Saturday lunches at my grandma’s kitchen table, and this nostalgic sandwich filling was one of my top five pregnancy cravings. To this day, egg salad is one of my go-to easy lunches.

Creamy Without the Mayo

Let’s be clear: I’m not against mayonnaise because of its fat content—I believe that egg salads need fat to really shine—but what if instead of mayonnaise, we used something a little different? A little…. green? Enter the avocado: a rich, slightly fruity, ever-creamy alternative to add a little zhuzh to your egg salad.

To use avocado as a binder instead of mayo, all you need to do is mash it with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil to help thin it out. The olive oil not only improves the consistency, but its grassy notes are a nice contrast to the creamy egg yolks and avocado.

Quick Tips

• I’ve included my favorite way to hard-boil eggs, but use your favorite method for the best results. The eggs can be hard-boiled and stored in the fridge, unpeeled, for up to three days before proceeding with the recipe.
• There are many schools of thought on egg salad preparation. There’s chopping, there’s mashing, but I prefer using the largest holes of my box grater for perfect egg distribution in every bite. If you prefer a chunkier consistency, chop away!
• I always have a variety of fresh herbs in my fridge, like dill, parsley, and chives. I think that almost any (savory) dish can benefit from the brightness and flavor of fresh herbs, and this egg salad is no egg-ception. I like dill and chives best here, but if you can’t find chives, use a finely chopped green onion instead. 

How To Make My Mayo-Free Egg Salad

To make four servings (about 2 cups) of egg salad, you’ll need:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or finely chopped green onions
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add the eggs in a single layer to a medium pot and cover with at least an inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, set a timer for 7 minutes and turn the heat down to medium. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to stop their cooking. Once cooled, peel the eggs.

Set a box grater in a large bowl. Grate the hard-boiled eggs on the largest holes of the box grater.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a large spoon to scoop out each avocado half, discard the peel, and transfer to a small bowl. Finely grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lemon half, then juice the lemon and measure out 1 teaspoon juice. Add the lemon zest and juice to the bowl with the avocado along with the olive oil and Dijon mustard. Mash until the avocado is broken down and the ingredients are well combined.

Add the avocado mixture to the bowl with the grated eggs and mix to combine. Add the dill and chives and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

This egg salad is best eaten on the day it is made, but it will last up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the top. The avocado will oxidize and turn brown over time, so while it is still safe to eat, note that its color will change.