Easy Egg Salad with Pickle Relish 

This Easy Egg Salad with Pickle Relish is thick, chunky, and made with just a few simple ingredients. A classic recipe egg salad that can be eaten on its own or used to make a deliciously filling sandwich.  

If you’re craving another southern style salad recipe, then be sure to try making some Southern-Style Tuna Salad. For a meatless option try making a batch of Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad or some Warm Macaroni Salad.

My introduction to egg salad was made during middle school lunch. If you didn’t want to have the regular hot lunch, there were various sandwiches available to purchase instead. The sandwiches ranged in price from $.50 to $2.00. 

Can you guess which sandwich was $.50? It was the egg salad sandwiches. Two pieces of regular white bread, or light bread as we called it, filled with a hefty serving of egg salad. 

This sandwich wasn’t popular with middle-school-age kids. It was known to be the sandwich of choice on the day you forgot your lunch money because it could be purchased easily with loose change and was filling enough to last you the rest of the day. 

My mom made a similar no-frills version with just a few basic ingredients that were always available in our kitchen including pickle relish. 

Simple but filling and delicious. Let’s get started!

Why Use Pickle Relish in Egg Salad?

Pickle relish may not be a traditional egg salad ingredient, but it certainly adds another layer of flavor that makes it super delicious. If you still need a little more convincing, here are a few reasons why you should add relish to your egg salad. 

• It adds a sweet and tangy flavor that balances the richness of the eggs and mayonnaise. 
• Relish adds moisture to the egg salad preventing it from being too dry and dense. 
• Provides a delicious texture element that brings a nice crunch to each bite. 

How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs 

• Place the eggs into a medium size pot or saucepan and cover with cold water. 
• Put the pot on the stovetop over medium high heat. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil. 
• Cover the pot with a lid, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water and chill for 10 to 15 minutes. This step makes the eggs easier to peel. 
• Peel the eggs, discard the egg shells, and use the eggs to make egg salad. 

Ingredients to Make the Best Egg Salad Recipe 

1. Eggs - The star and main ingredient in any classic egg salad recipe. You will need half a dozen eggs to make this recipe. You can boil fresh eggs yourself or purchase the hard-boiled eggs ready to go out of the pack from the grocery store. This ingredient helps to thicken the salad and provide protein. You may crumble, roughly chop, or grate the eggs depending on how chunky you prefer your egg salad.
2. Mayonnaise - Any brand of mayonnaise that you prefer or have on hand will work. I love using Duke’s Real Mayonnaise. This helps to bind the egg salad together and give it a creamy and slightly tangy flavor. If you're a fan of Miracle Whip, then you can use that as well. Greek yogurt could be used instead if you prefer a healthier alternative. 
3. Mustard - Use regular yellow mustard or Dijon mustard whichever you prefer. This will provide a nice tangy balance to the sweet and savory ingredients in the salad.
4. Sweet Pickle Relish - The sweet pickles provide a tart and sweet flavor that is a classic touch to any egg salad recipe. May use dill pickle relish, chopped dill pickles, or sweet salad cubes instead. 
5. Fresh Parsley - Chop some fresh parsley to add a bit of fresh herbs to the salad.
6. Salt and Ground Black Pepper - Seasons the egg salad, if you prefer to use more or less, then feel free to adjust the measurements to your desired taste.

See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Homemade Egg Salad 

Begin this easy recipe by hard boiling the eggs before mashing them with clean hands, roughly chopping them with a knife, or using a box grater to grate each egg into a large mixing bowl.

To the same bowl add the remaining ingredients of mayonnaise, mustard, sweet relish, fresh parsley, salt, and ground black pepper. Use a large spoon to gently stir all of the ingredients together until combined. 

Serve your southern-style egg salad immediately or place it into the refrigerator and allow it time to chill.

Enjoy it on its own, in lettuce wraps, on a bed of lettuce, or use it to make the perfect sandwich.

Egg Salad Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Try not to over-prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Use your hands to mash them into small pieces, roughly chop them with a knife, or use a box grater to grate them. But keep them a little bit big for chunky egg salad.
• Add in some chopped green onion, red onion, or celery for additional flavor and crunch.
• Use your favorite slices of bread to make a sandwich. Make it fancy by cutting off the crust, perfect to serve at gatherings and baby showers. You may also lightly toast the bread if you prefer, add lettuce, and sliced tomato to make a simple egg salad sandwich for a quick lunch.
• If you're boiling the eggs yourself, begin with a large pot of cold water over medium-high heat before adding in the eggs. Boiling the egg in an instant pot is also the best way to prepare the perfect hard-boiled eggs.
• Save this recipe for Easter time for a great way to use leftover easter eggs!

Storage Tips

Store this delicious egg salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container or sealed container for 2 to 3 days. Do not leave it at room temperature or out on the countertop for any length of time to prevent spoilage.  

This particular recipe is meant to be enjoyed shortly after it is made and should not be frozen or stored in the freezer for later. 

Want More Recipes You'll Love? Try These:

• Southern-Style Tuna Salad
• Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad
• Warm Macaroni Salad
• Ranch BLT Salad
• Lemon Pasta Salad
• Easy Deviled Eggs
• Greek Chicken Salad 
• Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas and ways to enjoy this Southern Egg Salad Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 03/15/2023. Updated 03/06/2024.