This easy Healthy Egg Salad is simple to make with hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado and makes the perfect nutritious breakfast, lunch or snack that you can throw together in 15 minutes. Full of protein and sure to hit the spot whether you add it to your salads, stuff it into a sandwich or devour it with a spoon! Vegetarian, paleo, low-carb and keto with Whole30 options.
PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas
Updated April 2023
Creamy Egg Salad With Avocado
Got leftover hard-boiled eggs to use up? Our family is crazy about this healthy egg salad. We prepare a big batch of Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs every single week for meal prepping and it’s simple to transform them into this addicting avocado egg salad. It’s such a versatile dish, and it’s wonderfully convenient for busy weekdays.
The avocado gives it an extra smooth and creamy texture while providing healthy fats to keep your body energized. The Dijon mustard ensures that every bite is infused with tangy goodness. Whether you’re making lunch for your family or contributing to a festive potluck, this simple egg salad will have everyone singing your praises.
Is Eating Egg Salad Good for You?
Unlike other egg salads, it keeps the use of mayonnaise to a minimum with plenty of alternative options for anyone who wants a completely mayo-free dish. This drastically reduces the salad’s calorie content, leaving room for healthier ingredients that provide even better flavor.
Avocados are known to help regulate blood pressure and bolster heart health. Eggs are full of essential nutrients that boost immunity and support brain function. All in all, this dish is loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, potassium, antioxidants and so much more. You can also easily adapt it to suit your specific dietary needs!
What You’ll Need
Our fridge is always stocked with either Instant Pot or Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs, but we’ll go over how to cook them on the stovetop in the recipe below in case you don’t have any on hand. Note that the amounts associated with each ingredient can be found in the recipe card that follows this post.
- Eggs: Hard-boiled and roughly chopped.
- Red Onion: Finely diced.
- Celery: Finely diced.
- Small Avocado: Finely chopped.
- Pickles: Finely chopped. We like Bubbies spicy dill pickles for an extra kick of heat. If you’re not a fan of pickles, capers works great too.
- Whole30 Mayonnaise: Feel free to swap this out for a vegan mayonnaise, dairy-free Greek-style yogurt (regular Greek yogurt works too) hummus or dairy-free sour cream.
- Dijon Mustard: Added to taste
- Fresh Chives: Chopped. Sub with green onions if preferred.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
- Fresh Dill: Chopped.
How to Make Healthy Egg Salad
This creamy egg salad comes together in 15 minutes if your eggs are pre-cooked. If you have to cook them on the spot, just remember to let them cool completely before you add them to the salad.
Cook the Eggs if Needed
If you don’t have any extra hard-boiled eggs leftover from Easter or the weekend of meal prepping, go ahead and make the hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot, Air Fryer or on the stovetop.
Boil: Cover the eggs with very hot tap water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat off, close the lid and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Let Sit: Allow the saucepan to sit undisturbed for 18 minutes.
- Let Cool: Uncover the saucepan and pour out the hot water. Run the eggs under very cold water or place them in an icebath and allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes, until they’ve cooled to room temperature.
- Peel & Chop: Peel and chop the cooled eggs.
Make the Salad
- Mash Avocado: Use a fork to mash the avocado in a large bowl.
- Add Eggs, Lemon Juice, Mayo & Mustard: Add the chopped eggs, lemon juice, half a tablespoon of mayonnaise and half a tablespoon of mustard. Mix to combine.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Season to taste with salt, black pepper and chopped dill. You can add the remainder of the mayonnaise and dijon mustard if you’d like a creamier consistency.
- Enjoy! Serve your egg salad at room temperature or chill it in the fridge and enjoy it cold.
Tips for Success
This recipe really doesn’t leave room for error, but it’s still helpful to review some general tips and tricks:
- Cook the Eggs Ahead of Time: Hard-boiled eggs stay fresh in the fridge all week, so it only makes sense to incorporate them into your meal prep routine! That way, you can get this ultra-satisfying egg salad on the table in minutes.
- Pick a Good Avocado: You want your avocado to be ripe, but not overripe. If it seems mushy when you cut it open, then it’s better suited for Guacamole.
- Season to Taste: Go ahead and give your egg salad as many taste tests as you need to make sure it’s perfectly seasoned. Just try not to devour it all in one sitting!
Add-In Ideas
There are plenty of extra fixings that would taste amazing in this salad. Here are some tempting options!
- Shredded Chicken
- Bacon Bits
- Diced Tomato
- Chopped Cilantro
- Grated Carrots
- Pesto Sauce
- Pickle Relish
- Diced Ham
- Chopped Spinach
Ways to Serve Avocado Egg Salad
You can take this salad in so many different directions, and they’re all delicious! One of my personal favorite things to do with it is make egg salad sandwiches. Just stuff the salad between two slices of Keto Bread, add in some kale and cabbage slaw and enjoy!
Scooping the egg salad into lettuce wraps is another fail-proof way to dress it up a little. Unless you’re Whole30, you could also use it as a stuffing for pita bread. If you’re trying to dig in as soon as possible, simply serve it by itself and savor the beautiful blend of textures and flavors.
Storage Instructions
Make sure you don’t leave your egg salad at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Place it in an airtight container and keep it chilled in the fridge. It will last this way for up to 3 days. The avocado will start to brown after a day or two, but it’ll still taste great.
Does This Freeze Well?
I can’t say it does. If you try to store this dish in the freezer, the eggs will take on a rubbery texture and release moisture into the salad, making it watery and unappetizing.
More Easy Egg Recipes
This easy Healthy Egg Salad is simple to make with hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado and makes the perfect nutritious breakfast, lunch or snack that you can throw together in 15 minutes. Full of protein and sure to hit the spot whether you add it to your salads, stuff it into a sandwich or devour it with a spoon! Vegetarian, paleo, low-carb and keto with Whole30 options.
- 6 large eggs
- 2-3 tbsp red onion finely diced (rinse or soak in cold water for 1-2 minutes to remove some of the harsh bite if preferred)
- 1 celery rib finely diced (about ¼ - ⅓ cup)
- 1 small avocado finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped spicy dill pickles we like Bubbies - use regular dill pickles if you prefer no heat, capers work too
- 2 tbsp vegan mayo you can also sub with Whole30 compliant avocado oil mayo, dairy-free Greek-style yogurt (regular Greek yogurt works too if not dairy-free for added protein), dairy-free sour cream (or regular if not dairy-free) or even hummus
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped, (may sub with green onions if preferred)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Fine sea salt or kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Sandwich Bread of choice lightly toasted (gluten-free / grain-free as needed)
- Dairy-free or regular butter / ghee for spreading
- Butter / bibb lettuce and a few baby spinach leaves
- Place eggs in a medium pot and fill with cold water enough to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn the heat off. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness..
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water (ice water bath) and let them sit for 6-10 minutes to stop the cooking process.
Gently peel the hard-boiled eggs then use an egg slicer or a sharp knife to dice into chunks or your preferred chunkiness. Add to a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the vegetables by chopping the red onion, celery, avocado, pickles, fresh herbs and add to the bowl.
Add the mayo and mustard then squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings / mayo / mustard as needed.
Serve in your favorite salads, in lettuce wraps or a sandwich or store any extras in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Toast sandwich bread slices in a toaster or on a pan until lightly golden. Spread a little bit of butter on both pieces, then add a few pieces of lettuce and baby spinach to each slice. Top the bottom half with some egg salad. Close the sandwich with the top slice, then press down gently. Cut the sandwich into halves and enjoy.
Recipe Video
Don't leave egg salad at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
