Important points
Boiled eggs are a polarizing food in our house. That means I’m the only one who likes them. Mix mayonnaise into an egg salad and you’ll be eating your favorite meal completely on its own.
I love egg salad. Because it’s easy, high in protein, and versatile for weekday lunches. But I also understand why it’s a tough sell for some people. Egg salad is notorious for being the last to be harvested at picnics, and can be flat or mushy in flavor.
For these reasons, when I read about Smitten Kitchen’s Egg Salad Grow-Up nearly a decade ago, my taste buds were thrilled, and my midweek lunches have been upgraded ever since.
Any tips? Adding early-pickled celery, says Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, “adds a little kick and crunch, and once you’re hooked, you won’t be able to make it any other way.” Speaking from experience, I agree.
Deb mixes white wine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar with diced celery and lets it soak for at least 30 minutes. During this time, prepare the eggs. Pickles can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 days, so you can have instant egg salad all week long.
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How to easily pickle vegetables
Celery is a classic addition to egg salad, but any easily pickled vegetable can add flavor and texture to egg salad. Think cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, or blanched green beans. The key is to slice it thinly to achieve the perfect bite. I usually keep pickled red onions in the fridge, and I prefer them over celery in my egg salad for color, acidity, and texture.
If you’re new to pickles, there’s no need to be intimidated. It’s very simple, requires only a few ingredients, and takes very little time and effort. Here’s how:
To make pickling liquid, mix 1 cup of water, 1 cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. It’s very easy to remember.
Mix water and white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. It has a refreshing and fruity scent, which is my favorite. If you don’t have enough vinegar, lemon or lime juice is a great substitute. Citrus acidity adds a bright, fresh flavor to quick pickles.
Add salt and sweetener to the mixture. My sweetener of choice is maple syrup. I live in Vermont, but honey and sugar are also great substitutes.
Add finely chopped vegetables to the liquid. Use a jar with a tight-fitting lid for easy shaking, or mash the vegetables into the pickling liquid with a wooden spoon to release the flavor more fully.
A short soak in the pickling liquid is enough, but marinating the vegetables for at least 30 minutes deepens their flavor, making them even more appealing in egg salads.
