This is not your grandma’s egg salad recipe; it’s loaded with hot sauce, minced Thai chili pepper, and plenty of fresh herbs for a bright, spicy breakfast recipe.
Just-barely-hard-boiled eggs are lightly mashed in a tangy, spicy dressing. This salad is perfect for your favorite type of toast or roll. I served it on a simple slice of toasted sandwich bread. Try it on a Kaiser roll, bagel, or on top of a thick slice of toasted sourdough.
How gorgeous is this slice of toast with egg salad? To complete the meal, I served with a thick slice of tomato and some lightly dressed greens.
The minced Thai chili pepper adds a nice kick that really adds to the egg salad. The dressed greens and fresh herbs help balance the richness of the eggs and mayonnaise.
How to make this spicy egg salad recipe:
Making this egg salad is a breeze! Start with the dressing and set it aside. Next, boil the eggs. Aim for a 9-minute boil for this egg salad. The yolks set up without becoming runny or overcooked.
For this recipe, I don’t like to over-mash the eggs. Instead, once you peel the eggs, cut each one into big chunks. Then, gently fold the eggs into the dressing. Do a few turns in the dressing so that the eggs begin to break a little, but don’t turn into mush. Once the salad is done, you can refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Be sure you store it in an airtight container!
For the herb garnish, simply mix together a few chopped herbs–chives, dill, scallion, and tender greens–with minced Thai chili pepper, lemon juice and zest, and salt. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and gently toss everything together. You can use your favorite herbs here! Try it with cilantro, parsley, or even tarragon. Microgreens or watercress would be excellent choices for baby greens!
From there, simply toast up some bread and add a thick slice of tomato on top of each piece of toast. Then, pile that gorgeous salad on top and finish with the dressed herbs. Once you’re ready to serve, add a few splashes of hot sauce on top for good measure!
Spicy Egg Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pot
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 Thai chili pepper minced, divided
- Hot sauce to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives minced
- A few sprigs of dill fronds torn
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- A few pinches of tender greens (such as baby spinach, mesclun mix, mâche, or baby arugula)
- ½ lemon juiced and zested
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 thick slices of tomato salted
- 6 slices of warm buttered toast
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Mix the mayonnaise and distilled white vinegar in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add half the minced Thai chili pepper and a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare eggs:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, gently lower the eggs into the water and cook for exactly 9 minutes. Do not overcook. Once the eggs finish cooking, transfer them to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel and then cut the eggs into large chunks. You can cut each egg in half lengthwise and cut each half into thirds crosswise. Set aside.
- Gently toss the eggs in the bowl of dressing; do not over-stir.
Prepare the herb garnish:
- In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the minced chives, sliced scallion, dill fronds, and the remaining minced Thai chili pepper to the lemon and olive oil and toss to coat. Add in the baby greens and toss to coat gently, being careful not to bruise them. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To serve:
- On top of each slice of toast, add a tomato slice. Carefully spoon the egg salad on top. Pile the greens on top of the eggs. Finish with a few shakes of hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy!
