Put An End To Watery Egg Salad Sandwiches With These 3 Tips

On paper, egg salad is a simple concoction. The dish is typically made with hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and salt and pepper. The mixture is then spooned onto two slices of soft bread and sometimes topped with lettuce and tomato. It can also be served with a side of potato chips or a salad to complete the meal. That said, there are a few mistakes that can ruin an egg salad sandwich, and one of these is not taking the proper steps to avoid egg salad that's overly wet, as this can result in a soggy end product. Luckily, Owen Han, content creator and author of "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich," spoke exclusively with Chowhound about how to prevent watery egg salad.

When it comes to egg salad sandwiches, Han had some expert insight. "Like a sandwich, salads rely heavily on texture," he told us. "A soggy sandwich is akin to a watery egg salad!" The sandwich connoisseur went on to offer a few steps you can take to ensure the perfect texture for your egg salad. "I would recommend drying your vegetables prior to mixing, gradually mixing in your mayonnaise ... and make sure to let your boiled eggs cool prior to chopping and adding them to the salad," he said, noting that one should "start with a little and don't overdo it" when mixing in the mayonnaise.

There are a few other ways to avoid a watery egg salad, such as using full-fat mayonnaise rather than a lower-fat version, as the latter tends to have a higher water content. You should also eat your egg salad while it's still fresh — the longer it sits, the more moisture is extracted from any watery ingredients that are included in the recipe, like onions or other vegetables. If you're making the dish for a large gathering, try prepping the ingredients but not mixing them until shortly before the event to ensure that your egg salad remains thick and creamy.

Once you get the texture down, you can start playing around with other swaps to bring your egg salad sandwich to the next level. One simple hack for an extra-creamy mixture is to make the recipe out of leftover deviled eggs and Greek yogurt, which will not only enhance the texture but will also add a tangy flavor. You can also put an international twist on the beloved sandwich by taking inspiration from recipes derived from other cultures. For instance, Polish egg salad typically calls for cream cheese instead of mayonnaise, and Moroccan egg salad requires olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley. You can also opt for simpler egg salad upgrades like swapping the regular mayonnaise for a garlic aioli or a spicy mayo, adding fresh herbs, or adding complementary ingredients like bacon.