The Umami-Packed Fish That Gives A Flavor Boost To Egg Salad

If your egg salad is a little blah and you just can't figure out why, you may want to try adding a little fish. Yes, anchovies really can be a secret flavor booster for your egg salad. If you find the idea of fish in your egg salad unsettling you may be surprised to learn that anchovies are a key ingredient in Caesar salad dressing. This tasty little fish can also be found in Worcestershire sauce. They have loads of umami to give the salad a wonderful depth of flavor. Umami, for the uninitiated, is often considered to be the fifth element of taste that gives food a deep, rich, meaty savoriness.

Anchovies are small, saltwater fish that typically come packed in oil in cans or jars and which are a perfect vehicle for delivering the umami punch your egg salad needs. Anchovy paste, which is typically made from ground anchovies mixed with salt and olive oil, is another option. When used in appropriate amounts, anchovies don't necessarily make dishes taste fishy; instead, they add a salty, rich flavor. Now that we've hopefully convinced you to give this a try, let's explore how to best incorporate anchovies into your next egg salad.

The easiest way to add anchovies to your egg salad is to mince a 2-ounce can or jar's worth of the fish for every six eggs, then add it to your normal egg salad recipe along with the rest of the ingredients. If you prefer using anchovy paste, use about 1 ½ tablespoons for six hard-boiled eggs. Because the fish tends to be salty, be sure that you adjust the salt levels to suit your taste. In other words, before adding any additional salt, taste the mixture first.

If you're looking for a lower-sodium option, sardines typically have much less salt than anchovies while still bringing a ton of umami with an even milder flavor than anchovies. There are a lot of ways to improve your egg salad sandwich, like adding a bit of pickle juice to brighten it up or fresh herbs for a pop of flavor, but if you want to make your egg salad a real standout, a few canned anchovies or a squeeze of anchovy paste will do the trick nicely.