American

Grated Egg Salad

by:
October  4, 2022
5
5 Ratings
Grated Egg Salad
Photo by Carolina Gelen
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • serves 2 to 4
Author Notes

I started grating hard-boiled eggs a while back, when I couldn’t find my egg slicer, and I’ve been doing it ever since. You can grate eggs coarsely or finely, then pile directly on toast, or salads, or really anything you can think of. For this recipe, grating yields an egg salad unlike any other. Instead of chunky, the texture is airy and light, thanks to delicate wisps of white and yolk. Feel free to swap in your favorite method for hard-boiling eggs—just make sure the yolk is fully set, not runny. Beyond the classic mayo and mustard, this salad has tons of flavor: toasted and crushed spices, freshly chopped herbs, a whole jalapeño, and both lemon juice and zest for brightness. Spread it on toast, turn it into sandwiches, or, my favorite, serve it with crunchy potato chips. If you're serving it open-faced on toast, you can boil an extra egg and grate that on top of the egg salad as a pretty garnish. —Carolina Gelen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced or finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
Directions
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the eggs and boil for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add the coriander, fennel, and peppercorns to a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toast until fragrant and the fennel seeds are golden, swirling the pan occasionally and keeping a close eye. Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, coarsely grind.
  3. When the eggs are done, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to chill. Crack them on a countertop, then peel them under the water.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, garlic, Dijon, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne, toasted spices and salt. Stir in the jalapeño and cilantro or parsley.
  5. Coarsely or finely grate the boiled eggs, then gently stir those in. Taste and add more salt, cayenne, and lemon juice as needed.
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  • Stacy Abernathy
    Stacy Abernathy
  • Carolina Gelen
    Carolina Gelen
  • MamaBeasley
    MamaBeasley
  • Patsymc
    Patsymc
Carolina Gelen
Carolina is a resident at Food52. She's also one of the hosts of Choose Your Own Recipe Adventure, our YouTube show where our Food52 readers pick the ingredients and techniques for a brand new recipe. Carolina recently immigrated to the U.S. from Transylvania, a place she spent most of her life. She continues to get inspired by the classic Romanian and Hungarian foods she was raised on, creating approachable, colorful, and fun recipes. For more cooking ideas and candid moments, check out her Instagram @carolinagelen.

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12 Reviews

MamaBeasley
MamaBeasley February 23, 2023
The flavor in this egg salad in unmatched. For me, it’s a little dressing heavy so I’m currently boiling two additional eggs to grate. Also pondering how this could be turned into deviled eggs. YUM.
 
Patsymc
Patsymc January 30, 2023
This was wonderful Rather than grating used small kitchenaide Will make again and again
 
Quinn
Quinn October 26, 2022
Taste builds after initial bite. Not a dish to be eaten quickly, rather savored slowly. My cilantro and parsley died on me, had to use up the chives. Still delicious. Thought I could get away with the three hard boiled eggs on hand, but that fourth really improved it. Would not be amiss as party favor on Melba or saltine. Has me thinking of caviar and cava for some reason.
 
Stacy A.
Stacy A. March 18, 2022
Best Egg Salad ever. I added an extra egg. Sub. radish for jalapeno just because I didn't have one. Fantastic.
 
diksha2809
diksha2809 March 17, 2022
Just had this egg salad on toast for dinner! I used ground coriander because that was all I had on hand. Carolina, your recipes never miss :)
 
meg
meg March 16, 2022
Making this tomorrow for an appetizer for St. Patricks day. Are the spices intended as a garnish?
 
Carolina G.
Carolina G. March 16, 2022
They can be used as a garnish, but the goal is to stir them into the actual mixture :)
 
anneemarr
anneemarr March 15, 2022
I definitely plan on making this, especially since the recipe calls for grinding the coriander, fennel, and black pepper! However, you fail to mention putting it into the mayo mixture? or is it supposed to be a garnish?
 
Carrie
Carrie March 16, 2022
There is a video on the instagram page and it looks like it gets tossed into the mix right after the salt & cayenne and before the jalapeno & cilantro.
 
Carolina G.
Carolina G. March 16, 2022
Simply add them to the mayo mixture while making the salad :)
 
smrock
smrock March 15, 2022
You don't mention when or how much of the toasted spices to add. Otherwise, grating the eggs sounds like an interesting approach that I should try!
 
Carolina G.
Carolina G. March 16, 2022
All toasted spices should be mixed in mayo alongside the other ingredients!