This Is the Secret to the Best-Ever Egg Salad Sandwich

If you’re an egg salad lover, we’ve got a tip for you for making the absolute creamiest of creamy egg salad sandwiches. Actually, Top Chef Carla Hall of Top Chef and The Chew fame has a tip for you that she got from her friend, James Beard award-winner Nancy Silverton. And you know what we do when chefs start spilling cooking secrets? We listen up! So let’s refresh our favorite vintage recipe and see how much better it can get.

What Is the Secret to the Perfect Egg Salad Sandwich?

Drumroll, please…for the ultimate egg salad creaminess, instead of reaching for the knife to slice and dice, you’re going to want to do two things a little differently. First, separate the yolks from the whites, then tear the whites and crumble the yolks and combine with mayonnaise and other ingredients.

Carla didn’t say exactly why this works, but the way we see it there are two things happening here: One is that when the yolks are separated from the egg whites, they will mix more fully with the mayo, producing more of that deviled egg filling effect. And the second element at play is that the soft edges created when tearing and crumbling the eggs are creating a creamy mouthfeel that takes things up another notch when added between high quality slices of bread. Whatever is happening, when it comes down to it, the why is not nearly as important as the yummm. And it’s a super easy step to sneak into your recipe. What’s good enough for Carla is good enough for us!

Also, check how to crack an egg perfectly every time.

Our Favorite Egg Salad Recipes

Ready to give this egg salad sandwich trick a spin? Here are some of our favorite egg salad recipes—both classic and souped-up—that you’ll have a delicious time experimenting with:

• Smoked Salmon Egg Salad: If you love a good smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, you’re definitely going to want to try the lox mixed in with creamy eggs and tucked into a flaky croissant. Enjoy the salad with smoked salmon dip.
• Red Potato and Egg Salad: Potato salad and egg salad, unite! Why have just one when you could have both in one bite?
• Curried Egg Salad: To create an egg salad that has a bit more of an earthy taste, try curry powder. Spread it in on your favorite toast and top with bright heirloom tomatoes.