Anyone have trouble finding jarred mayonnaise that actually tastes good, doesn’t break the bank, and isn’t loaded with ingredients you don’t want to eat? I’m right there with you, which is why I took a classic recipe and replaced the mayonnaise with an alternative that makes this No Mayo Egg Salad taste just as creamy and delicious as the original!
There’s just something about egg salad that makes me get a craving for it every now and then. And when I do, I can easily whip up a batch because I almost always have all the ingredients I need to make it in the kitchen.
Not only is egg salad quick and easy, which makes it a perfect lunch option if you don’t have any leftovers or cooked chicken or salmon to throw on a salad, it doesn’t require many ingredients to make it taste really good!
Why I don’t love store-bought mayonnaise:
One ingredient that I find to be almost essential in egg salad is mayonnaise. I’d say it’s definitely essential because it’s kind of the glue that holds the egg salad together, and it makes egg salad taste so good. But that doesn’t mean you have to use mayo.
I don’t love store-bought mayonnaise options, and I don’t always want to take the time to make my own mayonnaise. So, I came up with an egg salad recipe that doesn’t require mayonnaise, and I think you’re going to love it!
Two reasons why I don’t love store-bought mayonnaise are:
- Most options have added sugar or other ingredients that I don’t really want to eat (preservatives, artificial flavorings, etc.).
- The options that don’t use ingredients I don’t want to eat are usually really expensive, and, to be honest, I’ve tried some of these options and haven’t loved the taste of any of them.
So, that leaves me with the option of making my own mayonnaise, which is by far the best tasting option around. While I don’t mind making my own mayonnaise, it’s not always the best option if you don’t plan to use mayonnaise often over the course of 4 days.
For food safety reasons, homemade mayonnaise, using regular raw eggs, should not be consumed after being stored in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Unless you are cooking for a crowd, many people would have a hard time using a regular batch of homemade mayonnaise within 4 days. And, it’s not easy to make a partial batch of mayonnaise if you only want to make a little bit.
So, if the store-bought options for a great-tasting, lower-cost mayonnaise that doesn’t use a lot of unhealthy additives are slim to none, and homemade mayonnaise doesn’t always make sense, what’s the alternative for making egg salad?
Let’s find out what I did to make this delicious No Mayo Egg Salad!
What is the substitute for mayo in this egg salad?
Instead of mayonnaise, I’m using plain, unsweetened coconut milk yogurt in this egg salad.
My favorite brand of this type of yogurt is So Delicious brand. I love how neutral tasting this yogurt is, and I use it in so many different ways! Two ways I love using it are in smoothies and as a substitute for sour cream (as in, spooning it on top of tacos or fajita bowls!).
With the So Delicious yogurt, it’s important to get the “unsweetened” version of the unflavored yogurt. They also make a “plain” yogurt, which isn’t flavored, but does have a little bit of added sugar. In savory foods like egg salad or for spooning on tacos or fajita bowls, you don’t want any added sugar because then it wouldn’t taste as much like sour cream.
If you can’t find this exact yogurt, you can substitute your favorite plain non-dairy yogurt as long as it doesn’t have any added sugar. Or, you can use non-dairy sour cream if you have a brand of that you love.
What ingredients are needed to make this recipe?
The main recipe for this No Mayo Egg Salad is very basic because I wanted to make it a recipe that you can customize to your own personal taste.
So, the main recipe only uses 5 ingredients, but I’ve added a couple of optional ingredients that you can add if desired.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Unsweetened plain coconut milk yogurt
- Dijon mustard
- Coarse salt
- Ground black pepper
If you’re someone who likes to jazz things up a bit in the flavor department, I have given an option at the bottom of the basic recipe for an Herb Garlic Egg Salad.
How should I store this No Mayo Egg Salad?
Store this No Mayo Egg Salad in an airtight container or in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This egg salad will not freeze well.
How can I serve egg salad?
There are SO MANY different ways to serve egg salad! Since I’m both gluten and dairy free, I look for all the ways to eat egg salad that doesn’t include regular bread.
Ideas for how to serve this No Mayo Egg Salad:
- As a sandwich with your favorite gluten free bread (toasted or untoasted)
- As a topping for a basic lettuce salad – sprinkle with toasted nuts for added crunch!
- Spoon it into bibb lettuce leaves or romaine leaves for lettuce wraps
- Spoon it into halved and seeded mini sweet peppers
- Serve it with cut up fresh veggies (cucumber slices, carrot sticks, and celery sticks taste great!) and use the vegetables to scoop up the egg salad to eat it.
- Serve it on top of your favorite gluten free crackers
No matter how you serve this No Mayo Egg Salad, you will love how quick and simple it is to make!
No Mayo Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain coconut milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill (optional)
Instructions
- Place eggs in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover eggs by about 1 inch. Bring water to boiling. Cover pan; remove from the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- Drain off water. Gently shake saucepan so that eggshells crack in several spots. Add enough cold water to the pan to cover the eggs; add about 3 cups of ice to the pan. Let eggs stand about 10 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
- Peel the eggs; rinse eggs with cold water. Place eggs in a medium bowl. Use a potato masher to coarsely mash the eggs. Add yogurt, mustard, salt, and pepper to eggs. Mash and mix until well combined and to desired consistency. If desired, stir in celery and dill.
- Cover; chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Store any leftover egg salad in a covered bowl up to 3 days.
