Egg Salad

This is the kind of egg salad I like on a braai table: properly chunky, creamy without swimming in dressing, and sharpened up with mustard and little bits of gherkin. A spoonful of plain yoghurt lightens the mayonnaise, while spring onions and parsley give it a fresh finish.

That cool, tangy dressing is particularly good alongside smoky Lamb Sosaties, spicy Peri-Peri Chicken or a generous plate of Boerewors and Pap. Add something crisp or vinegary from the Braai Salads collection and you have a nicely balanced spread without another pot on the stove.

You can make the salad the evening before and keep it covered in the fridge at 4°C or below. In our South African heat, bring out a small bowl and keep the rest chilled; a cooler box with plenty of ice packs is useful outdoors. Limit time out of refrigeration to two hours in total, or one hour when it is hotter than 32°C.

Tips & Techniques

• Cool the eggs properly: Warm eggs loosen the dressing and can make the salad greasy-looking. Use a cold-water bath and wait until the eggs feel cold before chopping.
• Keep the texture chunky: Chop with a knife rather than mashing with a fork, then fold gently. A few yolk crumbs will naturally thicken the dressing.
• Drain the gherkins: Pat them dry before chopping so their brine does not thin the salad as it stands.
• Taste before adding more salt: Mayonnaise, mustard and gherkins vary in saltiness. Start with the small measured amount and adjust after folding in the eggs.
• Serve in small batches: Put out only what guests are likely to eat promptly, keeping the refill in the fridge or a well-iced cooler at 4°C or below.

Delicious Variations

• Mild curry egg salad: Stir 2.5 ml mild curry powder into the dressing and leave out the mustard. Taste after chilling before adding more curry powder.
• No yoghurt: Replace the 60 g yoghurt with 60 g extra mayonnaise. Add lemon juice a little at a time if the richer dressing needs more tang.
• Fresh dill: Replace the parsley with 15 ml finely chopped fresh dill for a lovely match with fish or chicken.
• Extra crunch: Fold in 50 g finely diced celery with the spring onions. Dry it well after washing to avoid a watery dressing.

Serving Suggestions

• With boerewors: Spoon a modest portion alongside boerewors, pap and tomato smoor for a cool contrast to the hot meat.
• With spicy chicken: Serve straight from the fridge alongside peri-peri chicken, with a crisp green salad to round out the plate.
• With roosterkoek: Split a cooled roosterkoek and fill it with egg salad and crisp lettuce for an easy meat-free option.
• For a bigger braai: This quantity serves six comfortably with meat and other sides, or eight smaller helpings if you have several salads on the table.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I make this egg salad the day before a braai?

Yes. Make it up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate at 4°C or below. Keep a little parsley aside for serving and stir gently before putting it on the table. For the freshest onion flavour, you can fold in the spring onions just before serving.

Q2: How long can I keep leftovers, and can I freeze them?

Keep properly chilled leftovers in a sealed container and use within two days of making the salad. Discard any salad that has been out of refrigeration for more than two hours in total, or one hour above 32°C; chilling it again does not reset that clock. Freezing is not recommended because the whites become rubbery and the dressing can separate.

Q3: What can I use instead of yoghurt or Dijon mustard?

Replace the yoghurt with the same weight of mayonnaise or sour cream. Mild prepared mustard can replace Dijon, although a sweeter mustard will change the flavour. You can also leave out the mustard and adjust the lemon juice to taste.

Q4: How much egg salad should I make for 12 people?

Double all the ingredients for 12 braai-side portions, using 20 large eggs. Cook the eggs in two batches or use a wide pot that holds them in a single layer. If egg salad is the main sandwich filling rather than a side, allow a larger portion.

Q5: Why does egg salad sometimes turn watery?

The usual culprits are warm eggs, wet herbs, undrained gherkins or thin yoghurt. Cool and dry the eggs, pat the gherkins dry and use thick plain yoghurt. If a little moisture collects after chilling, fold the salad gently before serving rather than adding more dressing.

In Summary

This chunky egg salad brings a cool, tangy contrast to a braai, with gherkins and spring onions keeping the creamy dressing lively. Make it ahead, chill it well and bring it out when the meat is ready.