Carla Hall’s Egg Salad Has a Secret Ingredient That Blew My Socks Off

I only eat egg salad when I make it. It’s a rule I created after trying egg salad for the first time—a sad vending machine egg salad sandwich that was rubbery, bland, and somehow too wet and too dry at the same time.

I typically make a pretty basic egg salad using prepared mayonnaise, some minced onion, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. But after trying Carla Hall’s Egg Salad, I’m forever changed. The secret to her delicious egg salad is her homemade chive mayonnaise. It sounds complicated, but it’s as simple as throwing all the ingredients in a food processor.

Why It’s Worth Making Carla’s Chive Mayo

You may be wondering why you should make this mayonnaise when there are plenty of delicious brands of store-bought mayo. The reason is simple: homemade is always better and Carla’s is especially creamy and super light. Plus, she adds chives, which gives it a subtle and delicious onion flavor. Try it once and you’ll understand why.

How To Make Carla’s Egg Salad and Chive Mayonnaise

Start by hard-boiling a dozen eggs.

While those are cooking, you can make the chive mayonnaise. Carla keeps it simple by having you use a food processor instead of a bowl and whisk.

To a small food processor, add 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons warm water, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon salt and blitz to combine. With the motor running, stream in 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil followed by 1/2 cup roughly chopped chives.

This takes about 3 minutes if you have all the ingredients prepped before you get started. You’ll have enough chive mayo for the egg salad, and extra for sandwiches or any other place you love to use mayo.

Cool the boiled eggs in an ice bath, peel, chop, and add them to a large bowl. Stir in one cup of the chive mayo and a bit of fresh parsley. You’ve just made yourself the most delicious egg salad ever.

My Tips for Making Carla Hall’s Egg Salad

• Cook the eggs in advance: If you have the time, boil your eggs at least one day in advance. Chilling and peeling them is the most time-consuming part of the process, so getting that out of the way makes assembly easy.
• Use pasteurized egg yolks for the mayo: The recipe requires using two raw egg yolks. If you’re concerned about salmonella, consider purchasing pasteurized eggs. 
• No food processor? No worries! If you don’t have a food processor, there are other tools you can use. For example, a small blender will work and so will a stick blender. If you only have large blenders, consider doubling the recipe so that there’s enough volume for blending.