How Long to Boil Eggs for Egg Salad?

Need to make some egg salad but not sure how long to boil the eggs? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve been making homemade egg salad for years and have perfected a process to boil eggs for the perfect consistency, taste and texture every time. The key is to boil the eggs thoroughly, so the yolk is fully cooked. A fully hard-boiled egg provides more fluff and body overall to the egg salad while complimenting the mayonnaise and oil. It’s holds up much better!

After years of trial and error, and following every recipe under the sun, I have perfected the way I boil eggs for egg salad and today, I will share that process with you. I even get compliments on my quality tasting egg salad at barbeques and cookouts! And it’s all because I have learned exactly how long to boil eggs!

Read on if you’d like to learn more about my process so you can make the best egg salad too!

So, How Long Does it Take to Boil an Egg for Egg Salad?

I have found that the best boiled egg for egg salad is a hard-boiled egg. The yolk will be fluffy, creamy, and cooked all the way through. It’s a lot easier to mix with the other ingredients in egg salad and has more flavor overall. The yolk will also compliment the mayonnaise, or other substance you use and create a thicker texture that’s easier to eat and enjoy.

Depending on the size eggs you have, will determine the boiling time. I have experimented with this and have listed the times I recommend below, by egg size. The smaller the egg the shorter the boiling time. Also note, I don’t spend the entire time boiling the egg either! The real magic happens when the eggs are covered in hot water, continuing to cook.

• Small- Boil 5 minutes, cover on medium heat for 6 minutes
• Medium- Boil 5 minutes, cover on medium heat for 8 minutes
• Large- Boil 8 minutes, cover on medium heat for 9 minutes
• Extra Large- Boil 8 minutes, cover on medium heat for 10 minutes

The above times work for a single egg or multiple, as long as the eggs are in a single layer and not on top of each other. I’ve tried boiling eggs on top of each other, but they came out with cracks every time!

What is Egg Salad?

Egg salad is quite easy to make. You may even have the majority of ingredients in your kitchen already!

• Mayonnaise (or alternative)
• boiled eggs
• diced celery
• diced onion
• parsley

It’s traditionally eaten as a sandwich, between two slices of bread or toast. But, you can also eat it by itself, with crackers, or even as a vegetable dip.

Below, we’ll go over how to boil your eggs for egg salad!

How to Hard Boil Eggs for Egg Salad: Step by Step

Here is my step-by-step guide on boiling eggs for egg salad!

Step 1: Place eggs in a pot. To boil eggs for egg salad, you need hard boiled eggs! Place all your eggs in the pot in a single layer on the bottom. I’ve tried boiling eggs on top of each other, but it has led to cracking while cooking! Fill the pot with water, ensuring there is at least an inch of water covering the top of the eggs. This accounts for evaporation.

Step 2: Bring water to a boil. It’s perfectly fine to put the eggs in the water as it’s boiling, because we want hard boiled eggs! Add salt if needed. I find that just sprinkling a bit of salt in the pot can help speed up the boiling process.

Step 3: Boiling Time. After the water has started boiling, continue boiling in accordance with the below guide. Remember, it’s based on egg size, which you should easily find on the carton! Leave the pot uncovered.

• Small– Boil 5 minutes, cover on medium heat for 6 minutes
• Medium– Boil 5 minutes, cover on medium heat for 8 minutes
• Large– Boil 8 minutes, cover on medium heat for 9 minutes
• Extra Large– Boil 8 minutes, cover on medium heat for 10 minutes

Step 4: Reduce heat. Once you’ve let the eggs boil for the appropriate amount of time, reduce the heat to medium. Cover and set the timer based on the size of your eggs, 6 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Remove from heat and water. Turn the stove off and remove the pot from the heat. Carefully pour the water out being mindful of the steam.

Step 6: Place eggs in a bowl of ice water. Giving your freshly boiled eggs an ice bath serves two purposes. One, the eggs will be nice and cool when you peel them. Two, don’t ask me how but I swear it makes peeling easier by 100%.

Step 7: Peel! After a few minutes of cooling in ice water, it’s time to peel your eggs!

Tips for Boiling the Perfect Egg Every Time

• Place the egg in ice water before peeling. If you’ve ever had issues peeling the shell off an egg, I swear this works. Every time. You’re also cooling the egg down, making it the right temperature to peel.
• Peel immediately after boiling. I’ve learned that eggs are much easier to peel immediately after boiling, as in after I’ve cooled them in ice water. If you can’t do this, don’t worry! Store the hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator. When you are ready to peel them, place the eggs in a bowl of cool water first. Chances are the egg lining between the shell and the egg white has dried. A little water will help moisten it up, making it easier for you to peel!
• Pay attention to boiling times. It IS possible to over and under boil eggs! And the thing is, if you wing it, you won’t know until you’ve peeled the egg. Then it’s too late. I have perfected these boiling times over the years and tested them. Follow them and it will make your life easier!

Wrapping Up

Now you should know exactly how long it takes to boil eggs for egg salad. You can bookmark this page and use it as a quick reference guide if you forget! Just remember, the larger the egg, the longer the boiling time.

If you use my method above, your egg salad will be the hit of the party!