Give Your Egg Salad A New Lease On Life With Herby Pesto

Creamy egg salad, made with staple ingredients like mayonnaise and eggs, is a simple yet delicious lunch whether served on crisp toasted bread or nestled among greens. However, egg salad craves seasoning. Adding something extra, such as a sprinkle of spices like paprika, a squirt of lemon for brightness, or a handful of fresh chopped herbs, makes this classic picnic side dish extraordinary.

Next time you're craving homemade egg salad, consider adding a tablespoon or so of pesto for an extra flavor boost. Pesto contains a complex combination of nutty, herby, salty, and garlicky flavors; a small amount infuses your run-of-the-mill egg salad with a depth of flavor far beyond what mayo and mustard can provide alone. Whether you buy it by the jar or make your own pesto, this versatile condiment imparts a richness and freshness that will have you adding it to egg salad — and other mayo-based salads — all the time.

After considering all the ingredients that go into a classic basil pesto, it's no wonder this Italian condiment works so well to flavor egg salad. Its components naturally pair well with the creamy, slightly fatty nature of chopped, boiled eggs and the smooth tang of mayonnaise. Basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, and pine nuts are the main ingredients used to make pesto, though this may vary slightly depending on the brand or recipe.

Herbs and eggs are a common combination — think fresh dill or chives mixed into egg salad or folded into a creamy scramble. Basil also fits the bill, providing an herbal, sweet note to complement the savory quality of eggs. Oil and garlic meld well with eggs and mayonnaise, adding a smooth texture and a slight bite of flavor, respectively. Parmesan adds salt and the umami notes aged cheeses innately possess due to its development of glutamate.

Pine nuts may not often be seen in egg recipes, but the toasted variety has a roasted yet slightly sweet nuttiness that provides an unexpected but welcome note to the dish as a whole and helps bring everything together.

One of the best ways to serve a creamy dish like egg salad is on bread. Perch a hefty scoop atop a piece of toast or sandwich it between two slices of something hearty. While classic egg salad is commonly served on simple, fluffy white bread, the softness of this bread can cause the sandwich to become soggy, especially if it won't be eaten immediately. 

For the best combination of hearty texture and extra flavor, something like a multigrain or seeded bread works well; it's strong enough to withstand the salad's moisture content, and the nuttiness of the bread helps accentuate similar elements in the pine nuts and Parmesan found in pesto.

For those who plan on serving egg salad as a traditional salad alongside greens, something leafy and peppery like arugula creates an excellent bed for the soft egg mixture. Plus, it provides the right amount of bite to cut through the egg salad's rich flavor. You can also serve egg salad in a crisp lettuce wrap for a unique, greens-forward preparation.