A little too much egg salad is a good problem to have—unless you’re not sure whether it is still safe to eat. And you really don’t want to rely on the “sniff test.”
According to the USDA, you might have a little more time to finish egg salad than you may think. If the egg salad has been properly stored—in a sealed container in the refrigerator—it is safe to eat it within five days. This rule also applies to similar mayonnaise-based salads like chicken, tuna, ham, and macaroni salads.
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If you ended up with too much egg salad because you hard-cooked too many eggs, keep this handy tip in mind next time: when making egg salad, make one and a half to two hard-boiled eggs per person. There’s a little wiggle room in the amount of eggs because it depends on how many other ingredients are in the egg salad. Our delicious and summery Picnic Egg Salad includes radishes, scallions, and fresh dill; some people even like to add potatoes! The number of eggs also depends on how you like to eat egg salad. You will need slightly different amounts depending on whether you serve it atop a bed of salad greens, slather it over two slices of bread to make an overstuffed egg salad sandwich, or spread it thinly over toast points.
However you enjoy this simple, satisfying dish, now you can to prepare exactly as much as you need, or make a little extra to enjoy a few days later—safely.
