Looking for a fresh take on egg salad that aligns with your low-carb lifestyle? This keto egg salad with avocado recipe offers a nutritious and delicious alternative to traditional mayo-laden versions. It’s quick, easy, and packed with healthy fats and protein, making it an ideal meal or snack for the whole family. As an added bonus, it only requires five simple ingredients!
Why This Recipe Works
This isn't your classic egg salad. The avocado not only adds a wealth of nutrients but also creates a creamy texture that replaces mayonnaise without sacrificing flavor. This recipe is a delightful combination of guacamole and egg salad, resulting in a unique and satisfying dish.
Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Nutritious: Made without mayo, this egg and avocado salad is a great source of healthy fats and protein.
- Quick and Easy: Just boil the eggs and then mix everything together.
- Kid-Friendly: A great option for baby-led weaning and easy kid-friendly lunches and snacks.
- Simple Ingredients: You just need a handful of ingredients to make this homemade egg salad.
Key Ingredients
- Eggs: An excellent source of protein and a great addition to a well-balanced diet. Hard-boiled eggs are an easy high-protein snack that you can get pre-cooked or prep on your own.
- Avocado: Avocados contain healthy fats, folate, and lots of other essential vitamins and minerals. For best results, use an avocado that’s ripe, but not brown and mushy.
- Lemon Juice: Adds some extra flavor and acts as an acid that helps slow down the browning of the avocado. Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. In a pinch, you can use bottled, but fresh is best! Lime juice is a strong antioxidant and will work as a preservative to slow down the oxidation process.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, chives, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Keto Egg Salad with Avocado
Boil the Eggs: Place eggs in the bottom of a small saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let the eggs sit in the water for 12 minutes. Place the eggs in a bowl of ice water for several minutes to cool (this also makes it easier to peel the eggs). You can cook eggs in various ways including: in the oven, in the microwave, or in a pot of boiling water. Whatever way you choose to cook your eggs, place the eggs in a bowl of ice water immediately after cooking.
- Hard-boiled eggs in the oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place individuals eggs in a muffin tin to keep them from rolling around.
- Hard-boiled eggs in the microwave: Place eggs in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with cold water.
- Classic hard-boiled eggs in a pot: Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring water to a boil, and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain the eggs from the hot water and immerse them into a bowl of ice water to cool them rapidly and stop the cooking process.
Prepare the Eggs and Avocado: Peel the eggs, removing the entire shell. Chop the eggs roughly and set aside. Place the avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork, leaving some chunks if desired. You can either mash the avocado completely or leave some chunks of avocado in the salad for some added texture.
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Combine Ingredients: Mix in the chopped eggs, lemon juice, garlic powder, and chopped chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust Flavors: Taste and adjust flavors accordingly, adding more lemon juice if you want a more zesty flavor, more garlic powder if you prefer a stronger garlic taste, and additional fresh herbs for intensified flavor.
Serve: Serve on a sandwich, crackers, salad, or lettuce wrap.
Tips for the Perfect Avocado Egg Salad
- Hard Boil Eggs Ahead of Time: For super easy meal prep, hard boil the eggs ahead of time.
- Use Ripe Avocados: Use avocados that are ripe enough to mash, but still green. You don’t want to use ones that are already brown and mushy or the egg salad won’t look all that appetizing.
- Experiment with Herbs: You can play around with the fresh herbs and use whatever you have on hand.
- Cool the Eggs: After the eggs are done cooking, place them in an ice bath (a bowl of ice water) for about 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This versatile keto avocado egg salad recipe can be enjoyed in numerous ways:
- Make Egg Salad Sandwiches: Serve it on whole-grain bread or an everything bagel with a few slices of tomato and some micro greens.
- Serve with Crackers: Serve it on whole-grain crackers with some extra fresh chopped chives or halved cherry tomatoes to garnish.
- Lettuce Wraps: If you’re watching your carb intake, serve it on a lettuce wrap. Boston or Bibb lettuce works well for lettuce cups, or you can use romaine lettuce leaves instead.
- As a Dip: This recipe works great on its own, as a dip, on a salad, or in a sandwich. And it can be eaten as a main dish or a snack.
- Avocado Toast: If you’re adding avocado toast to your weekly keto meal prep, remember you can cross-utilize the ingredients.
Variations
- Spices: Add more garlic powder for a stronger garlic flavour.
- Mexican Vibe: You could go with a Mexican vibe really easily here by replacing the dill with cilantro and the lemon with lime.
- Add Bacon: Add bacon for some protein, flavor, and texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: proteins from hard-boiled eggs, healthy fats from avocados, the saltiness of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and acidity from lime juice.
Storage Instructions
This avocado salad is best if consumed within 1-4 hours of preparing it. If you plan to make this egg salad in advance, it is recommended adding in the avocado just before serving for optimal freshness.
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How long is egg salad good for? According to FoodSafety.gov, if the egg salad has been properly stored, it should be safe to eat within four days. That being said, since avocado is used in this egg salad, it’s generally best consumed within 1-4 hours since the avocado may go brown if not served fresh. You can prepare the rest of the egg salad recipe and store it in the fridge for up to four days and then add the avocado in just before serving, if desired.
You can store the low carb egg salad in the fridge in a bowl covered tightly with saran wrap (so that no air can get in) or an airtight container for one to two days. Typically, it’s best consumed within 1-4 hours of preparing it.
Tips to keep your avocados or egg salad with avocados fresh and green longer:
- Use lemon or lime juice, which is already done in the recipe.
- Add some olive oil to your salad - one tablespoon will be enough. Olive oil will create a barrier between oxygen and protect your avocados from rapid browning.
Nutritional Benefits
The amazing thing about this delicious egg salad is that despite its short ingredients list, it’s packed full of nutrients!
- From the avocado, you get those healthy fats, in addition to fiber, vitamin E, and potassium.
- The eggs are rich in protein, iron, choline, and lutein. There’s also some vitamin D found in the yolk as well.
- Plus, it’s a lower carbohydrate option if you’re watching your overall carb intake.
Not bad for a 5-ingredient easy-to-prepare snack or meal option!
Can You Eat Egg Salad Warm?
You can serve egg salad warm or you can put it in the fridge and serve it cold. Either way, it’s delicious!
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