Egg salad, unlike Russian or caesar salad, is very simple to make since it has only a few ingredients. However, depending on how you might enjoy your egg salad you can add ingredients to it. That being said, it is still quite simple to make and hence a party favorite for party hosts and great for those who do not have much time to spend on cooking food. If you’re a student then you would know that a couple of hard-boiled eggs mashed in a dish with salt, pepper, and a dollop of mayonnaise is the perfect meal after a rough day. You can even spread the mashed egg salad in between two slices of bread and there you go, an egg salad sandwich. It is very simple to make and because of that, you may end up with more egg salad in your bowl than usual. In such situations, questions like “can you freeze egg salad?” might pop up in your mind. So, is it possible and how long is it good if you were to freeze your egg salad?
Can you freeze egg salad?
Before we answer the question “can you freeze egg salad?” you need to know what is the main ingredient to make an egg salad. Of course, eggs are right. But besides eggs, the main ingredient that you need to use to make an egg salad tasty and delicious is mayonnaise.
Now, let’s get back to the question “can you freeze egg salad?”. Like most things, you can freeze leftovers and food items in your trusty old freezer. In the case of an egg salad, you can freeze an egg salad, however, that would not be a great idea. Egg salad contains eggs and mayonnaise. The mayonnaise does not react well to colder temperatures and hence will result in a bad taste or even a sloppy texture that you wouldn’t want to be around. If you’re pressed for time and do not mind eating the leftover frozen egg salad that might taste like cardboard, then you can go ahead. But if taste matters a lot to you, then avoid experimenting and freezing the egg salad.
The second and the main ingredient of an egg salad is a hard-boiled egg. A hard-boiled egg, since it does not have an outer layer unlike a raw egg, does not last that long. The absence of an outer layer invites bacteria growth over time when exposed to air and other elements.
So to answer your question “can you freeze egg salad?”, yes you can freeze it but it will not last a month or two unlike other food items when frozen. This is because of the two ingredients mentioned earlier; egg and mayonnaise. Frozen egg salad can be consumed once thawed if there are no signs of molding or no unpleasant smell. But don’t take the risk since the egg salad is no longer chunky and it might taste like cardboard.
How to preserve an egg salad?
Now that you know the answer to “can you freeze egg salad?”, you don’t want to go down that route and might be looking for other ways to prolong the shelf life of an egg salad. Well, lucky for you, we’ve compiled a couple of ways you can prolong the shelf life of an egg salad.
Since the mayonnaise when frozen turns bland and watery when thawed, the best way to preserve an egg salad is not by freezing it but by refrigerating it. You can refrigerate an egg salad overnight if you’re looking to consume it in the morning. However, you can not prolong the egg salad life simply by refrigerating it.
To prolong the shelf life of an egg salad, you need to ensure that it is kept in an airtight container. The air in the refrigerator aids in bacteria growth. If you were to restrict air, then the bacteria growth is reduced marginally. In this case, you can prolong an egg salad shelf life by 3 to 5 days if you were to refrigerate it. Try to monitor the egg salad every day to see if anything is off about it.
You can also keep the egg salad at room temperature on your dining table however it needs to be consumed within a few hours, preferably less than 3 hours. If left for too long, you may notice that the mayonnaise in the egg salad starts to get runny and leave an unpleasant odor.
Can you freeze egg salad?: Tips to help you prolong the life of an egg salad
Here are some tips you should follow if you’re looking to freeze or keep your egg salad in the fridge.
- Get a nice and clean airtight container that is of high quality. Lower-grade containers will affect the shelf life of an egg salad.
- When transferring your egg salad to an airtight container, you need to make sure that your utensils are clean. Spoon or any other utensil used for the transfer can carry bacteria on it which may affect the shelf life of an egg salad.
- If you’re not sure how good your airtight container is or do not have a top-grade container, you can improve the situation by adding cling film to the container before you seal it with its lid. This is an added measure that will go a long way.
- You can add yogurt whey to your mayonnaise which can help prolong its shelf life to at least a month. Added to the hard-boiled eggs, you can add a few more days to your egg salad. However, do monitor your egg salad daily to see if it is releasing any odors or starts to show signs of bacterial growth.
Egg salads are a great way to have a quick meal, take picnics or even serve at parties. Spice up your regular egg salad by adding avocados, chicken chunks, salad dressings, and other vegetables to add a bit of texture to it.
