Egg Salad

This low-FODMAP egg salad gets its savory depth from fresh chives and Dijon instead of the onion and garlic that usually turn up in deli versions.

Prep 15 min

Cook 12 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup (75g) mayonnaise (read the label and pick one without onion or garlic powder; most plain mayo is fine)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallion (spring onion) green tops only
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 medium stalk celery (about 40g), finely diced (keeps each of 4 servings near the 10g low-FODMAP cap)
• 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil, optional, for extra savory depth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional, for garnish

Instructions

Cook and cool the eggs

1. Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about an inch.
2. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then take the pan off the heat, cover, and let it stand for 12 minutes.
3. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and cool for at least 5 minutes. The cold shock stops the cooking and loosens the shells.
4. Peel under cool running water. Cook eggs until the yolks are firm for food safety, per USDA guidance.

Make the dressing

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the garlic-infused oil now if you are using it.
2. Taste the base and adjust the salt or lemon before the eggs go in.

Combine and chill

1. Chop the peeled eggs into rough 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Fold the eggs, celery, chives, and scallion green tops into the dressing until evenly coated.
3. Dust with paprika and chill for about 15 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Tips & Substitutions

• Chives instead of onion. Fresh chives give the allium note deli egg salad relies on, without the fructans found in onion or garlic bulbs.
• Green tops only. Use just the green part of the scallion or leek. The white and light-green bulb is high in fructans, so trim it off before chopping.
• Garlic flavor without the bulb. A teaspoon of garlic-infused oil adds a rounder savory edge, since garlic fructans do not dissolve into oil.
• Keep celery modest. Celery is low-FODMAP at about 1/4 medium stalk (10g) per serving, then mannitol climbs. One stalk split across four servings stays in range. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes.
• Mayo matters. Many plain mayonnaises are low-FODMAP, but flavored or "aioli" styles often hide garlic and onion. Scan the ingredient list.
• Make it creamier. Swap a tablespoon of the mayo for lactose-free plain yogurt, or fold in about 30g of ripe avocado for a softer texture that stays within its low-FODMAP cap.

Why This Works

• Eggs carry no FODMAPs. Plain eggs are a naturally compliant protein, so the whole base of the salad starts clean.
• Allium flavor from the safe parts. Fructans concentrate in the white onion and garlic bulbs, while chives and scallion greens deliver the aroma without that load.
• Oil-infused, not bulb. Garlic fructans are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil carries flavor with the FODMAPs left behind.
• Portioned celery. Celery adds crunch, and holding it to roughly 10g per serving keeps mannitol below the level that tends to cause symptoms.

Storage

Keep the egg salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Do not freeze it, since mayonnaise separates and the whites turn rubbery once thawed. Egg-based salads should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, so serve it cold and return leftovers to the fridge promptly.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.