Open-Face Egg Salad Sandwich

Heidi Swanson reminds us how simple an egg sandwich should be. Hard-cooked eggs mashed with plain yogurt, salt, pepper, and herbs on toasted, good bread with butter and garlic. (I’m really glad I rubbed the buttered toast with garlic.)

That’s all you need for a simple lunch or light supper. At first, I wasn’t sure 2 tablespoons of yogurt were enough, so I was poised to scoop more in. It turns out that I didn’t need any extra at all. So delicious.

Here’s a simple, silky egg salad that consists of just a few ingredients—but certainly the right ones! The use of thick Greek yogurt is a perfect, healthy substitute for mayonnaise, and the mixed herbs provide a nice color contrast and just enough flavor. I used chives and parsley in mine.

Serving this salad on a slice of rustic wheat toast with a rubbing of garlic lends a subtle garlic undertone. I recommend adding some thinly shaved cucumber or avocado slices to the bread to generate even more flavor and texture.

Heidi’s recipes are sometimes embarrassingly easy. The herbs (I used thyme, tarragon, parsley, and rosemary) and yogurt brighten up the eggs. The nutty flavor of whole-wheat bread and butter (yummy) with the sharp tang of garlic make for a complex flavor typical of Heidi’s recipes.

I added a final sprinkle of flaked salt, just because. The egg mixture is weighty, so make sure the bread you pick toasts up firm, or you’ll end up wearing this wonderful mixture—and what a waste that would be. If you’re like me and primarily have access to nonfat Greek yogurt from a warehouse store, a splash of olive oil to the initial yogurt mixture is nice.

This is a lovely, super-simple recipe—proof that a satisfying meal doesn’t need to be elaborate or time-consuming. Once the eggs are hard-boiled, the entire recipe takes less than 10 minutes, including toasting time. I used dill in my egg salad and it added a wonderful herbal quality that I’d have missed otherwise.

I liked the idea of using yogurt in egg salad but wasn’t sure if it would taste as good as mayonnaise. I was wrong. I made this for our Sunday morning breakfast, using Greek yogurt, chives, and a nine-grain bread. I did add about 1/2 tablespoon more yogurt to get the consistency that we enjoy in our egg salad.

I made hubby and I two slices each, one with garlic and one without. My husband was reluctant at first to try this and was quite surprised that he really enjoyed it. Although he liked them both, his favorite was the one with garlic, as was mine. He’s asked me to make these again with a little sweet pickle in the mix.

Tip: for perfect hard-cooked eggs, place eggs in cold water, with a little salt (helps them peel), and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, cover and turn off heat. Let sit about 20 minutes.

When I make egg salad for sandwiches, it’s always been mayo for me, never anything else. But the yogurt in this open-face egg salad sandwich recipe really adds a nice tangy flavor, and mashing in some herbs brightens it up. Sometimes you really can teach an old dog new tricks.

If you’re looking for a healthy, unfussy spin on an open-faced egg salad sandwich, then this recipe has your number. It’s just toast with a clump of eggs, yogurt, and herbs on top, but what it lacks in excitement it more than compensates for in flavor.

The tartness of the yogurt makes a refreshing alternative to mayonnaise, while the fresh herbs (I used chives) provide a vibrant contrast to the richness of the eggs, and the garlic similarly perks everything up. I used a multi-grain bread for the sandwiches, and it went really well with the eggs—it gave everything lots of satisfying crunch and evoked the sandwich’s roots in ‘70s Earth-mother cuisine. The recipe worked as written, though I had to add 2 more tablespoons of yogurt to the egg mixture to moisten it sufficiently.

Also, if I make this again, I’ll coarsely chop the eggs instead of mashing them with a fork, as the latter was kind of tedious. The serving suggestions are accurate—you can feed four people pretty generously with the portions.

I had this just once, but I should have been making this for most of Lent! Each flavor in this recipe was noticed—the sea salt (which I liked in place of kosher), garlic, thyme, and the toasted whole-wheat bread that I used. The yogurt was a nice, low-cal change from the mayo; I saved a good amount of calories. I’ll fix this again, maybe using small toast points.

This was a great example of how a simple recipe can result in a satisfying and nutritious lunch. I enjoyed the substitution of yogurt for mayonnaise, which gave a tangy flavor to the eggs without losing the creamy texture. I did end up adding at least 2 tablespoons more yogurt than originally called for.

The herbs—I especially thought dill worked well, as well as chives, but could also envision tarragon in their places—add freshness to the sandwich. I also appreciate the garlic clove idea. I’ll definitely consider making this sandwich again for a spring or summer lunch, or in smaller bites for a party.

As for suggestions, I’d have liked more guidance on the type of bread to use in the dish. I used a whole-grain soda bread, which was on the softer side, but a denser bread probably would have yielded thinner, crispier slices. I also think it might make sense to rub the garlic clove onto the toast before spreading the butter, rather than afterward. It seems like more garlic flavor would get into the bread that way.

This recipe is simple and allows for variation of herbs and texture. (So if you like your egg salad a bit creamier, just add more yogurt.) True to Heidi Swanson’s style, the ingredients are easy to find locally and are easy to prepare and adjust accordingly. I used chives and lightly toasted the bread after buttering and rubbing with garlic, then topped it all with leftover herbs. Perfection.

This sandwich is light and tasty. The yogurt is a refreshing change from the regular mayonnaise-laden egg sandwiches. I did use butter, but I rubbed the toast with the garlic first and then buttered it. (The dry toast made a better grater that way.) I tried the sandwich with the dill, and look forward to trying it with chives next time. Delicious!

This is an egg salad with a twist—which is not what I expected when reading the recipe title. I liked the recipe’s simplicity, and the tang of yogurt paired with fresh herbs. It was great for lunch. I did need to add a bit more yogurt than the recipe called for, though.

Greek yogurt is a novel spin on the traditional egg sandwich with mayo. It’s still just as creamy, but a bit more tangy. The piece of garlic rubbed on the toast smelled and tasted great. I included some baby arugula on the sandwich to give it some heft, as well as a healthy sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper. In lieu of chives, next time I may substitute minced shallots.