Fruit Chutney Is The Magic Ingredient For Game-Changing Egg Salad

You probably already know the main components of a traditional bowl of egg salad. Then there are the best ingredients to elevate egg salad from diced avocado to a squirt of Sriracha. Well, there's another even more unconventional ingredient that can really step up your next batch of egg salad. It's not a fancy brand of mayonnaise or even homemade garlic aioli — but spoonfuls of fruit chutney.

Now, hear us out. It might seem strange to use a sweet and fruity chutney in egg salad that's typically used as a condiment for dosas or spread on toast. However, chutney is also traditionally used in flavorful Indian dishes like curries and served with gamey meats such as lamb, because it helps balance the flavors. And that's why it works so well with egg salad, because it adds a fruity and sometimes tangy element to pair with the richness of the mayonnaise in the bowl. Boiled eggs easily take on flavor, so the chutney comes into play in various roles. You might typically put sweet pickle relish in your egg salad, right? Chutney basically works in the same way.

Mango chutney might be one of the more well-known varieties, and it certainly should be one of the top choices to spruce up egg salad. It's tangy and sweet with little chunks of the fruit that will add layers of flavor and texture to any batch of the dish. For anyone who likes apples or cranberries in chicken or tuna salad, try an apple or cranberry chutney in egg salad for a fruity and tart twist. A tomato chutney with garlic and other spices can offer a slightly more savory take on the dish if you don't like things too sweet. And here at Tasting Table, we have an original recipe for preserved lemon chutney that might work for anyone who likes lemon juice in their creamy salads.

Try one of these fruit chutneys to upgrade Tasting Table's creamy egg salad recipe with chopped chives and parsley or add the ingredient to your go-to recipe. Whatever recipe you choose, start with ½ cup of chutney for every four servings of egg salad, then add more to taste. There are also some other ingredients that you might want to combine with the chutney. Lean into the Indian inspiration with yellow curry powder that will also provide spice to balance the fruitiness. Add crunch with chopped or sliced almonds or minced celery or use spicy additions like hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika to balance the fruit chutney in your egg salad.