Egg Salad Gets A Protein Boost When You Swap Mayo For This Alternative

Do you love the creamy consistency of homemade egg salad but wish this popular lunchtime staple had a little more protein per serving? While egg salad's main source of protein is hard-boiled eggs, there aren't many other standard ingredients that boost the amount of protein in this creamy dish — especially if you use mayonnaise and mustard as your preferred salad dressing. However, to significantly increase the amount of protein you consume at mealtime, all you need to do is swap out the usual mayonnaise for Greek yogurt.

Sure enough, one of the 12 most impactful ways to upgrade egg salad is swapping out mayonnaise for Greek yogurt is one of the most popular. Greek yogurt has a creamy consistency similar to mayonnaise but it surprisingly contains a lot less fat and significantly more protein per serving. To break down the nutritional differences more specifically, a ½ cup serving of mayonnaise contains less than one gram of protein and roughly 80 grams of fat. On the other hand, ½ cup of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt contains over 10 grams of protein and approximately two grams of fat.

To successfully make your egg salad more protein-rich, swap out the suggested mayo for the same amount of full or low-fat Greek yogurt. However, since Greek yogurt has a tangier flavor than mayo and a lot less fat, you may need to make a few more tweaks to your egg salad recipe for the best flavor and texture.

Because mayonnaise and Greek yogurt are two very different foods, you may want to adjust the exact amount of Greek yogurt you add to your egg salad recipe. As a matter of fact, the secret to a lighter, brighter egg salad according to a sandwich pro (Owen Han) is to use a succinct amount of both mayo and Greek yogurt for the best results. The idea behind preparing egg salad with both mayonnaise and Greek yogurt is that you can successfully boost protein and minimize fat, yet still retain some of this meal's more satiating qualities. Essentially, using both ingredients provides a good balance of texture and flavor without depriving your tastebuds of that classic egg salad taste.

However, if your top priority is consuming more protein, you may want to add one more ingredient to the mix: cottage cheese. Similar to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese is high in protein yet has a chunkier texture and a more mild, somewhat salty flavor.

The good news is that you don't have to choose just one (or even two) creamy ingredients to build your next batch of high-protein egg salad. Using your own blend of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese is a surefire way to add more texture to your egg salad with ease. Not to mention, by using more than one creamy addition, you can boost the amount of protein per serving without sacrificing any flavor.