Cook Your Eggs Like This For A Completely Different Take On Egg Salad

You probably never really think twice about boiling eggs for salads. You just do it like it's the most natural kitchen instinct or a well-worn routine, deeply embedded into all of those recipes you've made a thousand times before. Still, unexplored potential lies somewhere in the skillet you never bothered to pick up, and it promises the kind of excitement only fried eggs can bring. The next time you're whipping up a bowl of egg salad, try frying the eggs instead of boiling for a simple yet transformative twist.

Fried eggs arrive at your salad bowl sizzling hot, buttery scent clinging everywhere, the edges caramelized to a crisp, and the center perfectly golden — irresistible qualities that captivate the taste buds before you even dig in. Each bite reveals a different nuance: a savory aroma here, a toasty warmth there, and if you keep the yolk runny, there's also a creaminess weaving through crisp, green veggies. It's still the same salad you know and love. Only this time, paralleling the fresh lightness is a gorgeous flavor depth you don't typically get with hard-boiled eggs.

Additionally, frying eggs might just be a bit more convenient than boiling them. Two seconds of cracking the eggs open, followed by a few quick minutes in the pan, and they're done. It takes half the amount of time that boiling does, and you won't even need to spend any extra minute fiddling with the shells. Egg salads have never been more flavorful nor quicker to make.

More than just a fun spin on a simple dish, fried egg salad is, in fact, a proper dish in Thai cuisine. Yam khai dao is a spicy Thai egg salad that features eggs fried in a generous amount of hot oil, resulting in crispy edges while the yolk remains runny. Then, they are tossed with vegetables like tomatoes, celery, and onions, and topped with cilantro, scallions, and peanuts. This combination is brought to life by the zesty, spicy dressing made from Thai chiles, Thai fish sauce, lime juice, and lemongrass.

It's not outside the realm of possibility to use fried eggs for a regular creamy egg salad, either. Nothing has to change. You can still chop them into tiny pieces and toss them with the mayo dressing. Maybe throw in a few pieces of bacon or sausage and serve it with toasted bread for a satisfying start to the day. Perhaps make it a sandwich filling and take all of those creamy, savory flavors with you to a quick, on-the-go lunch. Extend this swap to a potato salad. There's always something fun to try out.

Going beyond egg salads, fried eggs can also be centerpieces for an everyday salad. Lay it over a bed of mixed greens, cucumber, and tomatoes, and the only thing you need left is a tangy vinaigrette to have a delightful side dish. Hummus, chickpeas, and roasted veggies give your fried eggs a Mediterranean salad base, and with a za'atar base sauce, it's a rustic flavor explosion.