The Best Way To Repurpose Leftover Egg Salad

Have you ever been stuck with too much creamy egg salad, gotten bored of sandwiches, and couldn't think of anything else to do with it besides spreading it on crackers? I know I have, and even in my craziest culinary fantasies, it's difficult to find something creative to do with it. That is, until I discovered fried egg salad — a game-changer that seems to break all the rules I thought applied to this sandwich filling.

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Have you ever had Fried Egg Salad? #egg #eggsalad #recipe #cooking

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The recipe reminds me a lot of how I make Spanish-style croquettes, which are basically deep-fried béchamel logs, so the techniques make a lot of sense. If you want to keep your hands clean while shaping, spoon some egg salad onto a sheet of plastic wrap and twist up the corners to form a little pouch before freezing. This will prevent the salad from oozing out into the hot oil before the crust browns and becomes crisp. It also prevents the filling from becoming warm. You'll want to freeze them for about 30 to 60 minutes; leave them in too long, and the centers won't thaw by the time the exterior is done. 

Rolling the frozen salad in flour helps the egg wash adhere, while a double-dip in breadcrumbs not only adds extra crunch, but also securely seals the wet filling so it won't ooze into the hot oil. You need to deep-fry these; shallow-frying could lead to uneven cooking and requires constant flipping, which risks ruptures and splatters. Opt for a high-smoke-point oil like peanut oil, because you're going to fry these between medium-high and high heat.

When making croquettes, I simplify the breading process by mixing equal parts flour and store-bought cracker meal, or you can jazz it up by pulverizing some flavored Cheez-Its or Ritz crackers. Roll each egg salad ball in this mixture, dip it in the beaten egg, and roll it again. Besides saving you an extra step, the combination of fine cracker meal and flour is crispier, coats the egg salad balls better, and helps prevent ruptures. For an even crunchier crust, replace some of the flour with cornstarch or potato starch.

Luckily, an exact temperature isn't really necessary for this recipe. You can test whether the oil is ready by dipping a wooden skewer or wooden spoon handle into your pot. If it bubbles ferociously, you're ready to get frying! Once your egg salad balls are golden brown and crisp, make sure to place them on paper towels to drain.

If you're concerned about consuming warm mayonnaise, use a plant-based version, which contains no eggs, or make an eggless mayo using aquafaba, the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas. And if the idea of deep-frying balls of egg salad seems like a lot — especially if you're unsure whether you'll like them — there's a simple variation that will give you a similar effect. Make and freeze your egg salad balls, then roll them in seasoned, toasted breadcrumbs. They won't be quite the same, but they'll give you a new way to enjoy leftovers without all the extra work.