Making Classic Egg Salad with Dill is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps to create a delicious and satisfying dish every time:

1. Hard-Boil the Eggs: Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 10-12 minutes for perfectly hard-boiled eggs. For softer yolks, reduce the sitting time to 8-9 minutes. For very firm yolks, you can let it sit for up to 14 minutes, but be careful not to overcook them as they can become rubbery.
2. Cool the Eggs: After the eggs have sat for the desired time, immediately drain the hot water and rinse the eggs with cold water until they are cool enough to handle. Alternatively, you can transfer them to an ice bath – a bowl filled with ice and cold water. This rapid cooling stops the cooking process and makes the eggs easier to peel.
3. Peel the Eggs: Gently tap each egg all over on a hard surface to crack the shell. Start peeling under cool running water. The water helps to get under the shell and makes peeling much smoother. If you find it difficult to peel, try starting from the larger end of the egg where there is usually an air pocket. Ensure all shell fragments are removed.
4. Chop the Eggs: Once peeled, roughly chop the hard-boiled eggs. You can use an egg slicer for more uniform pieces if you prefer a finer texture. For a chunkier egg salad, simply roughly chop them with a knife. The level of chopping is a matter of personal preference – some prefer a very finely chopped egg salad, while others like it chunkier.
5. Prepare the Vegetables: While the eggs are cooling and peeling, finely dice the celery and red onion (or shallot). Mincing them finely ensures they distribute evenly throughout the egg salad and don’t overpower the other flavors. Wash and dry the fresh dill thoroughly, then finely chop it.
6. Combine Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, diced celery, minced red onion (or shallot), and chopped fresh dill.
7. Season and Mix: Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Start with about ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and adjust to taste. Gently mix all the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the egg salad watery. You want everything to be nicely incorporated but still retain some texture.
8. Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the egg salad to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the egg salad to chill. Chilling also helps to firm up the texture and makes it more enjoyable to eat. Serve chilled and enjoy!