A classic summer salad goes Mexican-style for a lunch time fiesta. 
Summer vacation means sleeping in and hanging by the pool. It means a week of carefree schedules followed by a week of chaotic camp drop offs and picks ups. It means late dinners on the deck and staying up way past bedtimes.
It also means multiple grocery store trips all week long just to keep up with the hungry bellies of my kids.
My kiddies all buy school lunches, so I am not accustomed to keeping loads of lunch options in the refrigerator. In the summer though, the clock strikes 12 and suddenly my 3 young ones are “starving” with “nothing good to eat” in the house.
I feel like summer is the hungry season for my kids. Maybe it is the days spent swimming in the pool that makes them hungrier? Or the quiet days at home where hunger is triggered by some boredom? Either way, I can’t seem to keep my pantry and fridge stocked to their liking.
It’s possible that they actually grow a greater appreciation for the school lunch menu options over the summer. Cold cut and cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jellies, and leftovers get old pretty quickly.
So, this week I decided to whip up a batch of egg salad for a little lunch variety in the house.
I am a big fan of egg salad, especially in this season’s heat. And my girls would live on hard boiled eggs if I let them. It’s a convenient make-ahead and keep-in-the-fridge lunch option that is protein packed and full of flavor.
For a twist, I’m making this egg salad Mexican-style this time.
I’m adding some proven Mexican ingredients like lime, cilantro, green onions, avocado and jalapeño. These are some of my favorite additions to any recipe and, here, they are kicking up the egg salad and making this lunch anything but boring.
And instead of weighing this down with all mayo, I’m mashing up some avocado and lime and mixing that with just a hint of mayo. I still get my creaminess with a little less guilt. Not to mention, I’m sneaking in a healthy veggie that only one of my kids prefers.
Tossing in cumin and chili powder with the avocado-mayo mix gives my egg salad a kick. It’s an egg salad fiesta, of sorts. LOL.
Big colorful fresh chunks of ingredients is just how we like it, similar to my Chunky Guacamole. 
To serve, we spread this in a tortilla wrap or just grab some tortilla chips and get busy dipping and chowing down.
It’s a little summertime party in a bowl and it will keep lunchtime boredom to a minimum…at least for a day or two.
Do you have a twist on a traditional egg salad?
- 12 hard-boiled eggs peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch scallions green only
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4-5 celery stalks diced
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 lime
- 1 avocado mashed
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- cayenne pepper optional
- Place first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Gently toss to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mash avocado until smooth and mix with the juice of one lime for flavor and to prevent browning.
- Add the mayonnaise and the spices to the avocado and stir to combine.
- Fold the avocado mayo mixture into the egg mixture with the salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Chill for 15 minutes.
- Garnish with cayenne pepper (optional) and serve with tortilla chips or spread on a tortilla wrap.
Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar, if desired.
Salad should stay in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Duska says
July 18, 2018 at 6:50 pmThis sounds delicious! My husband will love it.
Mila Buckley says
July 17, 2018 at 11:29 pmOooh! I love your take on this. Some of those bold, smoky flavors are perfect with Egg Salad!
Megan says
July 17, 2018 at 2:37 pmI feel like I need to eat this right now!
Lorie says
July 16, 2018 at 9:30 pmOh my gosh I can remember the days of whining to my mom that there was nothing good to eat in the house. I’m sure it’s coming to haunt me. I loooove egg salad so I’m gonna looooove this one!!!
Olive Jude says
July 17, 2018 at 8:22 amOh, yes…it all comes around full circle! lol. Hope you enjoy this little twist! I love to really spice it up with cayenne for myself.
Liz Chapman says
July 16, 2018 at 2:51 pmThis looks super tasty and would be a perfect lunch option wrapped in lettuce! Thanks for the new lunch idea!
Olive Jude says
July 17, 2018 at 8:22 amThanks! Love the idea of wrapping it in lettuce! Will be doing that today…
Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat. says
July 16, 2018 at 1:20 pmThis sounds so delicious and refreshing as a cool summer meal. Yum!
Olive Jude says
July 17, 2018 at 8:23 amThanks, Jordan!
candy says
July 16, 2018 at 12:20 pmI like any kind of egg salad. We always have plenty of eggs with raising chickens. I will have to make up some of your egg salad and serve with chips which I think is perfect.
Olive Jude says
July 17, 2018 at 8:24 amLucky you to always have eggs on hand like that! I’m with you, egg salad anyway makes me happy.
Kristen says
July 16, 2018 at 11:57 amThis sounds like a great salad idea…may seriously think about making this upcoming weekend for a Mexican-themed pool party. What a timely share for me to see on Facebook!
Olive Jude says
July 17, 2018 at 8:25 amOh, how fun! Enjoy the pool party!
Heather says
July 16, 2018 at 10:34 amWe eat a lot of egg salad in our house. I’m going to have to try this one. It sounds SO good!
Olive Jude says
July 16, 2018 at 10:56 amThanks, Heather! We love this little twist on a classic. Enjoy!
Kelly Bolen says
July 16, 2018 at 10:33 amI love egg salad, and this is a great twist to an all time classic!
Olive Jude says
July 16, 2018 at 10:57 amThank you! So tasty with tortilla chips!
Melissa Pillone says
July 16, 2018 at 10:29 amThis looks yummy! I love egg salad. This looks so easy to make, can’t wait to try this recipe.
Olive Jude says
July 16, 2018 at 10:57 amSuper easy, just like summertime lunch calls for.
Anne Mackie Morelli says
July 16, 2018 at 9:22 amWhat a delicious looking variation of the standard salad! I really enjoy the spice, cumin, and so I look forward to trying this new dish! Thanks for inspiring!
Olive Jude says
July 16, 2018 at 10:56 amThank you, Anne! It is a fun twist!
Kate says
July 26, 2017 at 2:14 pmWhat a clever update on a classic! Sounds perfect for summer too!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:59 pmIt was perfect for sitting on the deck and dipping some chips in!
Jessica Lam says
July 26, 2017 at 10:01 amThis looks absolutely delicious! Such an awesome idea. I definitely will try this out!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:58 pmSo good to hear! I’ve been craving it since my family crushed the very last bite! lol
Chevelle says
July 25, 2017 at 11:17 pmI am making this tomorrow. It looks delicious!!!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:58 pmAwesome! Hope you enjoy it!!
Amanda @ The Light Owl says
July 25, 2017 at 10:20 pmI will try ANY Mexican inspired dish! I love avocado in egg salad too.
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:57 pmMe too! I added a big dose of cayenne to this just to get my Mexican heat factor!
Felicia @ The Starving Chef says
July 25, 2017 at 8:20 pmI’ve always been on the fence about egg salad because I feel like they can be a little mayo heavy – but I LOVE the sound of this one. I think I’ve found one I might actually enjoy!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:56 pmSo great to hear! I really liked the mashed avocado and lime as the “sauce.” It kept it very light!
Julie I Aloha Lovely says
July 25, 2017 at 7:37 pmLooks so flavorful and refreshing! Wanna try thin one for sure!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:55 pmI hope you love it like we do!
Jordyn Galan says
July 25, 2017 at 4:10 pmLove egg salad! and anything in the Mexican food category!
Olive Jude says
July 26, 2017 at 5:55 pmMe too! This was a great combo!
Sara says
July 25, 2017 at 12:46 pmI love egg salad and can’t wait to try this. Wouldn’t you know it; I’m out of eggs today. But I think I have everything else so that’s an easy fix. Nice pictures and directions too!
Olive Jude says
July 25, 2017 at 1:09 pmOh, shoot! I know that feeling of missing that one ingredient! Hope you get to make this and hope you love it!
Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat. says
July 25, 2017 at 11:55 amWhat a fun twist on a summer favorite! Looks delicious and I would love to try it.
Tiffany says
July 25, 2017 at 10:44 amI wouldn’t have thought to combine these flavors but they look delicious!!
Olive Jude says
July 25, 2017 at 11:00 amThanks! It is a tasty twist!
Dawn says
July 24, 2017 at 9:42 pmThis is a genius idea! I have never tried a twist on egg salad before and can’t wait to do this. Yuuum.
Olive Jude says
July 25, 2017 at 10:00 amThanks! I am thinking of all the other things I can give a Mexcian-style twist to!