My 4-Ingredient Egg Salad Has a Trick—There’s No Peeling Required

I detest peeling hard-boiled eggs but love egg salad. There are many easy ways to make hard-boiled eggs (both the Instant Pot method and the stovetop steaming method work perfectly), but my biggest gripe is the peeling process, which is universally tedious, especially for egg salad.

What Is the “Egg Loaf Method?”

Enter the egg loaf. This process won’t work when whole hard-boiled eggs are needed (for deviled eggs, for instance), but for egg salad, it is a brilliant time-saver. This fuss-free method sidesteps the peeling process entirely and scales to make salad for a crowd without increasing the level of effort.

Instead of the usual method for making egg salad, in the egg loaf method you simply crack all your eggs into a ramekin or bowl, steam them until done to your liking, then chop them up. There’s no guessing about when the eggs are done, no ice water bath, and no peeling.

I especially love that you can test the yolks and return the eggs to the pot if they’re not finished yet, without sacrificing one of those precious cooked eggs. As you use this method in your own home, you’ll find a sweet spot of timing that works just right for your favorite yolk consistency.

You can use a ramekin or any oven-safe bowl for this method, provided it fits inside of the pot with a small amount of space around the edge.

How To Make an Egg Loaf in the Instant Pot

To make this egg loaf egg salad using an Instant Pot, follow these directions before cutting, cooling, and completing your egg salad from step four in the recipe below.

• Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the Instant Pot and insert the trivet (the round metal rack that raises dishes off the bottom). Spray an 8-inch metal bowl with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray or rub with olive oil.
• Crack the eggs into the bowl. Do not stir. Carefully lower the bowl into the Instant Pot, centering it on the trivet, and seal the lid. 
• Using the Manual setting, cook for 8 minutes. When the time is finished, wait 5 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure and unseal. 
• Carefully remove the bowl from the Instant Pot. Test the yolks; if they’re not firm to your liking, return the pot to high pressure in 2-minute increments as needed. Pour off any liquid accumulated on the loaf.

Tips and Tricks

• Pour off the water: There may be a small amount of water on your finished eggs from the steam. Pour it off before chopping the egg loaf.
• Testing for doneness: To test the yolks, cut into the egg loaf or insert a toothpick. If they need more time, steam the bowl for two more minutes and retest.
• Turning egg loaf into egg salad: I’ve included my favorite basic egg salad recipe, but of course you should use your own if it suits you best, or come up with a new one with all the egg-peeling time you’ve just saved!