25 Delicious Ways to Use Up Leftover Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-cooked (or hard-boiled) eggs are a convenient and affordable source of protein. Whether they're leftover from Easter or you simply made a big batch, having them on hand means you have the components of a satisfying breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack anytime you need it.
To cook a batch of hard-boiled eggs, place one dozen eggs in a saucepan covered with cold water. Slowly bring the water to a boil, then cover the saucepan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit for 12 minutes, then carefully transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and make it easier to peel them. From here, serve the eggs as you like or store them in an airtight container for up to one week.
Of course, you can turn pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs, like the Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs pictured here, into spicy Deviled Eggs or slice and serve over salad. For an indulgent, Southern-inspired breakfast, make a creamy breakfast toast known as Eggs Goldenrod. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and mince the yolks. Then fold chopped whites into a creamy béchamel sauce and spoon over toast, then garnish with yolks. It's a hearty and handsome starter to your day.
A dish that's really dressed to impressed is our Egg-and-Caviar Dip. Hard-boiled eggs are folded together with crème fraîche, minced fresh chives, and Dijon mustard. Top with stunning trout roe and serve as the most stunning appetizer.
One of the most classic recipes that uses hard-boiled eggs is Nicoise Salad, which pairs hard-boiled eggs with olives, haricot verts, roasted plum tomatoes, oil-packed tuna, and crunchy Bibb lettuce. Our recipe is packed with protein, plus nutrient-rich vegetables, so it's a meal that's sure to satisfy.
Get cracking and try our favorite recipes that use up leftover hard-boiled eggs.
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Eggs Goldenrod
Our food editor's go-to Easter breakfast, this Southern dish is named after the vibrant yellow flowers that bloom in spring. It teams hard-boiled eggs with creamy white gravy and buttered toast and is finished with smoked paprika and fresh chives.
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Egg-and-Caviar Dip
Who knew leftovers could be so luxurious? Dress up chopped hard-cooked eggs with crème fraîche, chives, Dijon, and trout roe for the piece de resistance. Serve with crackers.
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Shrimp Cobb with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Bacon, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and avocado are the toppings for this summery take on Cobb salad. A zesty lime-cilantro vinaigrette ties the flavors together beautifully.
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Hard-Cooked Eggs with Radishes and Anchovy-Butter Crostini
Mix mashed anchovies and minced garlic into softened butter to make a delicious spread for toasted baguette slices. Serve with hard-cooked eggs and radishes for an easy French-inspired appetizer.
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Frisee Salad with Hard-Cooked Eggs
Toss pleasantly bitter frisée and red endive, fresh tarragon, and quartered hard-boiled eggs with an easy shallot-mustard dressing for a satisfying salad.
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Hard-Cooked Egg and Grainy Mustard Tea Crackers
Just the thing for afternoon tea or an impromptu snack! All you have to do is spread whole-grain crackers with grainy mustard, then top with hard-cooked eggs and fresh chives.
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Hard-Cooked Egg with Mustard
When you don't have time to make deviled eggs, simply dollop hard-boiled egg halves with your favorite mustard and fresh herbs. They're the perfect utensil-free snack!
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Breakfast Egg Salad
Refresh your breakfast routine with this satisfying open-faced sandwich. Top whole-grain toast with smoked salmon, watercress, and hard-boiled eggs tossed with diced avocado and a light lemon-mustard dressing.
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Leeks Vinaigrette with Hard-Cooked Egg
We like to think of grated hard-boiled eggs as confetti. Use them to top steamed leeks tossed in a shallot vinaigrette, and the dish is ready for a party!
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Open-Faced Egg Sandwiches with Celery-and-Radish Salad
Thick slices of country bread are schmeared with a bright parsley-and-mint pesto, then topped with thinly sliced prosciutto, hard-cooked eggs, and shaved Parmesan.
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Green Salad with Crumbled Eggs
Press hard-boiled eggs through a sieve, then mix with briny capers and fresh parsley for a sensational topping for this lettuce-and-radish salad. A simple red-wine vinaigrette completes the dish.
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Herbed Chickpea Sandwich
Baguette halves are spread with homemade chive remoulade, then piled high with lemony mashed chickpeas, Fontina cheese, shaved fennel, and sliced hard-cooked eggs in this hearty vegetarian sandwich. It'll be the star of your next picnic.
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Nicoise Salad
Arrange halved hard-cooked eggs, chunks of oil-packed tuna, steamed green beans, Kalamata olives, and roasted plum tomatoes over a bed of Bibb lettuce to make this main-course salad. The salad fixings turn into a fantastic Nicoise sandwich when served on a split baguette.
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Salmon Salad with Curried Egg
Homemade curry salt adds a touch of the exotic to the hard-boiled eggs that top this elegant salmon salad tartine.
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Curried Eggs with Rice
Smother hard-cooked eggs in curry-spiced marinara sauce, then serve with rice, yogurt, scallions, and lime wedges for a knockout weeknight dinner.
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Open-Faced Egg, Bacon, and Watercress Sandwich
The favorite breakfast duo of bacon and eggs takes on a new form, arranging sliced hard-cooked eggs, crisp slices of bacon, and peppery watercress on a halved baguette. Enjoy this open-faced sandwich for brunch, lunch, or a casual dinner for one.
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Steak-and-Egg Salad
Pan-seared skirt steak and hard-cooked eggs make this radicchio and romaine salad hearty enough to serve as a main course. If you like, you can use grilled chicken or fish in place of the steak.
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Classic Egg Salad
This classic creamy egg salad combines mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and celery with chopped hard-cooked eggs. Mix in other ingredients according to your taste, such as capers, pickle relish, or fresh herbs.
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Asparagus Mimosa
A hard-cooked egg is pressed through a fine sieve to make a beautiful garnish for steamed asparagus, resembling the yellow-and-white flower that the dish is named for.
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Egg-Bacon Toasts with Onions and Spinach
You can serve this well-rounded dish any time of day. Toasted crusty bread is topped with hard-boiled eggs and crispy bacon and served with garlicky sautéed spinach and sweet baked onions.
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Caesar Salad with Hard-Cooked Eggs
Hard-cooked eggs make a hearty addition to the traditional Caesar salad. Use light mayonnaise as the base of the easy anchovy-lemon dressing.
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Open "Face" Egg Salad Sandwiches
Arrange sliced hard-cooked eggs over ham and an easy mayonnaise-and-mustard egg salad to make this fun lunch. Use lettuce, olives, peas, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, pickles, celery, and grated carrot to form the smiling faces. Kids will love to help make—and eat—these cheerful sandwiches.
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Smoked-Salmon Cobb Salad
Add a sophisticated twist to the traditional Cobb salad with hot-smoked salmon and fresh dill. Serve this salad as a light main course for brunch or lunch.
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Potato Salad
Hard-cooked eggs are a welcome addition to creamy dill-flecked potato salad. Garnish this picnic and barbecue favorite with chopped scallions before serving.