No Egg Slicer, No Problem — Martha Stewart's Egg Salad Trick Couldn't Be Easier

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Egg salad is a versatile and easy-to-make dish, and it isn't just for lunch; you can also have it for breakfast, dinner, and even as a snack. However, anyone who has made it more than once would agree that the process can be tedious, especially when it's time to chop the eggs. Sure, you can use an egg slicer — it's that simple kitchen tool that gets salads on the table much quicker. But not everyone has one lying around in the kitchen. Even culinary and lifestyle expert Martha Stewart didn't have access to this handy tool when she made an egg salad at the office for her magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Her workaround? She used a metal whisk, which perfectly portioned the eggs.

Stewart's choice was a smart one. A whisk is even faster than an egg slicer, as it can handle a few boiled eggs at a time. To use your whisk as a slicer, first cook and peel the eggs, and then pat them dry before placing them in a stainless steel bowl. This will prevent the eggs from slipping and sliding under the whisk. Press down with the utensil until you cut through the eggs, creating crumbled pieces. Chunkier bites require just a few gentle pushes, but for a smoother, creamier texture, use more vigorous movements to break the eggs into smaller bits. You can do this one egg at a time, or prepare in batches of two or three if your bowl is big enough to handle the task.

In addition to overseeing a successful media empire, Martha Stewart earned her stripes for her practical and very convenient hacks. Case in point: the unexpected tool she uses to easily separate eggs (it's a spider strainer). Her use of a whisk to make egg salad is no different. Part of the reason why this is so effective comes down to the structure of the whisk itself. The utensil's thin metal loops act like mini cutters that easily slice through the eggs from several angles all at once with only slight effort. This gives it the advantage over other kitchen implements that are used to make egg salad, such as an egg slicer, which requires some adjustments before using, or a fork, which demands more effort due to its size. Even a knife needs more effort (repeated chopping motions) than a whisk.

The best part about this hack is the fact that most people already own a whisk. There's no longer a need to buy specialty kitchen tools simply to make egg salad. However, in case you lost or broke your whisk, or if you're meaning to replace a worn-out unit, consider Plateau ELK's 3-piece set of stainless steel whisks in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch sizes. The Amazon Basics Store also offers a similar steel wire whisk set of three with black rubber handles.