Mom's Easter Egg & Fresh Herb Vinaigrette Salad
Every Easter, my mom makes this beautiful fresh herb and egg salad, and it's honestly one of my favorite parts of the holiday spread. And before you scroll past—this is NOT your typical egg salad. There's no mayo, no cream, nothing heavy. Just piles of fresh dill, cilantro, parsley, mint, and green onion tossed with crisp romaine and hard-boiled eggs, all dressed in a bright lemon and apple cider vinaigrette. It's light, herby, and so refreshing. It's also packed with protein while being completely vegetarian! So if you're looking for a healthy, high-protein salad that still feels fresh and satisfying, this is it. Plus, it's the perfect way to use up leftover Easter eggs! Whether you're serving it as a side for your Easter table or just looking for a fresh spring salad, this one comes together fast and tastes incredible.
Ingredients
For the Eggs
- 6-8 large eggs hard-boiled, peeled, and quartered
For the Salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 bunch dill finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley finely chopped
- 1-2 bunches green onion finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh mint finely chopped
For the Dressing
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or to taste
Instructions
Boil the eggs
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Gently lower 6-8 eggs into water and boil for 10-12 minutes.
- Transfer to an ice bath and let cool completely, then peel and quarter. Set aside.
Prepare the salad
- Add 2 heads of chopped romaine lettuce to a large serving bowl.
- Add 1 bunch each of dill, cilantro, parsley, and mint along with 1-2 bunches of green onion.
- Toss gently to combine.
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper until well combined.
Dress and serve
- Pour dressing over salad and toss until greens are evenly coated.
- Top with quartered eggs and give one final gentle toss.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
• Not your typical egg salad: This salad has no mayo and no cream — just a light, fresh vinaigrette. It’s a great alternative if you love egg salads but want something lighter.
• Make it ahead: Hard-boil and peel eggs up to 2 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Chop herbs and lettuce a few hours ahead and keep wrapped in damp paper towels in the fridge to stay crisp.
• Leftover Easter eggs: This is the perfect recipe for using up hard-boiled Easter eggs! Just peel, quarter, and toss them in.
• Dressing to taste: Start with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add more as needed — with this much lettuce and herbs, you may prefer the full 4 tablespoons. Same goes for the lemon juice and vinegar — adjust to your taste.
• Aleppo pepper: If you can’t find Aleppo pepper, red pepper flakes work as a substitute, though Aleppo has a milder, slightly fruity heat. Start with 1⁄2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and adjust from there.
• Serving suggestion: This salad is best served fresh — the herbs and romaine are crispest right after tossing. If you have leftovers, store in the fridge and eat within a day.
• Eggs: For easy-to-peel eggs, use eggs that are at least a week old and transfer them straight to an ice bath after boiling.