Keto Meal Prep Egg Salad Cups

These Keto Meal Prep Egg Salad Cups are a creamy, crunchy, low-carb upgrade to classic egg salad sandwiches. Hard-boiled eggs are folded with full-fat mayonnaise, mashed avocado, celery, and a touch of onion, then spooned into crisp lettuce or cabbage cups for an easy, no-reheat meal. Perfect for weekday lunch prep, snacks, or a light dinner, this recipe delivers satisfying protein and healthy fats with virtually no carbs and stays delicious in the fridge for several days.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Meal Prep, Snack

Cuisine American, Keto

Keyword egg salad lettuce cups, keto egg salad, keto meal prep, low carb lunch, no reheat lunch

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings servings

Calories 290kcal

Equipment

medium saucepan
Mixing bowl
Cutting board
Chef's knife
spoon
air-tight containers

Ingredients

For the egg salad filling

8 large eggs hard-boiled and cooled
1/3 cup full-fat mayonnaise
1 medium avocado peeled, pitted, and diced or lightly mashed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons celery finely diced
1 tablespoon red onion very finely minced, or use green onion for a milder flavor
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for garnish, optional
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

For serving

8 large lettuce leaves such as romaine, butter lettuce, or cabbage cups
2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or dill, chopped, optional

Instructions

Place the eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by about 1 inch, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 9 to 12 minutes depending on desired yolk firmness.
Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl of ice water and let them cool completely, then peel the eggs and pat them dry.
Chop the peeled eggs into small bite-size pieces and place them in a mixing bowl.
Add the mayonnaise, avocado, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, lemon juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the bowl with the eggs.
Gently fold everything together until the mixture is creamy and the avocado is mostly incorporated but still has a few small chunks for texture, then taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Rinse and thoroughly dry the lettuce or cabbage leaves, then arrange them on a platter or in meal prep containers to form sturdy cups.
Spoon the egg salad into the lettuce cups just before serving or packing, dividing it evenly among the leaves.
Garnish the filled cups with chopped fresh herbs and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired, then serve chilled or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
For meal prep, store the egg salad in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days and keep the lettuce cups separate, filling them shortly before eating to maintain crispness.

Notes

For best texture, use slightly underripe but still creamy avocado, which holds up better over 2 to 3 days of storage and browns more slowly. If you are very sensitive to carbs from onion, use green onion and keep the total onion to a small amount to stay strict keto. Always keep the egg salad well chilled and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours for food safety. To save time on busy weeks, you can start with pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs and assemble the salad in minutes.

Nutrition