Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 11-12 minutes—this gentle carryover cooking creates perfectly cooked yolks without that gray-green ring. Transfer eggs immediately to an ice bath and let them cool for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process. This rapid cooling also makes the eggs easier to peel cleanly.

While eggs cool, blend the cottage cheese until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency—this replaces mayo and creates the binding base for your salad. In a separate bowl, combine the blended cottage cheese with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until the seasoning is evenly distributed. I like to add the spices to the cheese base first so they fully dissolve and distribute evenly throughout, rather than sprinkling them on at the end.

Finely chop the fresh dill into roughly 1/4-inch pieces and finely dice the red onion to ensure even distribution throughout the salad—smaller pieces mean more consistent flavor in every bite. Chop the chives as well. Keep these ingredients separate until you're ready to combine them, as fresh herbs can start to oxidize and lose brightness if prepped too far in advance.

Remove eggs from the ice bath and gently crack and peel them under cool running water, starting from the wider end where the air pocket is located—this makes peeling easier and cleaner. Once peeled, dice the eggs into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, being careful not to break them up too much. Set the diced eggs aside.

Add the fresh dill, chives, and red onion to the seasoned cottage cheese mixture from Step 2 and stir to combine. Gently fold in the diced eggs from Step 4, being careful not to mash them—you want distinct pieces of egg throughout. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed; I find that the lemon juice and mustard develop more fully after a few minutes of sitting, so hold off on aggressive seasoning adjustments until you've let it rest for a minute or two.

Serve the egg salad right away on bread, crackers, or lettuce wraps for a lighter option. If you prefer to make it ahead, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though the fresh herbs will be brightest if served within a few hours of assembly.