Deviled eggs get their name from the cooking term “devil”, which describes a dish that’s heavily seasoned with something spicy, like mustard. But you can make this deviled egg recipe more or less spicy depending on your preferences. For more spice, swap paprika for cayenne pepper. For a milder option, use yellow mustard (or even honey mustard) instead of Dijon mustard. In fact, they are really easy to personalize. So get creative with different garnishes (I’ve got a bunch of ideas for you below) and flavorings! If you’re looking for more easy appetizers, try my spinach artichoke dip, bruschetta recipe, or stuffed mushrooms recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Eggs — you’ll need 6 large eggs, which will yield 12 deviled eggs. Use a full dozen to double the recipe and feed a bigger crowd. Vinegar — white vinegar is important both for boiling the eggs and making the filling. In boiling, the vinegar helps the eggs peel more easily when cooled, and for flavor, adding it to the egg yolks gives a hint of acidity to the creamy filling. Condiments — mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, when mashed together with hard-boiled egg yolks, create a light, flavorful mixture. Paprika — a generous sprinkle of paprika adds a subtle hint of spice, as well as color and visual interest to the prepared eggs.
How to Make Deviled Eggs
- Carefully place the large eggs in a pot with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of vinegar. Fill the pot with water so that the eggs are covered by an inch or 2 of water. then fill with enough water so the eggs are covered by 1 to 2 inches.
- Set the pot on your stovetop over medium-high heat and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once you have a rolling boil, set a timer for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Once the 7 minutes are up, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath with a slotted spoon to cool completely. Leave them in the ice bath for about 10 minutes.
- Peel the eggs and cut each egg in half lengthwise.
- Use a small spoon to carefully remove the yolks.
- Place all the yolks in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Mash with a fork until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Fill the egg cavities with the egg yolk mixture. You can either spoon the filling in or, if you want a prettier presentation, transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe it into the center of each egg white.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and serve immediately.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
Use older eggs. Very fresh eggs are more difficult to peel. You can tell the eggs’ age by looking at the expiration date on the carton. The closer you are to the date, the older the eggs. Just don’t use ones that are past their expiration. Don’t overcook the eggs. Overcooked hard-boiled egg yolks turn a grayish-green color and, while still edible, look a lot less appetizing. The yolks also become grainy, which will affect the texture of the egg yolk filling. For a super easy, hand-off method, hard boil eggs in the Instant Pot. Don’t skip the ice bath. Popping the cooked eggs into an ice bath halts the cooking process and cools the eggs down so they’re easy to handle when you peel them. They are a lot easier when they’ve sat in an ice bath for about 10 minutes. Remove the egg yolks carefully. A small spoon is the best tool to remove the egg yolks. Be gentle here, as it is very easy to break through the egg white. Use a different mustard. If you find Dijon mustard to be too spicy, you can use yellow mustard or honey mustard instead. Get creative with the garnish. You can’t go wrong with a classic sprinkle of paprika. But for something different, crumbled bacon, sweet pickle relish, or minced fresh herbs like dill or chives can also be added to the filling or as a garnish. Add pickle juice. For a briny, sweetish flavor, substitute the vinegar for pickle juice. Add a little spice. If you prefer these eggs on the spicier side, add a splash or 2 of hot sauce to the filling, and swap the paprika for cayenne pepper.
If you’ve tried this deviled eggs recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!om you!
