With this easy recipe, you’ll master the classic, simple deviled egg. The prettiest, tastiest, most lovable party appetizer of all! Grab a mixing bowl, a mesh strainer and 6 little eggs! Let’s master the perfectly simple, perfectly elegant deviled egg!
Served with a single chive or dash of paprika, these tasty little treasures are fancy without much fuss – Though personally, I love going WAY overboard with all of my deviled eggs and turning each one into its own little 3 ring circus of bacon roses, pickles, multiple colors… you name it!
But truth be told, they’re all just gussied up versions of my classic. I had to learn how to perfect the simple deviled egg before adding any extra accouterments.
Once you’ve gotten this recipe mastered, you can always add other ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha, curry, chipotle chili pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard caviar, baked cheese! Go crazy!!… as long as it’s still tasty. That’s the very most important thing.
Ingredient Notes
Eggs – Use large eggs that are at least 2 weeks old, as they’re easier to peel than fresh eggs.
Mayonnaise – This can also be substituted with sour cream or even greek yogurt.
Spicy mustard – You can use just about any mustard as a substitute, except a honey mustard.
Paprika – This is the most traditional deviled egg sprinkling spice, but you can use many spices to top. A few suggestions are cayenne pepper, chili powder, Old Bay seasoning, cumin or flake salt.
How to Make Classic Deviled Eggs – Step by Step
1. Add 6 large eggs to a pot of cool water, then place them on the stove and boil them for 20 minutes over MEDIUM heat. After 20 minutes, place them in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes.
2. Once the eggs are cool, remove the shells by carefully tapping around the center and peeling. Crack and peel very carefully so the egg is pristine and free of tears and dents.
3. Slice the eggs. I slice through the center-middle, as opposed to longways. I find the egg-halves have a more sturdy base when cut this way. Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. They’ll almost always slide out if you’re gentle, so you don’t have you use a spoon.
4. Slice a tiny bit off the bottom so your deviled eggs sit perfectly flat. This will prevent them from sliding around the plate.
5. Push the yolks through a mesh strainer. This will break up the yolks and ensure that your filling is perfectly smooth when you mix in your other ingredients.
6. Add 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard, a sprinkle of salt & pepper, and stir. If the filling appears a little dry, add a little more mayo until the consistency is like a thick hummus.
7. Spoon filling into a pastry-piping bag with a tip, and fill the egg-halves.
8. Garnish with paprika. To make it extra pretty, I also used edible flowers.
Common Questions
You can make your deviled eggs and use a well-washed, plastic egg container (that has no paper inside) to transport them, then use a spoon to carefully remove them once you get to your destination, but I find this method a little wrought to uncertainty. One little bump or jump in the car, and they can get messy.
My preferred method is to slice my eggs and make the filling, first. Then, I place the egg whites and garnish in a plastic egg container. Then, add the filling to a pastry piping bag with a tip. I seal both ends of the bag with twisty ties and when I get to my destination, I simply remove the egg whites from the container, remove the twisty-ties, fill them in the kitchen and garnish.
Slice eggs through the center with the egg standing up, then slice a tiny bit off the bottom to make a nice, flat base. You can also add a tiny bit of filling underneath the egg whites on the plate, and use it as a little “glue” to hold them in place if you really want to make them extra secure.
You can make deviled eggs a whole day ahead of time if you want to, but you’ll just want to fill them shortly before your party. As mentioned below in the tips, you can simply slice your whites and make your filling, but refrigerate the egg whites and store the filling in a sealed bag until you’re ready to fill them the next day.
The fresher they are, the harder they will be to peel. I find eggs that are about 2 weeks from expiration peel best. You can also try adding ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the water before boiling. This increases the PH of the water which loosens the bond of the shell and the inner egg membrane.
Helpful Tips
1. It’s helpful to wash and paper towel-dry the egg whites before filling them.
Getting them clean and dry makes them look nicer, they’re easier to handle and less likely to slip around the plate.
2. Never sprinkle paprika directly from the jar.
When garnishing with paprika, pour a bit into your hand first and use your fingers to gently sprinkle. Otherwise, if you pour directly from the container, it’s very likely too much will come out at once and you’ll end up with a deviled, over-spiced heart break.
Classic Deviled Eggs
Equipment
- 1½ quart pot to boil 6 eggs
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- mesh strainer
- mixing bowl
- pastry piping bag with tip
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
- paprika – a dash
Instructions
- Add 6 large eggs to a pot of cool water, just covering the eggs, then place them on the stove and boil them for 20 minutes over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. After 20 minutes, place them in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes.
- Once the eggs are cool, remove the shells by carefully tapping around the center and peeling. Crack and peel very carefully so the egg is pristine and free of tears and dents.
- Slice the eggs. I slice through the center-middle, as opposed to longways. I find the egg-halves have a more sturdy base when cut this way. Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. They’ll almost always slide out if you’re gentle, so you don’t have you use a spoon.
- Slice a tiny bit off the bottom so your deviled eggs sit perfectly flat. This will prevent them from sliding around the plate. (see post for pictures of how to slice properly).
- Push the yolks through a mesh strainer. This will break up the yolks and ensure that your filling is perfectly smooth when you mix in your other ingredients.
- Add 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard, a sprinkle of salt & pepper, and stir. If the filling appears a little dry, add a little more mayo until the consistency is like a thick hummus.
- Spoon filling into a pastry-piping bag with a tip, and fill the egg-halves.
- Garnish with paprika.
Notes
Nutrition
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