This classic Deviled Egg recipe is perfect for Easter brunch, potlucks, summer picnics, and baby showers. It’s a simple no-frills appetizer that is easy to adapt and totally delicious.
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Best Deviled Egg Recipe
If you’re looking for the best Deviled Eggs recipe, this classic version is all you need. We’ll show you how to perfectly hard boil eggs, then make a yummy filling using pickle juice, mayo, mustard, and paprika. From there, feel free to choose any of our suggested variations, or create your own.
I love making Deviled Eggs for baby showers or other special occasions like Easter brunch because they are delicious, simple, and they can be made ahead of time. Plus you can add tasty little garnishes like chives, bacon, or even caviar to make them feel a little fancier.
Use up those dyed Easter Eggs and make some amazing deviled eggs and for even more tips, check out our post on making perfect Hard Boiled Eggs.
Ingredients in This Deviled Egg Recipe
- Eggs - you can use any kind of eggs that you’d like. We recommend using older eggs rather than super fresh eggs. Older eggs are easier to peel simply because they have had more water evaporate out through the shell. If you plan on decorating these eggs, you may want to use eggs with a white shell.
- Baking Soda - making hard boiled eggs with baking soda helps raise the pH level of the eggs, making them easier to peel.
- Ice - you will need ice to make an ice bath. This helps to quickly stop the cooking and cool the eggs down. If you don’t have ice on hand, place a metal bowl in the sink with cold running water and add the eggs.
- Mayonnaise - you can use regular or reduced fat mayo for this recipe. If you are really trying to make these healthy, you could also try substituting plain Greek yogurt.
- Mustard - I prefer to use dijon mustard for Deviled Eggs. The best substitute would be yellow mustard.
- Dill Pickle Juice - this adds great acidity and amazing flavor to the filling. If you don’t happened to have a jar of dill pickles on hand, you could substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper
- Paprika - paprika is a classic Deviled Eggs ingredient that you’ll need for both the filling and a little sprinkle over the top.
Deviled Egg Variations
For some fun variations, add one or more of the following:
- Paprika
- Hot Sauce or Sriracha
- Finely chopped fresh parsley (or other fresh herbs)
- Chopped fresh chives
- Capers
- Pimientos
- A pinch of cayenne
- Caviar
- Bacon bits or crumbles
- Sliced olives
- Chopped roasted red peppers
- Chopped dill pickles
- Sweet pickle relish
How to Make Deviled Eggs
- Add the eggs, baking soda, and water to a pot. Place your raw eggs in a large dutch oven or pot and cover them with water by about 1". Add the baking soda.
- Bring to a boil. Bring the water to a low boil over high heat. Once the water has reached a rapid boil, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid.
- Allow eggs to sit in hot water for desired time. Let the eggs sit for 9-12 minutes, depending on how "done" you want your eggs.
- Add cooked eggs to an ice bath to chill. While the eggs cook, prepare a large bowl of ice water. After the desired resting time, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the hot water and place them in the ice water to stop the cooking and cool completely. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for about 5 minutes, then remove and place on a towel to dry.
- Remove the yolks. Once the eggs have completely cooled, peel and slice them in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks and add them to a small bowl.
- Make the egg yolk mixture. Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill the egg white halves. Place a round or star tip into a piping bag and fill with the Deviled Eggs mixture (Note: you could also use a spoon to add a heaping spoonful).
- Serve. Finish by sprinkling with paprika. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Make sure that your eggs have completely cooled before you attempt to make Deviled Eggs. If you try to cut into the hard boiled eggs while they are still warm, you will have a very hard time getting them to slice in half without breaking. The yolks will also be much harder to remove until they are completely cooled.
Hard boiled eggs that have not yet had their shell removed can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. I would recommend making your hard boiled egg yolk mixture towards the beginning of that timeframe, or about 1-2 days ahead of time.
While it’s best not to completely assemble them in advance, you can make the hard boiled egg mixture the night before and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the egg white halves in the fridge in a separate container filled with cold water. The day you want to serve them, remove the egg whites, drain the water, and gently pat them dry. Give the egg yolk mixture a little mix, then put into a piping bag and fill as directed in the recipe.
Storing
- Leftovers: leftover Deviled Eggs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Be sure to place them in a single layer, using multiple containers if necessary.
- Make ahead: you can make your Hard Boiled Eggs up to 2 days in advance and store them unpeeled in an airtight container in the fridge. The egg yolk mixture can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in a separate container in the fridge.
How to Make Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
Hard Boiled Eggs
- 12 large Eggs
- ½ gallon Water
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 8 cups Ice
Deviled Eggs
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise reduced fat is fine
- 2 teaspoons Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Dill Pickle Juice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 pinch Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika add half to yolk mixture and half to sprinkle on top
Instructions
How to Hard Boil Eggs
- Place your raw eggs in a large dutch oven or pot and cover them with water by about 1". Add the baking soda.
- Bring the water to a low boil over medium high heat. Once the water has reached a rapid boil, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid. Let the eggs sit for 9-12 minutes, depending on how "done" you want your eggs.
- While the eggs cook, prepare a bowl of ice water. After the desired resting time, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the hot water and place them in the ice water to stop the cooking and cool completely.
- Let the eggs sit in the ice water for about 5 minutes, then remove and place on a towel to dry.
How to Make Deviled Eggs
- Once the eggs have completely cooled, peel and slice them in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks and add them to a small bowl.
- Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Place a round or star tip into a piping bag and fill with the Deviled Eggs mixture (Note: you could also use a spoon to add a heaping spoonful). Finish by sprinkling with paprika. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Of The Best Appetizer Recipes
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Fruit Charcuterie Board
- Chicken Tenders
- Holiday Veggie Tray
- Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
- Pizza Roll Ups
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
- BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- More Appetizer Ideas
- More Easter Menu Ideas
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This is the best Deviled Egg recipe. It's got a classic filling made with mayo, pickle juice, mustard, and paprika that's super delicious and perfect appetizer for special occasions.
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