8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (2024)

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Deviled eggs – let’s put these classics back on the appetizer tray! These high protein snacks have been around for ages and are making a big come back because they’re so delicious, easy to make and you can dress ’em up in many different ways.

8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (1)

More egg recipes: Egg Salad with Fresh Herbs, Shakshuka Eggs, Apple Cranberry French Toast Bake, How to Make Smooth Easy Peel Eggs

Before you start boiling, slicing and filling your eggs, here are a few tips that will ensure you enjoy making them as much as you enjoy eating them.

8 Do’s and Don’ts for the Best Deviled Eggs

1. DO use old eggs.

I know that sounds odd, but fresh eggs are harder to peel. Egg shells are semi-permeable, which means over time more and more air will penetrate the egg making the air sac (you know that little air pocket) bigger over time. The acidity of eggs also decreases over time making the egg white loosen its grip on the shell. As a result, eggs at least 7-10 days old will be much easier to peel.

Did you know raw eggs stored in a refrigerator can last up to 4 or 5 weeks?

2. DON’T hard boil your eggs to death.

That’s right, don’t boil your eggs too long or hard.Extended high heat will create that dark green or grey ring around the yolks – and while you might be able to hide it in an egg salad – that ring of green doesn’t look very appealing in deviled eggs. Use this method to makeperfect boiled eggs that are easy to peel.

3. DO make a couple of extra eggs.

Play it safe and add an extra egg or two to the pot. With all that peeling, cutting, scooping and refilling there’s a chance something might slip, rip or drip. It’s good to have a spare hard cooked egg – and if all goes well, you have a lovely egg to nom on.

4. DON’T use a serrated knife.

A serrated knife will leave marks on your egg halves.Use a large chef’s knife to halve your egg in one even slice.

5. DO use a sieve to mash the egg yolks.

The goal is to create a smooth, light and airy filling.By using the back of a spoon or fork to mash your egg yolks you run the risk of having small lumps or overworking the yolks to a dry paste. Instead push yolks through a fine mesh sieve.You’ll get smooth, even egg yolks that will stay light and airy when mixed with other ingredients.

8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (2)

6. DON’T limit yourself to mayo

While mayonnaise may have been the ingredient of choice in the 60s and 70s, there are so many options for creating unique, tasty and healthy fillings. The recipe below uses low fat Greek yogurt, but you could also try mixing in guacamole, hummus, pesto, sweet potato, curry paste, cottage cheese, horseradish, etc. Of course, you can also try adding in a bit of texture with olives, peppers, pickles, anchovies, etc.

Just make sure whatever you’re adding won’t make the filling too runny. You want that filling to hold its shape in the egg.

7. DON’T fill your eggs with a spoon

Using a spoon to fill your eggs will be messy, frustrating and time consuming. Save yourself the trouble and use a piping bag or a sandwich baggie with a small cut in one corner.

8. DO have fun with presentation

Decorating and displaying your deviled eggs is the best part! Consider displaying them on a bed of lettuce or dried lentils or beans. Use raw veggies to add additional color and create patterns. Decorate the top of the filling with a classic sprinkle of paprika, slices of bacon, green onions, hot peppers, olives, tomatoes, cheese or whatever the occasion calls for.

8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (3)

Of course, if none of these tips work and your feeling beyond frustrated – take a detour and make an awesome egg salad for the party. Serve in a pretty bowl withhomemade pita chipsand nobody will be the wiser.

8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (4)

Print Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

The Best Lightened Up Deviled Eggs

Use thick Greek or Icelandic yogurt instead of mayo in these lightened up Deviled eggs. For even, mess free filling use a piping bag instead of a spoon.

Prep : 20 minutes mins

Cook : 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 32 minutes mins

Servings: 12 halves

Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 6 large hard cooked eggs
  • 1/4 cup low fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp hot pepper sauce or Worcestershire your choice
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • 1 green onion or parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp paprika

Instructions

  • Peel hard boiled eggs.

  • Use a large chef knife to slice eggs in half lengthwise. Use one long stroke to cleanly cut through the egg.

  • Use a small spoon to scoop out the egg yolks. Lay the egg whites on a large tray or cutting board.

  • Put egg yolks into a fine mesh sieve and push into a bowl with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Mix in yogurt, mustard, hot sauce or Worcestershire, salt and pepper.

  • Taste filling and adjust to your taste preference. If filling is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt to thin out.

  • Scoop filling into a piping bag or into a small plastic bag. If using plastic bag, snip a small hole in one of the corners. Squeeze the filling through the opening into the eggs. The filling should come above the level of the egg white in a little mound.

  • Ideally, let filled eggs rest in fridge for 20 minutes.

  • Arrange eggs on a platter and sprinkle eggs (and a bit of the platter) with paprika and green onions or parsley.

  • Devilled eggs can be stored in fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

See full article for more tips and flling ideas.

Other filling ideas: guacamole, hummus, spinach dip, etc.

Store in fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days.

Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 49mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Iron: 0.4mg

Course: Appetizer, Eggs

Cuisine: European

Keyword: boiled eggs, eggs

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8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (5)

Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty.Gettyisa food educator andProfessional Home Economist,who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen.Sign up toget seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox.Learn more aboutGettyor check out herbooks and pdf guides.

8 Tips for the Best Deviled Eggs Ever (2024)

FAQs

Why put white vinegar in deviled eggs? ›

A light-colored vinegar, like the white-wine vinegar we use in these creamy deviled eggs, brings a touch of acidity to the filling and balances the richness of the yolks and the mayonnaise.

Is it better to boil eggs for deviled eggs a day before? ›

Prep deviled eggs too far in advance, and you'll have dried out filling and stinky boiled egg whites. For the best results, prep your deviled eggs up to two days in advance and keep the egg whites and filling separate until you're ready to serve. This prepping method also applies if you're not even leaving the house.

How do you make deviled eggs creamy and not lumpy? ›

First she slices peeled hard-boiled eggs in half. She scoops the cooked yolks into a bowl and sets the egg whites in an egg tray. She mashes the yolks and adds mayonnaise, mustard and sweet pickle relish. She thoroughly mashes everything together so there aren't any lumps and adds pepper and salt to taste.

What is the hack for storing deviled eggs? ›

Mini muffin tins or ice cube trays

Set the assembled eggs in mini (or full-sized, if that's all you have) muffin tins — one deviled egg half per cup. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and you're good to go.

How does Martha Stewart make her deviled eggs? ›

Directions
  1. Prep ice bath and cook eggs: Prepare an ice bath with a bowl of cold water and ice. ...
  2. Remove eggs from heat and let stand: ...
  3. Drain, move to ice bath, then peel and halve: ...
  4. Combine yolks, mayo, butter, and mustard in food processor: ...
  5. Place mixture in piping bag: ...
  6. Fill each egg, garnish, and serve:
May 1, 2024

What vinegar is best for eggs? ›

You should always rinse your eggs with lukewarm water before cooking them to kill any bad bacteria they may contain. If you include a few drops of white vinegar in the rinse, it will be even more effective. Vinegar is not just utilitarian. It doesn't just help cleanse your eggs or help you peel their shells easier.

What happens if you put too much mayo in deviled eggs? ›

Going overboard with the mayo.

But when you're heavy-handed with this ingredient, not only will it overpower the taste of the filling, but it can also make for a loose, runny filling that's tough to pipe into the egg white.

What is the secret to peeling deviled eggs? ›

Shocking them in ice-cold water stops the cooking process. This not only yields more tender whites and a perfectly cooked yolk (no weird dark lines here), it immediately cools the eggs which makes them easier to peel.

Is mayo or Miracle Whip better in deviled eggs? ›

The bottom line is that you can use either Miracle Whip or mayo for deviled eggs. Both will do the same thing – make the yolk filling creamy.

How do you not mess up deviled eggs? ›

Making them too far in advance. Deviled eggs can be watery, dry, or lose flavor the longer they sit, so don't make them too far in advance. For the best results, prep your eggs and make the filling up two days in advance, and store them separately. Assemble the eggs before serving.

How to get yolks smooth for deviled eggs? ›

Once your eggs are cooked, making deviled eggs is easy!

Peel and cut your eggs in half, and then scoop the yolk into a bowl. I use the back of a spoon and smoosh the egg yolk. Since we cooked our eggs perfectly, they should break down easily. Then, we can stir in our mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Why do my deviled eggs get watery? ›

When eggs are cooked too quickly, over high heat, the protein seizes as it cools and water leeches out. To prevent this error, it is best to allow the eggs to cook slowly, shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process abruptly, and then allow them to cool completely before moving on to the next preparation step.

What does white vinegar do to an egg? ›

The vinegar contains ethanoic acid (also known as acetic acid), which reacts with calcium carbonate in the eggshell. One product of the reaction is carbon dioxide gas, which appears as little bubbles forming on the eggshell. Over time, this chemical reaction dissolves away the hard eggshell.

What does adding vinegar to egg white do? ›

In scientific terms the acid helps to denature, or break down, the coils of amino acids in the egg white's proteins so that they become long strands instead. When these strands are whisked they join together around the bubbles of air and make a foam which can then have sugar added to make meringue.

Why add vinegar to hard-boiled eggs? ›

The vinegar in the water makes the eggs easier to peel. Here's why: The vinegar's acid not only dissolves some of the calcium carbonate in the shell, it also helps the whites set faster. Running the hard-boiled eggs under cold running water as you're peeling, meanwhile, helps the shell separate from the membrane.

Why do you need vinegar in eggs? ›

"Vinegar is an inherently acidic material, so if we add a few drops of vinegar into that boiling water that is going to increase the rate of denaturing and it's going to make that happen faster and help the poached egg hold its shape better."

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