Deviled eggs are the perfect food. They're simple to make. They're filling as an appetizer or snack. They're good in the most basic form, but you can also make endless variations. And they're so, so good. You've had them at church lunches, Easter brunch potlucks, and backyard cookouts. If you've wondered how to make deviled eggs yourself, we've got a primer here that will make you the hit of every party you attend.
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How To Make the Best Deviled Eggs
We've got some great deviled eggs recipes for you, but this delightful finger food works just as well by just following a few easy steps. We'll walk you through the right way to boil eggs, how to make a basic deviled egg, how to improvise or add fun touches, and the best way to make a big batch for a party.
Boil the eggs
Deviled eggs start with hard-boiled eggs. Our method starts large eggs off in cold water with white vinegar and salt, which makes the eggs easier to peel later. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat off and leave covered for 12-15 minutes. After you boil the eggs, place them in a large bowl of ice water, another trick to make the eggs easier to peel.
Prep the eggs
Peel the eggs and then slice each egg in half lengthwise. You can remove leftover egg shell under running water. Remove the yellow egg yolks and place them in a large bowl. Set aside the egg white halves for a few minutes while you concentrate on the egg yolk mixture.
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You Don't Really Need a Recipe for Deviled Eggs
You really don't need a recipe for the filling. The most basic deviled egg recipe calls for you to mash yolks with mayonnaise and mustard to make the creamy filling, then add seasoning, all to taste. That's it. Trust us: When faced with basic deviled eggs at a party, no one has ever said, "gee, I wish these deviled eggs were more elaborate," so feel free to stop with those ingredients.
The brand of mayonnaise and the type of mustard you use is up to you. Dijon mustard gives the eggs a nice bite, but yellow mustard works just as well. Generally speaking, you'll need more mayonnaise than mustard, but the proportion is really to taste. Seasoning can be just salt and black pepper, but a dash of paprika or garlic powder works really well. For extra depth, use smoked paprika.
Fill the eggs
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Take the yolk mixture and place it in the empty egg white hollows. You can either use a spoon or pipe it in by filling a piping bag or a plastic bag and cutting off a tiny corner of the bag. There's no wrong way.
If you like, you can top them with a sprinkle of paprika or some chives, but all you really have to do now is serve them!
Variations on a deviled egg recipe are many. You can add hot sauce or pickle relish to the yolk mixture to go either spicy or sweet. You can mix in pimento cheese, avocado, cayenne pepper or horseradish. You can top the eggs with bacon, jalapeno, shrimp, smoked salmon, crab... Well, you get the idea.
Deviled eggs are a great way to use colorful Easter eggs (but only if they haven't been hiding outside). And if you have leftover deviled eggs, use them for egg salad.
You can start the eggs in advance, which is helpful if you're making a big batch for a party. The eggs can be boiled a few days in advance, but don't peel them until you're ready to make the filling. You can make the filling a day in advance; store it in an airtight bag or container an wrap the egg white halves tightly in plastic wrap.