The best deviled eggs start with perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs: smooth whites, creamy yellow yolks, and no green rings. Add a creamy, tangy filling made with mayonnaise, mustard, and simple seasonings, then finish with fresh herbs or fun garnishes for a classic appetizer everyone loves. I've been told many times that I make the best deviled eggs, and this is the tried-and-true recipe I've made for years.
For deviled eggs that look as good as they taste, the hard-boiled eggs matter. I don't worry about using week-old eggs; I hard boil eggs every week and fresh eggs peel just fine when they're cooked and chilled properly. Start with clean, un-cracked eggs, cook them for 15 minutes using my method, then move them straight into an ice bath to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.
Best Deviled Eggs Recipe Snapshot
- Classic crowd-pleaser - Deviled eggs are always welcome at holidays, parties, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
- Creamy, tangy filling - Smooth yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and simple seasonings make the filling flavorful and balanced.
- Make-ahead friendly - Cook and peel the eggs ahead, then fill them closer to serving time.
- Easy to customize - Finish with paprika, fresh herbs, capers, bacon, or other fun garnishes.
For another appetizer that's bite-sized and easy to make ahead, make these easy caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Eggs - Use clean, fresh, uncracked eggs. They do not need to be a week old if you follow my cooking and chilling method.
- Mayonnaise - Use your favorite mayonnaise for a creamy filling.
- Mustard - Use Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, whole-grain mustard, or a combination of them.
- Vinegar - Use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in the cooking water, and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in the filling for brightness.
- Horseradish - Optional, but it adds a little extra flavor punch. Drain it of liquid first.
- Garnishes - A sprinkle of paprika is classic, but there are lots of fun options. See the garnishing chart below.
- Dry mustard - Optional, but it adds extra mustard flavor depth and helps keep the filling firm enough to pipe neatly (if piping).
Please see the recipe card for measurements, plus the salt and pepper. I use white pepper in deviled eggs so the filling stays smooth and creamy-looking without black specks.
Chef's Tip: Why Vinegar & Salt? I add vinegar and salt to the cooking water every time I make hard-boiled eggs. While there are different opinions on exactly why it helps, I've found it makes the eggs easier to peel after cooking and rapid, thorough chilling. I've used this method for years with consistently good results.
Substitutions and Variations
- Avocado deviled eggs - Blend half of a ripe avocado into the filling for a creamy texture and fresh flavor, or replace the filling entirely with your favorite guacamole.
- Sun-dried tomato deviled eggs - Stir or blend a little sun-dried tomato pesto into the filling until smooth and creamy. Garnish with chopped herbs or a small piece of sun-dried tomato.
- Spicy deviled eggs - Add a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of cayenne, or finely chopped jalapeño to the filling.
How to Make Deviled Eggs
Hard Boil the Eggs
- Set up and ice bath to chill the eggs after cooking. Fill a large bowl with half water and ice.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot large enough to fit eggs in a single layer. and to cover by 2". Add vinegar and salt. When water boils, gently lower eggs into pot. Turn heat down to a low simmer ad cook 15 minutes.
Peel the Eggs
Place a folded kitchen towel on the counter. Tap the egg around the center to crack the shell on the counter, then roll the egg gently with the palm of your hand, pushing away from you on the towel. The shells will peel right off most of the time, but there is always a stubborn one.
- At end of 15 minutes, lift eggs out of pot and immediately into ice water. Chill until ice cold, 30 minutes.
- Peel eggs by tapping them on the counter, then rolling gently on a folded kitchen towel, then peeling.
Make the Filling
- Halve the eggs, then pop the yolks out, and add to a food processor.
- Add the mustard, horseradish, mayo, vinegar, seasoning, and pulse until smooth and creamy.
Deviled Egg Filling Without a Food Processor
There are two ways that work. One, place the yolks in a bowl and mash them with a fork until they are fine and crumbly. Add the other ingredients and stir (or whisk) until creamy and smooth as possible. Refrigerate the filling until needed.
One more way without a food processor is to use a sieve and push the yolks through with the back of a spoon or flexible spatula. This method insures a smoother filling and less lumps after mixing.
FiIling Deviled Eggs
You can fill deviled eggs with a piping bag, zip-top bag, or a spoon. For the neatest presentation, I like using a disposable piping bag fitted with a large star tip or plain tip.
To fill the bag easily, place it tip-side down in a tall container, such as a blender jar or large glass, and fold the top edge over the rim. Spoon in the filling, filling the bag about three-quarters full. Twist the top closed and secure with a rubber band if needed. When ready to fill the eggs, snip the tip end if needed, then gently squeeze the filling into the egg white halves.
A zip-top bag works too. Add the filling to the bag, press out extra air, seal, and snip off one corner for piping. Or keep it simple and use a teaspoon to fill the eggs.
For transporting deviled eggs, pack the egg white halves in a sturdy container and keep the filling in the piping bag. When you arrive, pipe the filling into the eggs, add garnishes, and serve.
- Pipe the deviled egg filling into the gg halves just before serving.
- Garnish as desired.
The Best Garnishes for Deviled Eggs
Here are 14 variations for deviled eggs, and try my recipe for smoked salmon on a pellet grill for another nice topping.
| Paprika, regular or smoked | Bay shrimp or crab |
| Chopped fresh dill or parsley | Chopped green onion |
| Sliced jalapeno peppers | Cooked bay shrimp |
| Avocado | Sun-dried tomatoes |
| Crisp crumbled bacon | Black or green olives |
| Radish slices | Pickle relish |
| Capers | Cherry tomato halves |
Making Deviled Eggs Ahead of Time
To make deviled eggs ahead of time, hard boil the eggs and make the filling a day or two ahead. Keep them refrigerated and separated. Fill when ready to serve. The fastest way is using the piping bag method and having your garnishes ready to go.
Serving Tips
There are a couple of ways to keep deviled eggs from sliding around on the plate. Use a deviled egg plate that has hollows to place the egg halves in. Try placing soft flat lettuce leaves or finely shredded cabbage on the bottom of the plate and placing the eggs on top.
Serve eggs well chilled. Deviled eggs can sit out at room temperature safely for up to two hours, or if 90°F or higher, only one hour. One trick is to place them on a bed of crushed ice to keep them cold. Online. you'll find freezable and chillable plates and mats for hot summer serving support.
More Appetizer Recipes
There are so many marvelous ways to create delicious appetizers, whether for a get-together, a holiday celebration, or watching your favorites games with the gang. Check out some of these recipes and more on the appetizer index page.
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📖 Recipe
Best Deviled Eggs Recipe
Equipment
- Disposable piping bag with large tip optional
Ingredients
Deviled Eggs
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar for the water
- ½ teaspoon salt for the water
- 12 large eggs
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise or Vegenaise
- 1-2 tablespoons creamy Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder optional for thicker filing
Optional Garnishes
- See list in notes below
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Instructions
How to Hard Boil Eggs
- Choose a pot large enough to hold eggs a single layer. Fill the pot about half full with cold water to cover eggs by 2". Add salt and vinegar. Bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer (small bubbles) and carefully lower eggs into the water. Using a mesh skimmer or a slotted spoon makes it easy. Set timer for 15 minutes.
- Prepare an ice bath to chill the eggs immediately after cooking by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. When eggs are done cooking, plunge cooked eggs into the ice bath. Chill until very cold, about 30 minutes. Peel right away or refrigerate them for a day or two until ready to use.
Make the Filling: Food Processor or Not
- With a sharp knife, cut eggs in half lengthwise. Pop yolks out and place in the bowl of a food processor or a large bowl. Add the mayo, Dijon, horseradish, vinegar, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth and creamy. If you don't have a food processor, place the yolks in a large bowl and mash them into a fine crumble with a fork or push them through a fine sieve with a flexible spatula, then add the mayo, Dijon, horseradish, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir until creamy.
Filling Deviled Eggs: Two Ways
- Two ways to fill: spoon or piping bag. Fill the deviled eggs with a spoonful of the filling or use a disposable piping bag for a nice presentation. Piping bag and garnish notes are below.
Notes
Piping Bag Notes
Place filling into a disposable piping bag fitted with a large star or plain tip and pipe into egg halves. If this sounds fussy it's not! It is actually fun and your deviled eggs look so professional. Once you try it you'll be hooked.Ways to Garnish Deviled Eggs
Use chopped fresh dill, cilantro, or parsley, chopped green onion, regular or smoked paprika, tiny cooked bay shrimp, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, crisp chopped bacon, sliced jalapeños, black or green olives, capers, radish slices, pickle relish, or half of a small cherry tomato. You choose!Nutrition
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Suzanne Cipriani says
This is the best recipe! I like yellow mustard and no horseradish.
Erin says
Thanks for the recipe! The method of hard-boiling the eggs by letting them cook in hot water off the burner worked really well. I LOVE the addition of the white wine vinegar. It made all the difference to the flavour.
Dr. Patrick Mahaney says
Yum! I just used your special sauce (sample that you gave me when Phil and I had that FABULOUS dinner at your home) for grilled chicken the other night. Amazing!
Are you cooking up anything special for the royal wedding?
PM
Denise says
I add diced bacon and blue cheese to mine. They are always a HUGE hit. It's fun to hear people try to figure out the "secret" ingredient!
ururfood says
Thank you. This recipe sounds great and I love the fact you use organic eggs. I also like the tip on the best way to hard boil the eggs.
CopyKat Recipes says
Your deviled eggs look wonderful. I love how you wrote about cooking the eggs, often this part can seem mysterious, and no one wants green eggs when you boil eggs.
a frog in the cottage says
these are really delicious !! a great idea for easter !!
Chef Rachelle Boucher says
Love the tips and pics!