Deviled Eggs
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This classic deviled eggs recipe has a creamy, fluffy filling with just the right amount of tang—and a simple trick makes it especially smooth.
Deviled eggs are one of those appetizers that always seem to disappear first, whether you’re serving them for Easter, a summer cookout, or a holiday party. This deviled eggs recipe sticks pretty close to the classic, with a creamy, tangy filling and a few little touches that give it extra flavor.
My trick for an especially smooth, fluffy filling is to push the cooked yolks through a fine sieve before mixing in the other ingredients. It only takes a minute, and it really does make the filling noticeably creamier. The recipe also includes my foolproof method for hard-boiling the eggs, so the yolks come out perfectly cooked and the whites stay tender. You can pipe the filling for a finished look or simply spoon it in—and because deviled eggs can be made ahead, they’re especially handy for entertaining.
“What a great technique for making deviled eggs! The filling is delicious and smooth. I used smoked paprika on top and the results were outstanding.”
What You’ll Need To Make Deviled Eggs
- Eggs: Large eggs work best here. For the neatest presentation, choose eggs without cracks and cook them using the hard-boiled egg method linked above.
- Mayonnaise: Gives the filling its creamy texture and richness. Always use a high-quality brand, like Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Whole grain mustard and cider vinegar: Add the tang that keeps the filling from tasting too rich. Dijon mustard also works; avoid yellow mustard, which doesn’t pack the same flavor punch.
- Worcestershire sauce and cayenne: Small amounts add savory depth and a subtle kick without making the eggs noticeably spicy.
- Fresh herbs: Chives and parsley add freshness and color to the filling. A little extra chive on top makes a simple garnish.
- Paprika: A light dusting is the classic finishing touch and adds color as well as a hint of flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Deviled Eggs
Cook and peel the eggs: Gently lower the eggs into boiling water and cook until the yolks are fully set. Transfer them to an ice bath to cool, then crack and peel under cool running water.
Prepare the yolks: Slice the eggs in half and gently remove the yolks. Push the yolks through a fine-mesh sieve—this simple extra step gets rid of any lumps and makes the filling especially smooth.
Make the filling: Mix the yolks with the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and herbs until creamy. Give the filling a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Fill and garnish: Pipe the filling into the egg whites for a fancier look, or simply spoon it in. Finish with a sprinkle of paprika and fresh herbs.
Making them ahead? For the best results, refrigerate the whites and filling separately and assemble the eggs close to serving time. See the recipe card below for complete make-ahead instructions.
Deviled Egg Variations
The classic version is hard to beat, but deviled eggs are easy to customize. Try topping them with crumbled cooked bacon, swapping in different fresh herbs, adding a little extra cayenne or another favorite seasoning, or topping them with crabmeat for something a little more special. If you’re using a seasoning blend that contains salt, reduce the added salt as needed.
Video Tutorial
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Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellman’s or Duke’s
- 1½ teaspoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mixed herbs, such as chives, parsley, dill or tarragon, plus more for serving
- Paprika, for serving
Instructions
- Hard-boil the eggs: Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by about 1 inch and bring to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the eggs into the boiling water. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 11 minutes.Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and cold water. Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice bath and let cool for 10 minutes. Crack the eggs all over, then peel under cool running water, starting at the wide end.
- Make the filling: Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, gently remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the whites on a serving platter, gently wiping them clean if necessary. Using a spatula, push the egg yolks through a mesh sieve, then mash with the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, sugar, cayenne pepper, and herbs. (Passing the yolks through a sieve makes the filling especially smooth; alternatively, you can blend the yolks with the remaining filling ingredients, except the herbs, in a food processor.) Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Assemble: Fill a piping bag fitted with an open star or large plain tip with the yolk mixture. Alternatively, spoon the filling into a sealable plastic bag, push it into one corner, and snip off the tip. Pipe the filling evenly into the egg white halves. For a less fussy presentation, simply spoon the filling into the whites. Sprinkle with paprika and more fresh herbs.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn, I am cooking these for a party of 110 among other things.. How many eggs would you suggest? How early can I boil the eggs and is there a prep recommendation for this? I am trying to prepare what I can as early as possible.
Hi Justine, It’s honestly hard to say how many of these you should prepare as it really depends on how many other things you’ll be serving. You can boil the eggs up to a couple of days ahead of time and could prepare and refrigerate mayo mixture that gets mixed with the egg yolks in order to cut down on the steps right before the event. Hope that helps!
Justine,
Probably too late, but you can buy precooked hard-boiled eggs at Costco and save a big step in
large-volume cooking. I also suggest finely chopped shallots in the yolk mixture.
I consider myself to be a snobbish “Deviled Egg” connoisseur. These are by far the best I have ever made and/or have had. Thank you for sharing….
Love your recipe, thanks! I have found that eggs, even fresh eggs, cooked on low pressure in a pressure cooker for 4 minutes with a 5-minute pressure release time are easy to peel! I learned this method from Laura Pazzaglia’s book “Hip Pressure Cooking”.
Any peeling tip is gratefully considered here, I am the Loser Peeler.
Hi Doug, I know this can be a frustrating process! I find I have the best luck if I gently crack the eggs all over and then peel them under running water.
Hi Jenn,
First of all, big fan here! I don’t have whole grain mustard so am planning to sub Dijon. Would I need to make any adjustments in the mustard or vinegar measurements?
Thanks,
Hi Kathy! No need to make any changes – Dijon should work fine. 🙂
STOP READING REVIEWS & MAKE THESE EGGS NOW!!!
These deviled-eggs are SHOW-STOPPERS! EVERY SINGLE EGG WAS EATEN!!!!
Guests stopped me to compliment the deviled egg, and many said that these were the best deviled eggs they ever ate!! THANKS JEN!!!!
I’m an experienced home cook but only made deviled eggs 1x.
The egg filling was really delicious, with a good amount of kick & made you want to go back for seconds & thirds.
Hosted an annual New Year’s Day bash for 35, and quadrupled the recipe. Definitely appreciative of the great advice in the cookbook about cooking ahead but keeping the filling separate from the egg whites. I also chopped my decorative herbs a day ahead & put that in a snack ziplock bag – Worked like a charm!
NEW TO DEVILED EGGS? Here is a tip:
Followed recipe exactly. The only thing for me that I struggled with was consistently/easily getting the shell off the egg so I lost some egg …because 2-3 egg halves ripped in half. My eggs were probably too fresh – so user error, but the SUGGESTION FOR NEWBIES is BOIL MORE EGGS THAN YOU NEED!! 😀 then you’ll definitely have enough of the pretty white egg halves to serve, especially if you wanted to have say, at least X number of pieces.
For those who LOVE bacon – check out Jen’s cookbook she has a variation with candied bacon. Believe it or not, a lot of my guests don’t eat bacon (what?? I know!) so this was a great variation that everyone could enjoy.
This is now my go-to deviled egg recipe. My dear, sweet other half insists that I make these whenever I plan to make deviled eggs for a gathering. I use a small food processor to blend and smooth the yolks and most other ingredients and stir in herbs as a last step. You simply must make these eggs!
What is a good substitute for mayonnaise in this case? I have been wanting to learn making deviled eggs but if I can avoird purchasing mayonnaise that would be superb. (Also I would like to note that the best Deviled eggs I have had were made sans the mayo but I never learned what was subbed instead!)
Hi Kat, One reader mentioned they used tzatziki in place of the mayo and were happy with the result. Hummus may work here too or you could try greek yogurt (but they will be more tart with greek yogurt). Hope that helps!
Adding 1 tsp of prepared horseradish gives this dish a zesty flavor layer. For those who hate mayo, try substituting tzatziki.
What a great technique for making deviled eggs! The filling is delicious and smooth. I used Smoked Paprika on top and the results were outstanding.
I followed it exactly since I wanted easy peel! And it worked! The sieve made the filling so creamy. Thank you Jen! We serve this at Christmas.