This classic deviled eggs recipe is so simple. Whenever we serve them, they disappear quickly! Our basic recipe calls for eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar (or lemon juice). The secret to the best deviled eggs is cooking your eggs properly. I’m sharing our foolproof method below!
How to Make Deviled Eggs
When boiling eggs for deviled eggs, I follow this simple method. In a nutshell, you will add your eggs to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Then, turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. Finally, drop them into ice water to cool completely. Cooling the eggs completely helps with easy peel eggs. For stubborn shells, crack the cooled egg, submerge it in ice water for 5 minutes, and then peel. The water sneaks underneath the shell and makes it easier to peel. 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. To fill your egg white halves, use a spoon or piping bag, or do what I do and use a small cookie scoop. I’ve found that the cookie scoop makes things go much quicker and less messy!
Deviled Eggs Variations
While testing this recipe, we rummaged through our refrigerator and pantry to come up with a bunch of fun toppings we thought would work well for deviled eggs. Here’s what we love, plus more ideas to spark your culinary creativity:
Classic: Smoked paprika, sweet paprika, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (my favorite!) Spicy: Add sriracha, pickled jalapeños, or your favorite hot sauce. Tangy: Pickled onions, sweet pickles, dill pickles, or a sprinkle of capers. Salty: Smoked salmon, crispy baked bacon, or crumbled feta cheese. Fresh: Finely chopped chives, dill, or a mix of your favorite herbs. You can also swap some mayo for avocado, as we do when making avocado egg salad.
How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last?
Store your deviled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator as soon as you make them. They will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing them. For food safety, deviled eggs shouldn’t sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you’re serving a large group, keep some refrigerated and replenish the serving plate with more chilled deviled eggs as needed. 1/4 cup mayonnaise, see our homemade mayonnaise recipe 1 teaspoon white vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard Salt and fresh ground black pepper 2Prepare a bowl of ice water. Transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to the ice water and leave for 5 minutes. Crack egg shells and carefully peel them away. If the shells are not easily peeling away from the eggs, place them back into the ice water and try again in 5 minutes. 2Mash the yolks into a fine, powdery paste. Stir in the mayonnaise, vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir vigorously until smooth. 3Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to evenly distribute the egg yolk filling into the egg whites. (You can also cut a corner from a resealable plastic bag, add the egg yolk filling then use it to pipe into the egg white halves). 4Finish with a sprinkle of paprika (classic) or with your favorite toppings (see below for suggestions). We personally like a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or a squirt of Sriracha.
