How To Make Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are pure genius. They take hard-cooked eggs — already one of the world's most perfect foods — and elevate them into an elegant bite that's worthy of any appetizer plate. From summer picnics to Easter brunch, afternoon snack time to Sunday supper, deviled eggs are more than up for the occasion.

Deviled eggs are also one of the easiest appetizers we know how to make. Today, we'll show you the easiest, most basic method for these addictive treats, with plenty of ideas for making them your own.

Part of the eternal appeal of deviled eggs is their sheer simplicity. You don't need much to make a good deviled egg. Here we use just a generous spoonful of mayo and a dollop of mustard mixed into the yolks — that's all you really need! Mayo takes the already creamy yolk and makes it even creamier and more decadent while the tangy yellow mustard tames the richness.

It all starts with hard-boiled eggs. Our favorite method is to cover the eggs with water, bring the water to a boil, and then let the eggs sit off the heat for about 10 minutes. This makes whites that are firm but still tender and yolks that are set but still creamy. If you need a refresher on this method, read more about it here:

The only other tricky moment with deviled eggs is actually filling them. You can certainly use a spoon, but it's worth considering using a bag to pipe the filling. It's a lot neater and easier than it might seem. You don't even need a real piping bag — just scoop the filling into a plastic bag, squeeze the filling into a corner, and snip off the corner. Party-worthy deviled eggs, zero fuss.

Keep your deviled eggs simple or gussy them up with herbs and spices — just about any way you make deviled eggs, they're sure to be delicious. Do you have a favorite way to make deviled eggs?

1. Hard-boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a saucepan and fill with enough cool water to cover the eggs by an inch or two. Place the pan over high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, remove the pan from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. → For more detail on cooking eggs, see How to Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time.

Makes 12 deviled eggs

What You Need

Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Salt and pepper
Paprika, for garnishing
Minced parsley or other fresh herbs, for garnishing

Equipment
Saucepan with lid
Bowl with ice water
Sharp knife
Mixing bowl
Dinner fork
Spatula
Sealable plastic bag (like Ziploc) or piping bag with a round tip

Instructions

Hard-boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a saucepan and fill with enough cool water to cover the eggs by an inch or two. Place the pan over high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, remove the pan from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. → For more detail on cooking eggs, see How to Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time.
Peel the eggs. Tap the eggs gently agains the counter to crack the shell in a few places, then submerge in ice water for at least 1 minute. Peel the eggs.
Slice the eggs in half. Slice the eggs down their length, from tip to bottom.
Remove the yolks. Gently squeeze the eggs to separate the yolks from the whites and use your fingers to remove the yolks. Transfer all the yolks to a mixing bowl. Arrange the empty whites on a platter, cut-side up.
Mash the yolks with a fork. Mash the yolks with a fork until they are completely crumbled.
Mix in the mayonnaise and mustard. Measure 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and the mustard into the bowl with the yolks. Mix and mash the filling until you form a smooth paste. If the filling feels too stiff, add more mayonnaise a small spoonful at a time.
Season with salt and pepper. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper.
Transfer the filling to a plastic bag or piping bag. Use a spatula to scoop all the filling into a plastic bag or piping bag. Press the bag with your hands to push all the filling to one corner and press any air out of the top. If using a plastic bag, snip one corner off with a pair of scissors.
Pipe the filling into the egg whites. Pipe the filling into the cup of each egg white, filling the cups so that the filling mounds a little over the top. Squeeze the bag from the top to force the filling downward. Alternatively, scoop the filling into the egg whites with a spoon.
Sprinkle with paprika and fresh herbs to serve. Sprinkle a pinch of paprika and a pinch of fresh herbs over the top of each egg before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make-Ahead Eggs: Deviled eggs are best eaten within 24 hours; they can be made the day ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. Wait to sprinkle with paprika and parsley until just before serving.
Leftover Deviled Eggs: Leftover deviled eggs can be kept refrigerated for several days, but may not look as pretty.
Make It Yours! Mix any of the following into your filling before piping: crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, chopped nuts, minced fresh herbs (especially dill!), canned salmon or trout, spices (like curry powder, chili powder, or Chinese 5-spice), capers.

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(Image credits: Leela Cyd)