Which is best: Smooth or chunky? No, we’re not asking about your favorite peanut butter, but rather your preferred style of deviled eggs.
Here, we have eight different deviled egg recipes here to suit everyone’s tastes.
by Brenda Hyde
Make delicious deviled eggs, eight different ways
Growing up, I only knew one type of deviled eggs: hard boiled eggs, Miracle Whip, yellow mustard, salt and pepper. That’s it. No one fooled with my deviled eggs.
As I got older, I discovered people who added relish, onion, or green pepper. Can you imagine? And even worse, some people thumbed their nose at Miracle Whip, calling it nasty.
As always, I am amazed at our diverse food culture. It’s fun to learn what some of us consider comfort food, and our reactions to someone altering what we know. After all, they are only deviled eggs, right?
In addition to my basic favorite, below are several gussied up egg appetizer recipes to try. After all, change is not always a bad thing!
Starting off right: How to prepare the eggs
All eight of the recipes below start the same way — by prepping the eggs.
Boil the eggs for 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, and place under running cold water or plunge into a bowl of ice water until cooled. At this point you can store them in the refrigerator (with shells on) for three to four days before using.
>> Get some great tips here: How to make perfect hard-boiled eggs the easy way
Crack and peel the eggs when ready to assemble. Then cut them lengthwise in half, and gently “pop” the yolk into a bowl.
1. Basic deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
1 dozen eggs: boiled, shelled, and cut in half
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoon Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare eggs as above. Add the dressing and mustard, season with salt and pepper then mash until fairly smooth.
Carefully spoon back into the egg white halves and garnish. You can pipe the yolk mixture through a pastry bag as well.
Garnishes: Crumbled bacon, paprika, dill sprigs, nasturtiums, chopped chives, chili powder, capers, red or green pepper.
Variations to the basic recipe
- Use yogurt, cream, light mayonnaise or salad dressing. You can also add a small amount of softened cream cheese to the mixture.
- You always need a tang of some sort; this can be curry powder, vinegar, lemon juice or the classic mustard in any form — Dijon, brown, yellow, honey mustard or even a little mustard powder.
- Are you a chunky fan? Add minced onion, green or red pepper, green onions, finely chopped red onion, chopped olives, green chilies, capers, or celery.
- Feel like making high society deviled eggs? Add minced lobster, shrimp, smoked salmon or caviar. Emeril Lagasse, the famous Food Network chef, uses lump crabmeat, real mayonnaise and a garnish of caviar.
2. Traditional deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 hard boiled eggs (large)
6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 teaspoon mustard of your choice
1 teaspoon vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika
Directions
Prepare eggs as instructed above and mash the yolks with the above ingredients, except for the paprika, which you should sprinkle lightly on top of the eggs after they are assembled.
3. Curried deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 large hard-boiled eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise/Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare eggs as above. Mix the yolks until a smooth paste forms. Mix in green onion, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the egg halves, or pipe using a pastry bag and star tip. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving.
4. Spicy deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1/2-1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika (to garnish)
Directions
Prepare as above. Mash together the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Spoon the filling into the egg. Dust with the paprika.
5. Italian-style deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon horseradish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Directions
With a fork, mash egg yolks and add Parmesan cheese, horseradish, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and salad dressing (or mayonnaise). Spoon into the egg white halves. Garnish with paprika and the sliced olives.
6. Savory deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 eggs
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1 Tablespoon minced celery
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt to season
Dash of Tabasco Sauce
Directions
Mash all together well, and fill egg halves. Garnish as desired.
7. Low-fat deviled eggs recipe
Ingredients
12 hard boiled eggs
1 8-ounce package fat-free creamed cheese
2 Tablespoons of fat-free Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon drained sweet pickle relish
Directions
Mix all ingredients with the yolks of the eggs until fairly smooth, and spoon into egg halves.
8. Deviled eggs: Mexican-style
Ingredients
12 hard cooked eggs
5 to 6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
4 Tablespoons of chopped red bell pepper
4 Tablespoons of finely chopped green bell pepper
4 Tablespoons of finely chopped celery
4 teaspoons of minced green onion
1 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
A dash of chili powder and hot sauce
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Add the egg yolks to small mixing bowl and mash in the remaining ingredients. Spoon an equal amount mixture into each egg white half. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, garnish with diced red pepper.
MORE: Try it the vintage way! 22 divinely delicious classic deviled egg recipes
