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These Easy Deviled Eggs are a classic appetizer or side dish that’s perfect for Easter brunch, summer picnics, and casual potlucks with friends. The hardboiled eggs are stuffed with a creamy, tangy filling for a flavorful, make ahead treat that disappears fast!
Every home cook needs a delicious, reliable and easy deviled egg recipe to keep on hand for festive occasions. My mom shared her classic Southern Deviled Eggs recipe with me, and now I’m excited to pass it along to all of you! Not only is this the best recipe that I’ve tried, but it’s also the easiest! No fancy ingredients, no tedious prep work, just a really simple dish that’s executed perfectly.
Why are Deviled Eggs called Deviled Eggs?
Deviled Eggs, also called “stuffed eggs,” “salad eggs,” and “dressed eggs,” have existed in some form since ancient Rome! When something sticks around that long, you know it must be good…
By the 19th century, the term “deviled” was often used to refer to spicy or zesty food — including hardboiled eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity (as we have here). In fact, my mom always uses Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard for her Deviled Eggs, giving them that “bite” or “zest” that they are named for!
How to make Easy Deviled Eggs:
This is a very simple, classic recipe for Southern Deviled Eggs, which can be dressed up with a variety of different seasonings, toppings and ingredients if you like. We think that the basic version is the best, though! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Hardboiled eggs
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
That’s it! You can also use sweet pickle relish, and paprika and chives for garnish, but you really don’t need those extras for amazing deviled eggs!
First, boil, peel and cool the eggs.
Slice them in half lengthwise, remove the yolks and mash with a fork.
Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to the yolks and mix well. I like to cut a hole in one corner of a plastic bag and use the bag to pipe the yolk filling back into the egg white shells, but you can also just use a spoon.
Finally, garnish the deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and chopped fresh chives or sliced green onions, if you like. It makes them look pretty!
What to serve with Easy Deviled Eggs:
If you’d like to offer the eggs as an appetizer, you can plate them on a charcuterie board alongside meats, cheeses, crackers and fruit. They would also be a nice addition with a vegetable tray and spinach dip, or perfect paired with crab stuffed mushrooms and sausage balls.
The deviled eggs go well as a side dish with almost any entrée or meat. Here are a few ideas:
- 5-Ingredient Baked Ham with Apricot Glaze or Pineapple Glazed Ham
- Sweet Heat Southern Glazed Salmon
- 4-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin
Preparation and Storage:
You can make deviled eggs up to 2 days in advance. To do so, keep the whites and egg yolk filling separate. Tightly wrap the egg white halves with plastic wrap and keep the egg yolk filling sealed in a Ziploc plastic bag with all the air squeezed out.
Leftover deviled eggs will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
I do not recommend freezing the prepared deviled eggs. While you can easily freeze the yolk filling in an airtight container for up to 3 months, you should discard the cooked egg white shells. The egg whites will become tough, rubbery and watery after thawing.
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- For a shortcut, you can purchase hardboiled, peeled eggs in the refrigerated section at most grocery stores (near the regular eggs). This will save you a step!
- We are fortunate enough to get fresh eggs each week from our neighbor’s farm; however, I have found that it’s best to use slightly older eggs for this recipe. Really fresh eggs are harder to peel cleanly after boiling, so the eggs that have been in the refrigerator for at least a week or two tend to be easier to work with.
- To avoid that undesirable greenish tint to your hardboiled egg yolks, it’s important that you don’t overcook the eggs. That’s why this method works perfectly — once the pot comes to a boil, be sure to remove it from the heat, cover and let the eggs sit for 10-12 minutes. Then rinse them under cold water right away. They will be perfect every time!
- We prefer Dijon mustard, but you can also use yellow mustard.
- My mom insists on using Duke’s mayonnaise. It’s the best!
- For a touch of briny sweetness, add sweet pickle relish to the yolk mixture.
- Take this basic recipe and make it your own. You can garnish the deviled eggs with crispy, crumbled bacon; diced pimentos, a dash of cayenne pepper or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- This recipe yields 12 deviled egg halves. If you assume each person will eat about 3 halves, the recipe yields enough to serve 4 people. If you’re preparing eggs for a larger crowd, you’ll want to double or triple the recipe.
More easy appetizers that you might enjoy:
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- 10-Minute Holiday Crab Dip
- Roast Beef and Cheese Crescent Roll Recipe
- Aunt Bee’s Cheesy Spinach Squares
- 5-Ingredient Spinach Dip
Easy Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dash of pepper
- Optional garnish: paprika; chopped fresh chives; or sliced green onion
Instructions
- Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with water so that there is about 1 inch of water over the eggs. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 minutes.
- Drain and rinse eggs under cold water for 1 minute.
- Once the outside of the eggs feel cool, crack egg shells and carefully peel under cold water.
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a medium bowl. Mash with a fork.
- Add mayonnaise, relish (if using), mustard, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Transfer the yolk mixture to a Ziploc bag. Cut off the tip of the bag and evenly pipe the yolks back into the egg white shells. Sprinkle tops with paprika and garnish with chopped chives or green onions, if desired.
Notes
- For a shortcut, you can purchase hardboiled, peeled eggs in the refrigerated section at most grocery stores (near the regular eggs). This will save you a step!
- We are fortunate enough to get fresh eggs each week from our neighbor’s farm; however, I have found that it’s best to use slightly older eggs for this recipe. Really fresh eggs are harder to peel cleanly after boiling, so the eggs that have been in the refrigerator for at least a week or two tend to be easier to work with.
- To avoid that undesirable greenish tint to your hardboiled egg yolks, it’s important that you don’t overcook the eggs. That’s why this method works perfectly — once the pot comes to a boil, be sure to remove it from the heat, cover and let the eggs sit for 10-12 minutes. Then rinse them under cold water right away. They will be perfect every time!
- We prefer Dijon mustard, but you can also use yellow mustard.
- My mom insists on using Duke’s mayonnaise. It’s the best!
- For a touch of briny sweetness, add sweet pickle relish to the yolk mixture.
- Take this basic recipe and make it your own. You can garnish the deviled eggs with crispy, crumbled bacon; diced pimentos, a dash of cayenne pepper or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- This recipe yields 12 deviled egg halves. If you assume each person will eat about 3 halves, the recipe yields enough to serve 4 people. If you’re preparing eggs for a larger crowd, you’ll want to double or triple the recipe.
