Classic Deviled Eggs

Home » Appetizers » Classic Deviled Eggs

A simple recipe for perfect deviled eggs that can be served as-is or dressed up with your favorite add-ins plus the easy way to make them pretty (and no green/gray yolks).

Author: Mandy Rivers | Updated: 10/27/26

When people ask me for recipes for things like deviled eggs, I’m always a little surprised because I've never really had a recipe (well, until I measured everything to share with y'all).

Then I remind myself how lucky I am to have been raised by hands-on women that cooked almost every meal from scratch and had me in the kitchen helping from the time I was big enough to see over the counter.

There are literally pictures of me when I was a little girl, standing on a stool so I could reach the sink to wash dishes

Speaking of Mama… deviled eggs (and tuna salad, chicken salad, potato salad and anything else that involves mayo) is where she and I don’t see eye to eye.

Mama is... how do I say this?? Mama... well, she... likes Miracle Whip. I blame this on her being raised in Maryland. For all you Duke's Mayonnaise loving Southerners out there, feel free to take a moment. 

I don’t know how many times I've forgotten this and put a big ole forkful of something in my mouth expecting mayo, to be punched in the taste buds with the sweet, vinegary taste of Miracle Whip. GOTTDAWG!

Now, I'm not trying to throw shade at Miracle Whip. I know plenty folks love it. But when you're used to mayo and expecting something to taste a certain way then WHAM-O you get something sweet in your mouth, it can throw you for a loop.

Speaking of sweet... it's been my experience that people fall into 3 camps over sweet pickle relish in deviled eggs. They are either all-in with it, hate it or just like a tiny hint.

I prefer deviled eggs with no relish but usually add a splash of the sweet juice. Just a nip. It's my compromise to Mama without making the eggs taste sweet.

This is a very basic recipe. I’m kind of a purist when it comes to deviled eggs and egg salad. I've been known to throw in some minced scallions but for the most part, I prefer things on the simple side.

You can add whatever you like to the recipe! If you like Miracle Whip, use it. If you want to add relish, do it! Just use this recipe as a base and make your eggs however you like!

The tip I really wanted to give you is you don't have to use a piping bag to make them gorgeous. Just use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. It's sooooo much easier, it's way less messy and it just makes them pretty!

HOW TO BOIL EGGS WITHOUT GREEN/GRAY YOLKS

When you boil eggs too long or at too high of a temperature, the sulfur in the egg whites mixes with the iron in the yolks. This creates a chemical compound called iron sulfide (or ferrous sulfide), which forms a greenish-gray ring around the outside of the yolk. The trick is to start with HOT water (so the eggs aren't cooking while the water is heating longer than necessary), not cook at a full rolling boil, then immediately cool the eggs with ice once they're done. Here are the steps I use:

1. Add HOT tap water and eggs to a wide shallow pan then heat over high heat.
2. Once water starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-high (or wherever gets you a gentle boil).
3. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the water from the pan then cover eggs with ice.
5. Once all of the ice has melted and the eggs are cold, crack and peel.

TIP: Super fresh eggs are the hardest to peel regardless of cooking technique. When I know I’m going to be using a lot of boiled eggs, I try to buy them a couple weeks before I will need them to ensure they slide right out of the shells and look gorgeous.

Recipe for Classic Deviled Eggs

Classic Deviled Eggs

Yield: 12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min

A simple recipe for perfect deviled eggs that can be served as-is or dressed up with your favorite add-ins plus the easy way to make them pretty (and no green/gray yolks).

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, boiled and cooled
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet pickle relish juice (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash of onion powder
• Paprika for garnish, if desired

Instructions

1. Peel eggs then cut in half lengthwise. Add yolks to a small bowl and arrange egg whites on a serving plate.
2. Add mayonnaise to bowl with yolks. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed - you want the filling thick enough to hold its shape once piped into the whites. If you make it too runny there's not much you can do to fix it.
3. Add mustard, pickle juice, salt and onion powder to egg yolks then mash and mix together using the back of a fork. 1/2 tsp each mustard & pickle juice, 1/8 tsp salt, dash onion powder
4. Using a small whisk or hand-held mixer, whip yolk mixture until smooth. Taste for seasoning then add more salt if needed.
5. Add yolk mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag (if using a zip-top bag, snip a small hole in one corner when ready to fill eggs) then pipe mixture into egg whites.
6. Garnish with paprika if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

• Dijon can be used instead of yellow mustard.
• I almost always add a dash of white pepper to the yolk mixture.
• Pickle relish can be added if desired.
• Use a small mesh strainer when sprinkling paprika for even distribution (just bump it gently with your hand).

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/12/deviled-eggs.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth 2012

deviled eggs, devilled eggs, classic, basic, simple, recipe, how to, best, easy

appetizers

american

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER