Classic Deviled Eggs

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Deviled eggs are a classic recipe and perfect for the holidays, Easter, potlucks, parties and other gatherings.

My best deviled eggs recipe is a combination of a few simple ingredients including hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. That’s it. Along with a little sprinkle of paprika that extra pop of flavor.

Deviled eggs on a white plate.

Deviled eggs win as a healthy snacks or appetizer. They’re easy to make, only have a handful of ingredients and most people love them.

I’ve loved them for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I asked the question that had long been rolling around in my brain – “why are deviled eggs called that?

So I Googled it. And here’s the response from Wikipedia: The term “deviled”, in reference to food, was in use in the 18th century with the first known print reference appearing in 1786. In the 19th century, it came to be used most often with spicy or zesty food, including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity.

Ah, makes sense. And now you can rest assured that there’s nothing truly sinister about deviled eggs!

Deviled eggs are hard boiled eggs where the yolk is mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. A little sprinkle of paprika on top helps make these the best deviled eggs recipe.
Deviled eggs being made and eaten.

How to Make Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are easy to make and you can make them even easier by hard boiling your eggs ahead of time. But the key to the BEST deviled eggs is boiling your eggs perfectly and not overboiling and ending up with that green tinge around your yolk. Trust me, no guests want green-tinged deviled eggs.

Make sure to watch my video on how to boil eggs perfectly to get it right!

After your eggs have boiled and cooled, the rest of this recipe is a breeze. Slice your eggs in half lengthwise, scoop out the yolk to a small bowl, smash it with a fork and place the egg white on a serving tray.

To the egg yolk add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and stir it all together until creamy. Use a small spoon to scoop out some of the deviled egg mixture and place it back into the egg white. Sprinkle a little paprika for that extra dash of devil-ness and serve them up to some happy guests.

One dozen deviled eggs on a white plate.
Two deviled eggs on a small wood plate with more deviled eggs in the background.

Deviled Egg Recipe Flavor Variations

The deviled egg recipe I’m sharing with you today is the best classic recipe. But you can also have fun with deviled eggs. Make them sweeter, more savory, more spicy or just more jazzed up.

Consider additional ingredients such as bacon, chives, shallot, cajun spices, sriracha sauce, jalapeno, goat cheese and more. Of course a variety of herbs such as dill, basil and tarragon would also pair beautifully with those ingredients as well.

So keep your deviled eggs classic or get creative – it’s up to you! And if you’ve got an awesome flavor variation you love, let me know in the comments below. Enjoy!

For More Delicious Egg Recipes

And want more delicious deviled egg variations? Then whip up my delicious Bacon Deviled Eggs, Avocado Deviled Eggs, Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, and Spicy Deviled Eggs. You can make a variety of deviled egg recipes!

Deviled eggs are hard boiled eggs where the yolk is mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. A little sprinkle of paprika on top helps make these the best deviled eggs recipe.

BEST Deviled Eggs Recipe

4.91 from 557 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 14 minutes
Total: 34 minutes
Servings: 12 deviled eggs
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Deviled eggs are hard boiled eggs where the yolk is mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. The little sprinkle of paprika on top is the perfect finishing touch. Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this recipe!

Video

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low (or off) to ensure the water is no longer boiling or has bubbles and use a skimmer to place the eggs in the water. Then increase the heat back to high and set a timer for 14 minutes.
    Eggs in a pot of water to boil.
  • While the eggs are boiling prepare an ice water bath and set aside. After 14 minutes, remove the eggs from the water and place in the ice water bath.
  • Once the eggs have cooled completely, peel them and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the yolk to a small bowl with a spoon and place the egg whites on a plate.
    Scooping the yolk out of the hard boiled eggs.
  • Mash the yolks with a fork and add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir everything together until it's smooth.
    Mixing the deviled egg filling ingredients in a bowl.
  • Use a spoon to add a portion of the deviled egg mixture back into the hole of each egg white. Sprinkle on paprika for garnish.
    Deviled eggs on a serving plate.

Lisa’s Tips

  • Make sure to watch my video above for a tip on easily removing the egg yolk from the white. You can also use a piping bag to make the yolk mixture prettier if you’d like.
  • I do recommend Dijon mustard rather than yellow mustard for more flavor. This Dijon mustard is also Whole30 compliant, if you’re doing a Whole30.
  • Please watch the measurements on the vinegar as well, some people have accidentally added 1 tablespoon of vinegar, but it’s 1 teaspoon of vinegar. If you’re not a fan of vinegar, you can use pickle juice as well. 
  • You can store the deviled eggs for up to two days in a sealed storage container. This means you can make them the day before a party, potluck or gathering. 
  • If you’re in need of a platter to display your deviled eggs, this ceramic one is my favorite. And if you’re transporting them, this travel carrier is great. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2deviled eggs halves | Calories: 125.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.7g | Protein: 6.4g | Fat: 10.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Cholesterol: 189.4mg | Sodium: 125.7mg | Sugar: 0.6g
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best deviled eggs, deviled eggs, deviled eggs recipe, how to make deviled eggs
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted October 2018, but updated to include new information.

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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Recipe Rating




764 Comments

  1. My brother made these for thanksgiving this year and they were a huge hit. Hands down the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had in my life!…how dare that “Jeff” guy comment for you to take this recipe down just because he doesn’t like vinegar lol. He clearly either didn’t follow the recipe correctly, or doesn’t know what deviled eggs are supposed to taste like. This recipe is flawless and spot on. I just hope that one negative comment doesn’t make someone decide not to make these. If you like deviled eggs, you will love this recipe. Thanks again! 5 stars

    1. Thanks so much Alan for your positive feedback and kind words! I’m thrilled you love the recipe. Happy holidays!

  2. Great basic recipe. I used twice as much home made egg free mayo for a creamier texture. This recipe also works well with a Tbsp of horseradish. Thanks5 stars

    1. Hi Gary – I’m glad you loved the recipe! And yes, horseradish is great as well. There are lots of delicious variations to make them “deviled.” :)

  3. Vinegar was disgusting.  I used 1/2 the amount and it was nasty.  Ruined a whole batch of deviled eggs.  I also would never use dijon ever again.  I had to add yellow mustard just to get some taste, besides the vinegar.  Take this recipe down from your site.

    1. Hi Jeff – I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, but as you can see from the reviews it’s extremely popular and many do love it. Hopefully you’ll enjoy some of my other recipes more!

    2. I followed the recipe exactly how you posted and we loved them. Especially my little neice, which was a shock to us all.
      If I don’t happen to like a recipe I don’t try to shame the person who posted it, I rather just act like a real man and go on with life.
      I thought you did a great job, thank you Lisa!5 stars

  4. Followed directions exactly and the eggs came out out perfectly boiled YAY!!!!  However, I have to agree with a previous comment- the vinegar aftertaste is too much :( I read that comment before making these so I was very careful to make sure I used 1 Teaspoon.  My hubby said “they’re edible” but I think in the future I’ll have to follow a different recipe did the actual mixture.  However my eggs have never turned out perfectly like this so thanks for that!!!4 stars

    1. Hi Natalie – happy you had perfectly boiled (and peeled) eggs! As for the filling, some people love the vinegar and some don’t. You could always substitute pickle juice in the future if you’re not a fan of the vinegar. :)

  5. DON’T use dijon. I normally use dijon for other uses, but it messed this recipe up. I added a very large squirt of regular yelllow mustard which made it ok enough, but I wish I could undo the dijon and just use yellow mustard. Such a mistake.3 stars

  6. My suggestion is to put eggs into cold water and as soon as it comes to a boil, count about 6 to 7 min for the perfect boiled egg. You can add some salt or vinegar to the water to prevent cracking.

    1. Hi Shantell – the vinegar taste should not be overwhelming. Did you accidentally add 1 tablespoon instead of 1 teaspoon? But if you’re not a fan of vinegar, you could substitute with pickle juice or sriracha as well.

    1. Hi Lindsay – the eggs should definitely not be raw after they’ve been boiled in hot water for 14 minutes, they should be hard boiled. Was your water boiling?

  7. My daughter LOVES deviled eggs and she (age 11) followed your recipe and it came out great! We can’t wait to use more of your recipes. Delicious.5 stars

  8. I am sixty and just made my very first batch of deviled eggs in my life for a (socially distanced) gathering from this recipe.  It was so easy and delicious.  I used my little electric hard-boiled egg maker which makes perfect eggs and the recipe even easier.  The video was helpful too. Like others I topped with smoked paprika.  Thank you!5 stars

  9. I have tried so many hard boiled egg instructions in my life, and have had so many issues and problems getting them right no matter what recipe I followed! 
    Finally I have your instructions that work perfectly every single time! I appreciate it so much. The deviled egg recipe turns out delicious every time, and they’re my boyfriend’s very favorite. Thank you 5 stars

  10. My best friend loves these and I keep forgetting to make some. I’ve never made any and you show how easy it really is. Thank you!5 stars

  11. Great recipe. A new favourite among friends. I like to add a pinch of dry dill weed and garnish with smoked paprika. Thank you for sharing. This recipe is a keeper and the pointers are a great help too.5 stars

  12. If it takes you 14 minutes to boil eggs, you might want to look into getting a new stove. Good recipe and tasty.5 stars

  13. Try This method: Your boiling as per your instruction, Plus: add a sliced lemon to boiling water for a few minutes before adding eggs. Continue with your instructions up to Ice bath. after cooling 10 min. empty water but keep, cover on pot, Now, holding cover and pot, shake like crazy, watch shell practically fall off. perfect eggs.

  14. I’m 14 weeks pregnant and was randomly stricken with an extremely intense craving for deviled eggs. I found your recipie absolutely perfect. It 100% hit the spot for me…. so much so that I made another 6 after I finished the first 6! I added a tiny touch of pickle juice because hello – pregnant, haha! Thank you for satisfying my craving!!5 stars

      1. Hi, if I wanted the filling to look orange like a pumpkin could I add paprika into the filling or would the paprika taste be too intense because of how much i would need to get it to change color?

      2. I think the paprika taste would be a bit much, and it probably wouldn’t give you that color you’re going for.

  15. I’m much pleased with your good work. you have good knowledge for article writing and this article is amazing. I am waiting for your next article…. Thank you so much5 stars

  16. A perfect recipe! And they make a great starter if you want to get creative and add bacon, avocado, or another acid. But they are also delicious just like the recipe says. I like smoked paprika, and you can stick a piece of crispy bacon in the yolks at the end.

    The shells come right off, though I notice my instant pot causes wee brown spots to form on the bottom, inside of the egg shells, even though I’m using an egg rack. It doesn’t stain the whites, or affect the flavor.5 stars

    1. This is definitely a great base recipe for deviled eggs! You’ll have to check out my bacon deviled eggs as well. And glad my boiled eggs tutorial helped here :)

  17. I make mine this way, but I like to add a little olive oil. To make them even more devilish, I will add finely chopped jalapenos to the yolk and use chili powder versus paprika5 stars

  18. Splendid! I needed a recipe, and you were there! These eggs,these glorius deviled eggs, were at worse solid,and imho ,not far from staple., I especially enjoyed some of the other serving suggestions, and look forward to preparing some of them as well. But really what capped it off for me was reading through some of the comments! Fine eople told you that they weren’t happy with your free, convenient, tried ,true, and fast deviled eggs recipe! Like, I get not everybody’s gonna be happy but to have the opportunity to take time out of your day and actually post it so that the author will see it, is in itself amazing!! However only half as spectacular as the grace with which you handle those people ! Not only can something be convenient, instant and free, but if you want, you can complain about it afterwards. My hat’s off to you,and this gem (actually zero sarcasm) of a country we live in.5 stars

  19. We add chopped “Wickles” pickles for the relish. Delish! This is a great way to boil the eggs without getting the greenish tinge on the outside.5 stars

  20. Recipe was missing something for me. The flavor was a bit flat and nothing seemed to compliment the egg so profoundly. I think it’s a starter recipe to add to for sure. It wasn’t my favorite on it’s own.3 stars

    1. Hi Maya – yes, you can always add more to deviled eggs to tweak them to your personal flavor preference. As I mention on the post, some love to add pickle juice. But you could also try my avocado deviled eggs or bacon deviled eggs. There really are a lot of options. :)

  21. Delicious and super easy. For some reason 3 of my eggs cracked even when i gentle placed them with a ladel5 stars

    1. I’m happy you loved the recipe Nadeen! Did you make sure that the water wasn’t boiling at the time? And that the eggs were slightly at room temperature?

  22. Made exactly as directed & this simple straightforward recipe is my new go to for deviled eggs. They had the perfect balance of flavor! Thank you for sharing this recipe. 5 stars

    1. Wonderful! I’m glad you loved the recipe Lia. You really can’t beat some classic deviled eggs. :)

    1. I’m sorry you didn’t love them Sabrina. Hopefully you’ll enjoy some of my other recipes more!

    2. Made these this past week and loved them! Such a perfect classic recipe even my husband (who says he doesn’t like them) enjoyed! Will definitely be my go to for the future!5 stars

      1. So glad you found a deviled eggs recipe that works for you and your husband :)

  23. I’ve been making deviled eggs for 40 yrs. a little of this a little of that no recipe. Sometimes there better then other times just ok. This recipe was spot on. No guess work. Could be used as a base then u could add to it. I made 6 halves as is then added 1/2 t of horse radish the the rest. Topped them w/ fresh dill to separate. So good I printed out the recipe for future use. 5 stars

    1. I’m so happy to hear you finally found a deviled eggs recipe that works for you! Definitely keep this one on hand for future holiday dinners :)

  24. Made these this evening, and they were the best!  I love deviled eggs but had never made them myself before today.  Super quick, and everyone loved them!5 stars

    1. Hi Jill – Congrats on making your first batch of deviled eggs! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this appetizer :)

  25. The eggs (14 min.) came out perfect (made deviled eggs). I have never had luck boiling eggs… until I tried your method / watched the video. THANK YOU!😊

    Now I am confident I can make again in future!
    Look forward to trying your other recipes.   Thanks for keeping things easy!!5 stars

    1. Wonderful! I’m so happy to hear that Manda! Knowing how make perfect boiled eggs is the foundation for so many delicious recipes. I’m glad you loved these deviled eggs!

  26. Amazing! First time making deviled eggs (not the first time eating them) so I know these are dynamite! Thanks for this! 5 stars

  27. I couldn’t find my family recipe and I have tried some I don’t like so I was a little hesitant at first, but this truly is the perfect classic recipe. I was actually a little shocked at how good it was. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

  28. Jesus. I tried to print your recipe, and it printed me a novel on the history of spicy foods and some full page pictures of…. eggs. Why?

    1. Hi Tyler – it sounds like you printed the entire blog post rather than just the recipe card. There’s a print button that you can hit on recipe card that will just print the recipe. Hope that helps!

  29. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, can you use another type? Going to make for Easter tomorrow! They look yummy! Hope the family will like! Hubby’s favorite!Thanks, Dar

    1. Hi Darlene – Yes, no problem. Though I’d recommend a white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar as an alternative. I hope you love them!

  30. I had some that had a caper dropped into the egg white before filling. Made for a nice pop of unexpected flavor!5 stars