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12 Flavors of Perfect Deviled Eggs (Paleo Approved!)

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My Guide to Perfect Deviled Eggs: Our mega-popular recipe for classic deviled eggs plus TWELVE other flavors of deviled eggs to try! All are paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious.

Close up image of 12 flavors of paleo deviled eggs on a white background

Can I tell you something surprising? These deviled eggs recipes have become one of my post popular posts of all time.

I was honestly VERY surprised. To me, deviled eggs were one of those things you make at Easter when you’re facing down a fridge full of dyed hard-boiled eggs that you need to use.

But, in the 4 years since I originally shared this post, it’s gone bananas around all sorts of holidays and occasions. Families are enjoying these deviled eggs at Superbowl parties, sunny 4th of July barbecues, Thanksgiving gatherings, Christmas Eve dinners, and (of course) Easter dinners and brunches. Thousands and thousands of people have pinned and shared them on Pinterest, and I get photos all the time of platefuls of them at potlucks, work parties, and more.

Now, I get it! Our classic deviled eggs recipe is the best one I’ve ever tasted–it’s light, bright, and full of flavor. Add to it the TWELVE other flavors of deviled eggs we have to try, and there’s something for everyone!

Today, I’ll walk you through my perfect deviled egg recipe + give you 12 delicious flavors of deviled eggs to try when you want to change things up. (My favorites are #1, #2, #5, and #11.)

Here’s everything I know about how to make the best deviled eggs…

Overhead view of different colors of eggs in a white bowl.

THE BEST WAY TO COOK EGGS FOR DEVILED EGGS = STEAMING! 

I’ve tried a lot of ways to cook hard-boiled eggs over the years, but I absolutely SWEAR by steaming your eggs. Steaming is fail-proof! It works across all different brands of eggs, all different levels of freshness, and I haven’t mangled an egg white yet. It’s my GO-TO way to prepare perfect deviled eggs. (PS – Steaming is actually the same way you make Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs, too! See that linked post for exact times for the IP)

HOW TO STEAM EGGS ON THE STOVETOP:

  1. PREP YOUR PAN. Add about 1-inch of water to a saucepan, insert a steamer basket (like this or this), and bring the water to a simmer.
  2. POKE A TINY HOLE (OPTIONAL). Using a push-pin or needle, poke a small hole in one end of your eggs (gently so you don’t smash the whole thing) This gives the air-bubble somewhere to go and makes them easier to peel later. This step isn’t *strictly* necessary, but I do feel like it helps!
  3. ADD THE EGGS. When the water is simmering, put your eggs in the steamer basket in a single layer.
  4. COVER AND STEAM:
  • 8-10 minutes for soft-boiled
  • 10-12 minutes for medium-boiled
  • 13-15 minutes for hard-boiled. 

If you’re cooking a lot of eggs at once (10-12), you’ll probably want to lean toward the 15-minute range, possibly up to 17 minutes, depending on how hard you like them boiled.

Then all you have to do is peel them! I run the cooked eggs under cold water or put them in an ice bath (bowl with ice and water). Then I crack the shells gently all over, and they slide right off!

Now, your perfect hard boiled eggs are ready to be turned into deviled eggs!

Overhead view of classic deviled eggs on a white egg platter

My Perfect Classic Deviled Eggs

For my perfect deviled eggs, I use a combination of mayonnaise and mustard (regular yellow mustard!) and then a tiny bit of acid (vinegar, pickle juice, lemon or lime juice), and salt.

HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS: 

  1. Boil or steam your eggs (see above for my favorite method).
  2. Cool and peel the eggs. 
  3. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and scoop the yolks into a bowl. Set the whites aside on a plate or platter while you prep the deviled egg filling.
  4. Make the deviled egg filling. Combine the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, and salt. Mash or beat until the mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.
  5. Scoop or pipe the deviled egg filling back into the egg whites. I really prefer the simple homemade look of just spooning the filling back into the egg whites, but you can absolutely use a piping bag and tips to make a fancy design if you prefer!
  6. Garnish. Then, you can finish them off with a little garnish. For classic deviled eggs, this is often just some additional salt + pepper, or a light sprinkling of paprika.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT WITH FLAVORS. You can take these deviled eggs in so many directions without a ton of fancy-pants ingredients or extra effort. Heck, you can get creative simply by changing out the mayo or mustard you use–try chipotle mayo or sriracha mayo, Dijon mustard, etc. It can be really fun to experiment!

Now that you know how to make classic deviled eggs, you can experiment with different flavors. Here are 12 flavors of deviled eggs to try…

12 flavors of paleo deviled eggs on a white background labeled by flavor

12 Flavors of Deviled Eggs To Try:

Now that you’ve mastered the classic deviled eggs recipe, you’re ready to try your hand at any of our delicious variations! Here are 12 of our favorites (though it would be easy to come up with 12 more!)…

  1. DILL PICKLE: Use pickle juice as directed, and add 1-2 Tbsp finely chopped dill pickle, and a pinch of dried or fresh dill to your yolk mixture.
  2. PEPPERED BACON: Add 1 Tbsp fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, or parsley) to your yolk mixture and swap 1/4 tsp steak seasoning for the pepper. Top with crisped, crumbled bacon, additional fresh herbs, and halved baby tomatoes.
  3. SMOKED PAPRIKA: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (optional) and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the yolk mixture. Top with additional smoked paprika, as desired.
  4. LEMON CHIVE: Use lemon juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp fresh minced chives and an extra pinch of pepper to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lemon zest, more pepper, and a pinch of fresh chives.
  5. CURRY: Use lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1/4 – 1/2 tsp yellow curry powder to your yolk mixture. Top with minced cilantro or additional curry powder, as desired.
  6. SRIRACHA LIME: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add a few drops of sriracha to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lime zest and additional sriracha as desired.
  7. CHIPOTLE: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 tsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (start small if you don’t want it hot). Alternatively, you can use 1/4- 1/2 tsp dried chipotle chili powder. Top with cilantro and additional chipotle powder/sauce as desired.
  8. AVOCADO: Omit the mustard. Use 2 tsp. lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Use 2-4 Tbsp fresh avocado in place of the mayo. Add fresh cilantro as desired. (You can also use prepared guacamole instead of avocado!)
  9. SALT & VINEGAR: Use vinegar in place of the pickle juice, and add an extra 1 tsp. to the mixture. Top with coarse sea salt (like Maldon salt).
  10. SALSA VERDE: Omit mustard and pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp salsa verde to the yolk mixture along with the mayo and salt. Add fresh cilantro, if desired. Top with cilantro and more salsa, as desired.
  11. BUFFALO: Omit the mustard. Add 1-2 tsp. Frank’s Red Hot (or other favorite hot sauce) to the yolk mixture along with the mayo, pickle juice, and salt. Top with fresh chives or dill, as desired.
  12. EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING. Follow classic deviled egg directions + top with a sprinkle of Everything Bagel Seasoning right before serving. (Try our homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning!)

Front view of different flavors of deviled eggs on a white platter

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST DEVILED EGGS:

HOW TO MAKE PRETTY DEVILED EGGS. There are a lot of ways you can make deviled eggs look pretty! You can use a fancy piping tip (like these) or you can simply use a spoon, etc. My favorite way is to put the yolk mixture into a zip-top sandwich bag and snip off the tip of one of the corners to use as a piping bag. My other big tip is to…

ADD SOME GARNISH ON TOP! Even if it’s just a bit of extra salt and pepper, a little garnish will make your deviled eggs look pretty and feel polished. I love fresh herbs, a few dried spices or herbs, some fresh toppings (like tomatoes, bacon, etc.) or a little drizzle of hot sauce.

HOW LONG DO DEVILED EGGS STAY FRESH? While hard-boiled eggs stay fresh about 1 week in the refrigerator, deviled eggs only tend to stay fresh for about 2 days for best results.

HOW FAR AHEAD OF TIME CAN I MAKE DEVILED EGGS? You can boil the eggs several days in advance (the eggs themselves will stay fresh 1 week in the refrigerator), but you’ll want to eat the deviled eggs within 2 days of making them. I recommend assembling them the day you plan to eat them for best results.

MAKE THEM PALEO! If you’re looking for paleo deviled eggs, this recipe is perfect for you! The only accommodation you need to make is using paleo-compliant mayonnaise, like Primal Kitchen. Easy-peasy!

Overhead view of 12 different flavors of deviled eggs on a white platter

OUR FAVORITE TOOLS + INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE:

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Close up image of 12 flavors of paleo deviled eggs on a white background

How to Make Perfect Deviled Eggs + 12 Flavors to Try (Paleo Approved!)


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  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 12 deviled egg halves 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Here are 12 different ways to make deviled eggs. Below is my “classic” method. The rest are all variations! (Nutrition facts are based on the Classic recipe)


Ingredients

Scale

FOR CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS:

  • 6 hard boiled or steamed eggs
  • 23 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp. yellow mustard
  • 12 tsp. dill pickle juice, lemon juice, or vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice each egg in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Place all yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, mustard, 1 tsp. pickle juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the egg yolks. Mash with a fork (or beat with a hand mixer) until completely smooth, adding additional mayo or pickle juice as needed to get the consistency creamy. (Alternatively, you can combine the yolk mixture ingredients in a zip-top bag and mash with your hands.)
  2. Scoop deviled yolk mixture back into the egg white halves using a spoon. Alternatively, you can scoop the mixture into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner to create a “piping bag.”
  3. See notes for variations!

Notes

12 VARIATIONS TO TRY:

  1. DILL PICKLE: Use pickle juice as directed, and add 1-2 Tbsp finely chopped dill pickle, and a pinch of dried or fresh dill to your yolk mixture.
  2. PEPPERED BACON: Add 1 Tbsp fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, or parsley) to your yolk mixture and swap 1/4 tsp steak seasoning for the pepper. Top with crisped, crumbled bacon, additional fresh herbs, and halved baby tomatoes.
  3. SMOKED PAPRIKA: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (optional) and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the yolk mixture. Top with additional smoked paprika, as desired.
  4. LEMON CHIVE: Use lemon juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp fresh minced chives and an extra pinch of pepper to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lemon zest, more pepper, and a pinch of fresh chives.
  5. CURRY: Use lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1/4 – 1/2 tsp yellow curry powder to your yolk mixture. Top with minced cilantro or additional curry powder, as desired.
  6. SRIRACHA LIME: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add a few drops of sriracha to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lime zest and additional sriracha as desired.
  7. CHIPOTLE: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 tsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (start small if you don’t want it hot). Alternatively, you can use 1/4- 1/2 tsp dried chipotle chili powder. Top with cilantro and additional chipotle powder/sauce as desired.
  8. AVOCADO: Omit the mustard. Use 2 tsp. lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Use 2-4 Tbsp fresh avocado in place of the mayo. Add fresh cilantro as desired. (You can also use prepared guacamole instead of avocado!)
  9. SALT & VINEGAR: Use vinegar in place of the pickle juice, and add an extra 1 tsp. to the mixture. Top with coarse sea salt (like Maldon salt).
  10. SALSA VERDE: Omit mustard and pickle juice. Add 1-2 Tbsp salsa verde to the yolk mixture along with the mayo and salt. Add fresh cilantro, if desired. Top with cilantro and more salsa, as desired.
  11. BUFFALO: Omit the mustard. Add 1-2 tsp. Frank’s Red Hot (or other favorite hot sauce) to the yolk mixture along with the mayo, pickle juice, and salt. Top with fresh chives or dill, as desired.
  12. EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING. Follow classic deviled egg directions + top with a sprinkle of Everything Bagel Seasoning right before serving.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

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21 Comments

  1. I did the dill pickle one but added a twist by pickling the eggs first. Simple as can be. Just put peeled hard boiled eggs in with your dill pickles jar for a few days. They turn soft green which adds to the taste and presentation.






  2. Hands down the Best deviled egg that I have ever made! I made the classic w/dill pickle juice and smoked paprika on top❣️ Mmm 😋






  3. Where did you get that deviled egg tray? I was looking for recipes to spice up some deviled eggs this weekend and found your site. Epicurious has the same tray in one of their recipes for eggs. I’ve been searching this morning and can’t find it! Anyway, can’t wait to try your dill version and will be making many more!






    1. Hi Jeremy! I got all mine at Target! They usually carry them seasonally (close to Easter), but you can sometimes find them online 🙂

    1. Andi – For the best, fresh texture, I recommend making them the same day. But! You can boil/steam your eggs 1-2 days in advance and then mix them up the same day (or the day before). If you make them the day before, you can keep them extra fresh by keeping the yolks mixture in a bag then filling the whites just before serving. If you fully assemble them, wrap them the best you can to help avoid drying out.

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