From Scratch to Scrumptious

Nowadays, we sometimes get so caught up in the excitement of making a new, fancy recipe that we forget that the original recipe was “classic” for a reason. These are the recipes that have stood the test of time.

I love a simple, classic deviled egg. This seems like the kind of deviled egg Grandma would have made.

Because this recipe only has simple ingredients that you keep on hand in the fridge, these deviled eggs can be whipped up on a moment’s notice. No need to run to the store.

Plus, piping the filling into the deviled eggs gives them a professional look that really elevates your side dish. You can bring these pretty little eggs to a tea party as easily as a BBQ or picnic.

With Labor Day coming up, I bet you’ve got a BBQ lined up and need a dish to bring. If ever I’m asked to bring a side (instead of a dessert) I rely on deviled eggs. People love them, and they’re easy to make!

I once sent two dozen of these deviled eggs with my husband to a parents’ meeting at school that was pot-luck. I was later told that they all went quickly! People loved them! (I was also told that my husband forgot my dish at school. Somehow, 3 months later, it turned up in the principal’s office. It’s now safely back at home with me.)

A simple list of ingredients that can be easily kept on hand for deviled-egg emergencies. (Other people have had these emergencies, right?)

Hard-Boiled Eggs: Are they hard-boiled or hard-cooked? Let’s not get into that. As long as the yolk is cooked through, you’ll get a great deviled egg.

Pro Tip: Be sure to plunge your just-cooked eggs into an ice water bath to prevent the ugly green ring around the yolk. You want your yolk filling to be a bright yellow.

Mayonnaise: makes the filling nice and smooth. You can use store-bought or homemade.

Dijon Mustard: This gives the filling a nice bright pop of flavor!

Salt

Paprika: Ground paprika.

For an in-depth look at the some of the best tips for peeling deviled eggs, click here. Spoiler alert: the water in the jar hack really works!

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Slip out the yolks into a small bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.

If you are making a larger amount, a double or triple recipe, you can add all the ingredients to a food processor and get a nice, smooth filling in no time.

The food processor method whips up the yolk filling a bit, making it fluffier and less dense than if you mash by hand. You’ll need to fill the eggs a bit higher if you use this method.

The simplest way would be to spoon the filling into each egg half, heaping it up slightly.

For a really professional look, transfer the yolk mixture to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe the filling into the egg halves.

If you have a small star tip: start in the middle and pipe in a swirl outwards. Continue in a swirl coming back to the middle and ending in the center.

If you have a large star tip: you can fill straight up in the middle, rotating the bag slightly back and forth, creating a pretty ripple in the filling edges.

My favorite way to fill the eggs (if I don’t need a fancy presentation) is to transfer the yolk mixture to a sandwich baggie and cut the corner off. It’s easier to pipe the yolks into the eggs than to struggle with a spoon, and using a baggie is less expensive than using a piping bag.

If I’m making these to put in my kids’ lunchboxes, I fill each half level with the top. Then, I sandwich two halves back together. I put the egg in a container slightly larger than a whole egg. My kids love having something different in their lunches.

Store these eggs tightly covered in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Yes, deviled eggs will keep well up to 3-5 days if covered and refrigerated. If you’re pressed for time, you can make these the day before they are to be served and expect them to be fresh and delicious when you eat them.

No. Cooked egg whites don’t freeze well. I do not recommend freezing deviled eggs.