The Best Deviled Eggs

By Amy Dong
Published Sep. 21, 2015
Updated Apr. 6, 2023

Deviled Eggs are an instant hit at any party or potluck. Here’s how to make this popular dish fail-proof: perfect boiling, easy peeling, and safe transporting.

best deviled eggs with seasoning — Perfectly seasoned deviled eggs

Watch Us Make Deviled Eggs

What You’ll Love

Guess what I noticed at every brunch party over the years? Besides the fact that plenty of coffee is a must-have, it became obvious to me that deviled eggs are a popular dish.

My unofficial scientific studies on why deviled eggs are so popular at gatherings include:

People love finger food, and deviled eggs are a fantastic brunch finger food choice.
Deviled eggs are beautiful and fun to eat.
Brunch equals eggs, people love eggs, and deviled eggs fit the bill.
People tend to only want “half” of things so they can fill their plate with other halves of things.
Deviled eggs just are plain old delicious. Especially when seasoned just right.

Boiled Eggs in bowl — Cook eggs in boiling water, followed by an ice bath for easy peeling

How to boil and peel eggs easily

The boiling and peeling of hard boiled eggs might require a scientist. Without getting into all the geek chat, it’s basically not very intuitive to boil the perfect egg. Peeling it is a whole other beast that can cause internal tantrums in any home cook.

I’ve had my share of egg peeling casualties. Then one day I accidentally discovered that just-cooled eggs are a snap to peel while submerged in a bowl of cool water. Happily, my crater-egg days are behind me.

Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Very gently add one egg at a time, taking care not to let it bounce or accidentally crack. Bring back to a low boil.
Cover and cook on low boil for 12 1/2 minutes. Carefully transfer eggs to a large bowl of ice + water.
Set timer for 15 minutes. Gently crack egg shells all around; the more well-cracked an egg is, the easier you’ll be able to peel it. While keeping the eggs submerged in cool water, gently peel cracked shell off.
There is no need to add vinegar, salt, baking soda, or other to the boiling water. We’ve tried all those methods, and they don’t make any difference. Just gently submerge eggs into hot/boiling water, followed by an ice bath as described.

Note: If you have a steamer basket, we recommend this method for steaming hard boiled eggs.

Boiled Eggs sliced in half — *Slice boiled eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife*

The Seasonings

We love Old Bay seasoning, as it’s a flavorful mixture of herbs and spices. A balance of celery salt, paprika, and pepper work perfectly over deviled eggs.
Sweet relish is classic, and provides a bit of texture and sweetness.
Use real mayo for creaminess and richness.
Dijon mustard is essential for a bit of kick and zest.
We sprinkle a bit of freshly chopped parsley on top, mostly for color and vanity.

deviled eggs on a dish — Deviled eggs can be mostly prepared in advance

Prep Ahead Stragegy

Boil the eggs and peel using described method, up to 2 days in advance. Keep covered and chilled until ready to proceed with recipe.
Mash and season the yolks 1 day in advance. Keep covered and chilled until ready pipe.
Pipe yolks into into egg white halves up to a few hours prior to serving. Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve.

How to transport deviled eggs

This egg carrier is perfect for safely transporting deviled eggs to any brunch party or potluck.
Try using a mini muffin tin, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
Bring halved egg whites in separate container and egg yolks in a zippered bag; snip corner off bag and pipe when you’ve arrived at your destination.

deviled-eggs-6 — Use Old Bay or a mixture of salt, pepper, and paprika for seasoning

More party food to make and eat:

Also try these Smoked Salmon Roll-ups:

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