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These Classic Southern Deviled Eggs are loaded with a deliciously creamy, sweet, and tangy filling that's sure to put a smile on everybody's face.
Here are some other great appetizers: Hush puppies, Cajun Deviled Eggs, Cajun Ranch Chicken Wings, Caramelized French Onion Dip, and Southern Tea Cakes.
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I love deviled eggs but stopped eating them for a while about 15 years ago because I swore them off after peeling over 300 hard-boiled eggs in college and getting several cuts on my fingers because the shells were so hard to remove.
I tried all the tricks, from adding baking soda or vinegar to the water or taking a tack and piercing the bottom of the egg to release the air bubble and adding salt to the water.
None of that worked! The shells remained glued to the egg whites, and I was frustrated with eggs that looked like my dog had it in its mouth.
Then one day, I tried a different method, instead of boiling the eggs in the water and then covering them. After the water was at a full boil, I added them and then covered them to cook.
Like magic, the eggshells peeled right off the eggs, and that white film that always tore my eggs came right off. And just like that, I returned to eating hard-boiled eggs and deviled eggs.
Let me show you how to make the perfect deviled eggs.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for these tasty Southern eggs.
Large eggs
You'll need 12 large eggs to have 24 deviled eggs.
Mayonnaise
I like to use olive oil mayo as a healthier alternative.
Yellow Mustard
Using plain yellow mustard is all you need to make southern-style deviled eggs.
Sweet Pickle Relish
Sweet relish is a key ingredient in classic Southern deviled eggs.
Smoked Paprika
A little smoked paprika is the perfect garnish.
How To Make Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe
I wanted my Southern deviled eggs recipe to be straightforward, flavorful, and a crowd-pleaser!
Hard Boiled Eggs
Fill a large pot ¾ of the way with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, slowly place eggs, one at a time, in the water. Be careful not to crack the eggs as you release them.
Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and set aside off the heat for 10 minutes. Drain the hot water, then cover the eggs with cold water (add ice to speed up the cooling).
Once they're cooled off, tap the eggs on the bottom to release the air pocket (this holds the thin white film that usually tears the boiled eggs as you peel), then gently peel the eggs.
Deviled Egg Filling
Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, remove egg yolks, and place in a large bowl. Place egg white halves on your serving platter.
Mash yolks with a fork; add mayonnaise, yellow mustard, green onion, sweet pickle relish, salt, and pepper; and mix with a hand mixer or food processor until smooth.
Place the yolk mixture in a small ziplock bag, cut off ½-1 inch from the corner of the bag, and fill deviled eggs to the top.
Garnish with more smoked paprika and green onions, serve immediately, or cover and place in the fridge until needed.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes I had from making these classic deviled eggs.
- If the yolk of your hard-boiled egg appears gray, you may have cooked it too long.
- If you like sweeter deviled eggs, use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise.
- For a gourmet touch, use fresh chives as a garnish.
- Garnish the stuffed eggs with crumbled beef bacon.
- If you don't have any sweet relish, use chopped dill pickles.
- Dill pickle relish, dill relish, and sweet relish are all the same.
- Give your dish an extra kick, and add a few shakes of hot sauce.
- Feel free to use pickle juice or apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar.
- Feel free to use Dijon mustard as a substitute for yellow mustard.
- If paprika is boring, use cayenne pepper instead for garnish.
- Instead of a storage bag, try using a piping bag or pastry bag, which can be found in the cake decoration section at most stores.
- If you don't have piping bags or storage bags available, you can easily use a spoon to delicately spoon the filling into each egg white.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making delicious Southern deviled eggs.
Deviled eggs are not inherently Southern, but they can be found at various gatherings and events across the South, including picnics, BBQs, potlucks, and holiday celebrations.
The only difference between the two is the name. Both are made with an egg yolk filling, mayonnaise, mustard, and a choice of seasonings.
Hard-boiling eggs are the best way to cook your eggs for deviled eggs. Follow the recipe below to learn the best way.
Vinegar adds a tangy, acidic flavor that balances the rich flavors of the mayonnaise and egg yolks.
Yellow mustard is the go-to mustard for deviled eggs because of its mild tangy flavor. If you like a more robust flavor, use Dijon or Creole mustard.
For each person, plan to serve either 2 deviled eggs or 1 whole egg. Typically, people eat around 2 to 3 deviled eggs.
Deviled eggs should be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days to keep them fresh and prevent discoloration or spoilage.
It's highly recommended not to freeze deviled eggs. The texture will become watery, and the egg whites will turn rubbery and will not be edible.
Some great things you can add to your deviled eggs are capers, dill, chives, hot sauce, or chopped pickles. Seafood lovers can add cooked crabmeat, shrimp, or crawfish.
Southern deviled eggs are best eaten immediately but will remain fresh, covered, or in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing them.
More Southern Recipes
If you love Southern food, I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Southern Green Beans
- Southern Fried Fish
- Fried Chicken and Waffles
- Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Cabbage, Sausage, and Potatoes
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized before I start anything.
Step 1: Get all ingredients for the Southern deviled eggs on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for some amazing deviled eggs!
Making deviled eggs is like a Southern rite of passage, so whip up this recipe, drop a comment, and let me know what you think!
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📖 Recipe
Southern Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Smoked paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a 5-quart pot with ¾ full with water, place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once water begins to boil, slowly and gently add the eggs one at a time. I like to use a large spoon. Bring water to a boil, cover and remove from heat for 10 minutes.
- Drain the water and fill pot with cold water to cool off eggs. You can add ice to the water to speed the process up. Once eggs have cooled, swirl the pot to gently crack the eggs. Tap the eggs on a flat surface then peel.
- Cut each egg in half and remove the yolk and add to a large bowl. Smash egg yolks with a fork, then add mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix together with a hand mixer or food processor until smooth.
- Place filling in a small zip-lock bag, cut off 1-inch of the edge of the bag, and pipe filling into eggs. Garnish with paprika. Serve immediately or place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
- If the yolk of your hard-boiled egg appears gray, you may have cooked it too long.
- If you like sweeter deviled eggs, use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise.
- For a gourmet touch, use fresh chives as a garnish.
- Garnish the stuffed eggs with crumbled beef bacon.
- If you don't have any sweet relish, use chopped dill pickles.
- Dill pickle relish, dill relish, and sweet relish are all the same.
- Give your dish an extra kick, and add a few shakes of hot sauce.
- Feel free to use pickle juice or apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar.
- Feel free to use Dijon mustard as a substitute for yellow mustard.
- If paprika is boring, use cayenne pepper instead for garnish.
- Instead of a storage bag, try using a piping bag or pastry bag, which can be found in the cake decoration section at most stores.
- If you don't have piping bags or storage bags available, you can easily use a spoon to delicately spoon the filling into each egg white.
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