Quick and easy Southern Deviled Eggs are devilishly delicious. The tasty filling is full of rich egg flavor and loaded with creamy mayonnaise, spicy yellow mustard, dill pickles, and my secret ingredient, dill pickle juice.
Deviled eggs are always a popular side dish at holiday dinners, potlucks, BBQs, baby showers, picnics, and neighborhood cookouts. They are as versatile as they are delicious and can also be served as an appetizer or a snack for brunch, lunch, dinner, and even breakfast.
There are as many deviled egg recipes as eggs in the South, and we take them seriously. Yes, I know we don’t have a lock on deviled eggs, and they are popular all over the country, but they hold a special affinity in our hearts along with Southern Potato Salad, Old-Fashioned Southern Cornbread, and Cheese Grits.
Ingredients – here’s what you need:
- Eggs – are the star of this simple recipe. I prefer extra-large because they are easier to work with, but you can use any size you like, even quail eggs. Also, you can purchase pre-cooked and peeled hard-boiled eggs at the grocery store if you are short on time.
- Mayonnaise – along with egg yolks, is the primary ingredient in the filling. I prefer Duke’s, but Hellman’s or Kraft also work. There is a taste difference between brands that will translate to your dish, so keep that in mind.
- Yellow mustard – yes, old-fashioned yellow mustard is my mustard of choice for this recipe. You can substitute other types of mustard, but it will affect the taste.
- Dill pickles – specifically hamburger dill pickles and hamburger dill pickle juice provide the best taste and the right amount of tanginess in this recipe. Kosher dills or dill relish can be substituted, but your filling will not taste the same.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper – enhances the flavor of the filling. If you use table salt, only use half as much as is called for in the recipe.
- Paprika – is an optional ingredient. Just a sprinkle over the top of the filling gives it a pop of color and makes your deviled eggs irresistible.
Directions – here’s how to make this recipe:
- Add your eggs to a steamer basket in about an inch of water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the eggs cook for 15 minutes.
- As soon as the eggs have finished cooking, immediately place them in a bowl full of ice and water. Once they have cooled, carefully tap them on your counter to crack them. Then, remove the shells under cold running water. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the eggs in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and carefully pop out the yolk. Set the whites aside.
- Place the yolks in a small bowl and mash with a fork until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, pickle juice, salt, and pepper and mix well. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more pickle juice.
- Use two teaspoons, one to scoop the yolk mixture out and the other to help slide it off the full spoon; fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
- Optional, add just a pinch of paprika to the top of each egg. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.
Frequently asked questions:
Deviled eggs are versatile, and recipes run the gamut from simple to gourmet. You can top them with bacon, crab, smoked salmon, shrimp, or caviar. Then, there are also deviled egg recipes with ingredients such as sweet and dill relish, avocado, jalapenos, olives, and chives.
Of course, some folks prefer to make their filling without mayonnaise and use sour cream, cream cheese, miracle whip, yogurt, vinegar, and even butter instead. Preferences are just as varied with the type of mustard used. I prefer good old-fashioned yellow mustard, but dijon mustard, horseradish, honey mustard, and even dry mustard are popular ingredients.
Take heart if you are like me and have been frustrated trying to get the peel off of hard-boiled eggs without mangling them. Try my fool-proof method, which involves steaming instead of boiling them. I have included the instructions in this recipe, but you can find more details by checking out my post: Perfect Easy-to-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs.
These low-carb wonders can be served cold or at room temperature as a side dish, snack, or appetizer. They can also be dressed up like my fun Halloween Spooky Spider Deviled Eggs.
There are even special deviled egg plates that usually hold a dozen eggs. The dish I use in this recipe is by Mud Pie, and I purchased it online. You can almost always find vintage deviled egg plates at thrift stores, or they are readily available at any place where kitchen supplies are sold.
If you don’t have a special plate, I recommend placing lettuce leaves on a plain plate and then placing your eggs on top. The lettuce leaves will help keep the slippery eggs from sliding around.
The spiciness from the mustard is the culprit. The only difference between these deviled eggs and my recipes for Deviled Ham and Deviled Crab is that those recipes also contain Worcestershire sauce.
Leftovers can be eaten as is or chopped up and made into egg salad. They can also be cut up and added to potato salad or added as a topping to toast for breakfast.
Deviled eggs are perishable and are best eaten within two days. Store them covered in the fridge.
As a side dish, Southern deviled eggs pair well with just about any main dish. For Easter or Christmas, I always serve them with Ham with Pineapple and Cherries or Smoked Turkey, Southern Potato Salad, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole or Pineapple Casserole.
Sharon’s tips:
- If you are garnishing your deviled eggs with paprika, pour just a little paprika into your palm, then take a small pinch and sprinkle it lightly on each egg. Don’t try to pour or shake it out of the bottle; you will end up with way too much.
- You can make this recipe up to 24 hours ahead of time, but for the best results, hold off adding the paprika until you are ready to serve them.
- If you are transporting deviled eggs, it’s better to store the cooked egg whites and the yolk mixture separately and then fill them when you arrive at your destination.
- I like to use a teaspoon to fill my eggs, but if you want to get fancy, put your yolk mixture in a plastic storage bag and clip one end off. Then, squeeze the mixture out in a swirl or whatever you like. You can also use a piping bag or a small ice cream scoop.
- If I’m serving guests or taking this dish to a cookout or party, I always steam seven eggs instead of six just in case one cracks while it’s cooking. Then, I’ll add the yolk to the yolk mixture to make a little more filling.
More egg recipes:
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy these popular recipes:
- Easy Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Spinach Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes
- Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche
- Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata
- Cast-Iron Breakfast Skillet
If you need more menu ideas or recipes, check out all of my breakfast and brunch recipes.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe
Equipment
- steamer basket or wire strainer
- deviled egg serving plate optional
Ingredients
- 6 extra-large eggs see tips*
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise I
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard old fashioned yellow mustard, not dijon
- 2 tablespoons chopped hamburger dill pickles finely minced, not kosher dill pickles
- 1 teaspoon hamburger dill pickle juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika Optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the eggs to a steamer basket or wire strainer in about an inch of water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the eggs cook for 15 minutes.
- As soon as the eggs have finished cooking, immediately place them in a bowl full of ice and water. Once they have cooled, carefully tap them on your counter to crack them. Then, remove the shells under cold running water. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and carefully pop out the yolk. Set the whites aside.
- Place the yolks in a small bowl and mash with a fork until they are smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, pickle juice, salt, and pepper and mix well. Taste and add more salt if needed, and if the mixture is dry, add a bit more pickle juice.
- Use two teaspoons, one to scoop the yolk mixture out and the other to help slide it off the full spoon; fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
- Optional, add a pinch of paprika to the top of each egg. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Notes
- If you are garnishing your deviled eggs with paprika, pour just a little paprika into your palm, then take a small pinch and sprinkle it lightly on each egg. Don’t try to pour or shake it out of the bottle; you will end up with way too much.
- You can make this recipe up to 24 hours ahead of time, but hold off adding the paprika until you are ready to serve them for the best results.
- If you are transporting deviled eggs, it’s better to store the cooked egg whites and the yolk mixture separately and then fill them when you arrive.
- I like to use a teaspoon to fill my eggs, but if you want to get fancy, put your yolk mixture in a plastic storage bag and clip one end off. Then, squeeze the mixture out in a swirl or whatever you like. You can also use a piping bag or a small ice cream scoop.
- * If I’m serving guests or taking this dish to a cookout or party, I always steam seven eggs instead of six just in case one cracks while it’s cooking. Then, I’ll add the extra yolk to the yolk mixture to make a little more filling.
- If you use table salt, only use half as much as is called for in the recipe.
- You can purchase pre-cooked and peeled hard-boiled eggs at the grocery store if you are short on time.
Thanks, I have been craving some deviled eggs. Love the egg holder, do you mind telling me where it can be purchased.
Hi Heather,
I love that egg holder too! I’d been looking for one for awhile and wanted it to be a little different from the regular round ones. It is from Mud Pie and I ordered it online from Dillard’s.
All my best,
Sharon
Mmmmmmm! Definitely a classic. I do love how versatile deviled eggs are for pretty much any occasion. Also, your tip on steaming the eggs is so fascinating. I have about pulled my hair out many times trying to get the perfect peel. Thanks so much for sharing.