Spicy Deviled Eggs recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do people put paprika on deviled eggs? ›

The paprika will determine the depth of flavor of each bite. You can garnish with any kind (hot or sweet Hungarian, or hot or sweet smoked), but the better the quality, the more complex the flavor.

Prep deviled eggs too far in advance, and you'll have dried out filling and stinky boiled egg whites. For the best results, prep your deviled eggs up to two days in advance and keep the egg whites and filling separate until you're ready to serve. This prepping method also applies if you're not even leaving the house.

At church functions in parts of the Southern and Midwestern United States, the terms "stuffed eggs", "salad eggs", and "dressed eggs" occur instead, to avoid reference to the word "devil". For this reason, the term "angel eggs" is also occasionally used.

If you won't be eating them right away, place into a container lined with folded paper towels and refrigerate. It's common for deviled eggs to "sweat" in the fridge, which can make them kinda soggy in a day or two. The paper towels will absorb the extra moisture and keep them fresh much longer!

How many deviled eggs do you need per person? Plan 2 to 3 deviled eggs per person for your get-together. A dozen eggs will make 24 deviled eggs, and that will be enough for 8 to 12 people. If you have leftovers you can store them in the fridge for 24 hours and snack on them the next day.

Making them too far in advance

Deviled eggs can be watery, dry, or lose flavor the longer they sit, so don't make them too far in advance. For the best results, prep your eggs and make the filling up two days in advance, and store them separately. Assemble the eggs before serving.

In some regions of the South and the Midwest, deviled eggs are also called salad or dressed eggs when they are served at a church function, to avoid the term "deviled." Deviled eggs have been a popular picnic offering as well as being a standard item in what has become known, especially in the South, as "funeral food."

Deviled eggs are hard-boiled eggs that have been peeled, cut in half, then stuffed with a paste made from the yolk and other ingredients. Basic deviled egg filling is made with egg yolks, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper. The eggs are often seasoned with spices like paprika or cayenne pepper.

What is a fun fact about deviled eggs? ›

If we rewind time, we find deviled eggs in ancient Rome, where boiled eggs flavored with spicy sauces were so commonly served as an appetizer that a Roman saying, “ab ovo usque ad mala,” meaning “from egg to apples,” referred to the expected bookends of a meal.

Making deviled eggs involves hard-boiling and peeling eggs, slicing them and scooping out the yolks to mix with mayonnaise or other ingredients, and then refilling. But a lot can go wrong in a process with so many steps. The eggs may be overcooked or undercooked.

While you want the water to boil, you don't want the eggs to stand in the boiling water for too long. The sulfurous smell comes from eggs that get overcooked during this process. Eggs that are cooked for too long or at too high a temperature will develop a green ring around the yolk. This ring causes that eggy smell.

Assemble deviled eggs no more than a day in advance.

Pipe the filling to the egg whites and store them in the fridge covered in a container up to 12 hours ahead or overnight. If you make them more than one day in advance, the filling won't be its best.

Salt intensifies the egg flavor, pepper adds some spice, and the paprika adds a subtle warmth and a sweetness. Of course, depending on what kind of paprika you use, you can really play around with flavor a lot! Some will make for a spicy fried egg while others will make it more savory and sweet.

Paprika is a mellow ingredient, bringing beautiful color and a hint of sweetness. Use paprika to add flavor and vivid red color to pretty much any dish. It works great with lighter colored foods such as potato salad and deviled eggs. Since paprika has a mild flavor, larger amounts can be used.

Think of paprika as the gentler, sweeter cousin of hot chili peppers. It enlivens your favorite dishes with fruity notes and a toasty red color without ever taking over the show. Picture that iconic dusting of bold red color atop deviled eggs.

Cayenne is an excellent substitute for hot paprika. It'll allow you to keep the spiciness, but it will be slightly stronger in flavor, so use half the amount. To duplicate the taste of paprika more accurately, try adding a little bit of sugar (about 1/2 teaspoon sugar to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for 1 teaspoon paprika).