Classic Deviled Eggs

By Alex Witchel

Updated Dec. 28, 2025

Classic Deviled Eggs
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(6,923)
Comments
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This recipe is adapted from “U.S.A. Cookbook,” written by Sheila Lukins, an author of the “Silver Palate” cookbooks that were popular in the 1980s and ’90s. If you’re looking for an introduction to deviled eggs, this is the place to start: just eggs, mustard, mayonnaise, a dash of Tabasco and a festive sprinkle of paprika (or jazz things up with a garnish of chives). They are a simple and spectacular addition to a holiday table.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 halves
  • 6large eggs
  • 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 to 2dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1tablespoon snipped fresh chives
  • 3tablespoons mayonnaise
  • Paprika, for garnish
  • Whole fresh chives, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

62 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 71 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse eggs with warm water, and place in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water, place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10-12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water or transfer to a bowl of ice and water, then peel. Cool in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Stir in mustard, Tabasco, salt, pepper, snipped chives and mayonnaise.

  3. Step 3

    Fill each egg white with about 1½ teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture using a spoon or piping bag fitted with a star tip and dust the top with paprika. Arrange on a platter; garnish with whole chives.

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FAQS

  1. Cook eggs in the residual heat of the just-boiled water for 10 to 12 minutes. (Technically speaking, the eggs aren’t boiled — the water is heated to the boiling point, then the heat is turned off.)

Ratings

5 out of 5
6,923 user ratings
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Comments

Tobey Crockett

I have friends who make these regularly for potluck events and they swear by putting the filling in a small plastic baggie, cutting off the corner and using it as an impromptu pastry bag. This is a much easier way to fill the shells of the whites than using a spoon. They even transport the whites and filling this way and then fill them up at the destination. Yum! (And yes to capers and butter!)

CC

Add a tablespoon of softened butter. Julia Child's trick, makes them just bit more luxurious.

Lumita

I've started pinpricking the eggs prior to boiling and have had gloriously simple peeling ever since. Thanks for sharing all the recipes- I've often made them last minute so great to have some more options. The people complaining about the health issues of piping through the corner of a baggie seriously need to find something real to complain about.

Richard Tabbutt

I used J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's method of Perfectly Peelable Steam-Boiled Eggs (found here in NYT Cooking: https://body-change.today/recipes/1020468-perfectly-peelable-steam-boiled-eggs%3C/a%3E%29, and they are miraculously easier to peel than eggs started in cold water. The recipe here for the egg yolk filling, though, is simple but delicious.

Sookie

it's nice with a bit of ossetra caviar, too!

Caro. FL

After many tries, I have found the way to perfect hard boiled eggs. Heat enough water in a pan to cover the eggs. When the water is about to start boiling, reduce the heat to medium (hot enough to keep a soft boil). Add the eggs with a spoon and cook them for 15 min. Have a bowl with water and ice ready and put the eggs in. Keep them in the ice water for another 15 min. Afterwards, removing the shells will be extremely easy and the eggs will have the perfect temperature to be eaten right away.

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