Deviled eggs are a classic appetizer, perfect for potlucks, gatherings, and holidays like Easter. Our deviled eggs recipe is creamy and delicious, studded with crispy bacon (or vegan bacon), aged cheddar cheese, diced pickles, and sweet onions. A crowd-pleasing, low-carb appetizer that everyone will love!
Here is a recipe for the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had, given to me by my friend, Doris. What I love about these deviled eggs is the texture! Studded with bacon crumbles (or sub vegan bacon bits), pickles, onions, and tiny bits of cheddar cheese, they are a delight to the palate. I’m excited for you to try this recipe because I know you’ll love it!
Over the years in our catering business, we’ve used this recipe as a creamy, delicious base and had fun experimenting with it – just see all the variations below! But I always come back to Doris’s recipe, especially when I’m making it at home for us. We love it!
Cristine says, “These were divine!!! We shredded the cheese, used a Walla Walla sweet onion, and topped each one with fresh dill and a caper. Another winning recipe from you. Thank you.”
Ingredients in Deviled Egg Recipe
- Hard–boiled eggs– use large or extra-large eggs. These can be boiled ahead and chilled.
- Sweet onion– finely diced
- Cheddar cheese– I prefer using aged white cheddar, diced into the smallest dice possible!
- Baby dill pickles- for the best flavor and texture, finely diced (or sub sweet pickle relish)
- Bacon- make crispy bacon crumbles, or sub vegan bacon or bacon bits.
- Mayonnaise- Best foods mayo is recommended here
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
- Paprika
- Chives, dill or flat-leaf parsley
Deviled Egg Variations
There are many ways to elevate deviled eggs! Here are a few ideas from our catering business through the years.
- Top them with smoked salmon lox or salmon roe.
- Instead of the pickles, add ¼ cup capers.
- Not a fan of mayo? Skip the mayo and use full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Add a little ground mustard, Dijon mustard, or yellow mustard for a little extra punchy flavor.
- Add hot sauce or sriracha for a kick of heat.
- Stir in Harissa paste, gremolata, or curry powder.
- Make them pink! Stir in beet powder- yes, it’s fun, just add a little at a time.
- Serve them whole (vertical) scroll down!
How to Make Classic Deviled Eggs
In a large saucepan, gently place 12 eggs. Fill the pot with water until it covers the eggs, about 1 1/2 inches deep. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it stand for 12 minutes. Place them in an ice water bath to chill them down. (You can make these ahead and refrigerate).
Place in a bowl of cold water and peel under running cold water.
Slice the eggs in half and scoop out yolks into a bowl. The egg whites should be firm. (Scroll down for “whole” deviled eggs).
Add enough mayonnaise to have a nice, creamy mixture, and mash and whip until you have a smooth base.
Then add the remaining ingredients- bacon, pickles, onions, and cheddar. Taste and adjust salt. If you want more acid, add a few drops of apple cider vinegar or pickle juice (my favorite). See how creamy this looks?
Fill the egg halves with the creamy egg yolk mixture using a small spoon or a piping bag. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The colder the better!
Serving Suggestions
Sprinkle with paprika and chives, dill or Italian parsley right before serving. Place them on a serving platter.
If you are transporting them, to prevent the eggs from sliding around on the platter, you can level the bottoms (do this before filling) by slicing off a tiny amount to create a flat base, or line the tray with butter lettuce or romaine leaves and place the eggs on top.
Storing Deviled Eggs
Store leftover deviled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. they are best served within 24 hours, as they may discolor, but they will still taste good at 3 days.
Making them ahead of time for a crowd
If cooking for a crowd, deviled eggs can be made ahead or in stages. Boil the eggs and peel them up to 4 days ahead, storing in the fridge. Make the filling up to one day ahead, and fully assemble them up to one day ahead, covering tightly in the refrigerator. Garnish right before serving. Note: They will still taste good after two days, but may start to discolor; it’s best to serve within 24 hours.
HOW TO MAKE Whole DEVILED EGGS (vertical & upright)
- I highly suggest hard-boiling a few extra eggs because sometimes they break when removing the yolk this way. I typically lose 2 eggs per dozen from breakage. Just so ya know. 😉
- If you want to serve them whole and standing up, like in the photo above, peel them but let them cool all the way before cutting.
- Cut a tiny sliver off the bottom of the flatter end of the egg, creating a flat bottom, so the eggs can stand upright.
- On the pointed end of the egg, cut off the top, where the tip of the yolk meets. Either scoop out the yolks with a small spoon or tiny fork, or gently squeeze the sides of the egg, carefully popping the yolk out. Take your time here, be patient- this is the challenging part. 🙂
- Make the filling as directed above.
- Pipe the filling into the eggs, using a piping bag (or use a zip lock bag – cutting a small opening into the corner). Mound them up a bit and garnish.
Deviled Egg Tips
- Hard-boil the eggs ahead. You can boil up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate them before peeling.
- Let the eggs cool before peeling; the egg whites are more stable when cold, and you’ll do less damage. You can place them in an ice bath to speed up the process.
- Peel under cold running water- the water helps loosen the shells.
- Farm-fresh eggs are harder to peel. This is the only time I opt for store-bought.
- Garnish! Always top with something fresh and green.
More Egg recipes you may like
- Asparagus Frittata with Goat Cheese
- Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs, Arugula and Zaatar
- Baked Eggs
- Savory Baked Crepes
I hope you enjoy these deviled eggs as much as we have! Let me know how it goes in the notes below!
xoxo
Print
Deviled Eggs Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
These deviled eggs (also known as Oeufs Mimosa) have the best texture and flavor! They are creamy and delicious, studded with crispy bacon (or vegan bacon), aged cheddar cheese, diced pickles, and sweet onions. The perfect low-carb appetizer, perfect for gatherings!
Ingredients
- 12 extra-large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled
- 3/4 cup crumbled crispy bacon ( or sub vegan bacon bits)
- 3/4 cup aged white cheddar cheese, finely diced
- 3/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced
- 3/4 cup baby dill pickles, finely diced
- 4–6 tablespoons Best Foods Mayo
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnishes– fresh herbs like chives, fresh dill, or Italian parsley and a sprinkle of paprika or smoked paprika.
- Optional additions: splash of pickle juice, capers, 1-2 teaspoons of mustard (dijon or ground)
Instructions
- In a large pot, gently place 12 eggs. Fill the pot until the water covers the eggs, about 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat off, and let stand for 12 minutes. (You can make these ahead and refrigerate)
- Place in bowl of cold water and peel under running cold water.
- Cut eggs in half and scoop out yolks into a bowl. (See notes for the upright version)
- Mash with a fork and add the remaining ingredients. Mix.
- Add enough Mayo to have a nice creamy mixture.
- Taste and adjust salt. Add any optional additions.
- Fill the eggs (using a small spoon or piping bag) and chill at least 2 hours.
- Garnish with paprika and chives or Italian parsley right before serving.
Notes
Making Whole Deviled Eggs
- I highly suggest hard-boiling a few extra eggs because sometimes they break when removing the yolk this way. I typically lose 2 eggs per dozen from breakage. Just so ya know. 😉
- If you want to serve them whole and standing up, like in the photo above, hard-boil for 1-2 minutes longer and let them cool completely. Peel under cold running water. I do this ahead and refrigerate because you want them super cold so they are firm when you cut them.
- On the flatter end of the egg, cut a tiny sliver off the bottom, creating a flat bottom, so the eggs can stand upright.
- On the pointed end of the egg, cut off the top, where the tip of the yolk meets. Either scoop out the yokes with a small spoon or tiny fork, or gently squeeze the sides of the egg, carefully popping the yolk out. Take your time here, be patient- this is the challenging part. 🙂
- Make the filling as directed above. Pipe the filling using a piping bag or use a zip lock bag (cut a small opening into the corner). Mound them up just a bit. Place on your platter, and frigerate until serving.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and paprika.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ an egg
- Calories: 79
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 148.3 mg
- Fat: 6.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 98.6 mg
These are going to be a hit at our Easter feast!
Great!
These are so good! I have spent my entire adult life trying to figure out how to peel hard boiled eggs and it turns out it just requires doing it under cold water! I used a chopstick to do the upright method and scoop it out that way and it worked really well. Thank you!
Great to hear Sarah!
These were divine!!! We shredded the cheese, used a Walla Walla sweet onion, and topped each one with fresh dill and a caper. Another winning recipe from you. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed Cristine!
Another great recipe! I made these for Easter along with the smoky harissa white bean dip. Very tasty, and I’m not even an “egg” person. These will be go-to recipes for the next party/ holiday.
Wonderful Basia!
This sounds delicious, but am I missing something? It seems like the added ingredients – bacon, cheese, pickles, and onions, are way to much filling for 12 eggs. The extra could be delicious for egg salad sandwiches also, but I’m just wondering is it supposed to be like a smaller amount by chance?
Hi Jan- yes, I know it seems like a lot. I thought the same thing- but using extra-large eggs- somehow it turns out delicious. Just be sure to cut everything finely and of course, you can add less if you like. 🙂
unique and unexpected flavor I found myself choosing to eat them when I needed a protein pick me up between lunch and dinner. My hubby requested for lunch on the go.
Glad you enjoyed Dede!
These are always a huge hit whenever I make them. Thank you for sharing the recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!
Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing!🐣
These really are the best ever deviled eggs! The addition of cheddar really gives them a yummy zing and differentiates them from other deviled recipes. Everyone absolutely loved them. I really love the taste of shallot so I minimized the amount of onion and cut about 1/2 cut of shallot instead. I also really love filling the eggs from the “top” side vs cutting lengthwise, makes a better presentation.
I can’t rate this recipe yet, but find it extremely timely in that I’ve been assigned deviled eggs for a 51 year Sealth high school reunion brunch. The eggs fell to me because I have chickens…these are going to be jaw dropping!
You say to cut the eggs in half, doesn’t look like that in the picture???
There are notes for keeping them whole in the recipe. 😉
Thanks Kelly!
I have put these in my “to make” recipe file. Deviled eggs WITH BACON. Yes! I did have a question about what the natural dyes your father used, and how he used them. Also, how did you get your swirly pretty eggs? Oil in the dye water?
I am putting this in my file to make soon! Can you tell me/us more about the natural dye techniques that your father used? How did you get those swirly pretty eggs?
My dad would boil beets, onion peelings, spinach, tea, coffee, and brightly colored spices like tumeric and paprika I think. All in different pots on the stove. He would just boil the eggs in along with the color. Swirly colors come from adding a few drops of oil to the dye.
I prepared these eggs a few days ago and they were delicious. Thank you very much for the recipe!
Thanks… glad you liked them!
Awesome, glad you liked!