Pioneer Woman 12 ways to garnish deviled eggs pairs a four-ingredient filling with toppings like bacon and blue cheese, smoked salmon, or jalapeño and cumin. Since every variation uses the same easy base, you can set out a mixed platter for Easter, potlucks, or game day in under an hour.
The make-or-break step is blending the yolks with an immersion blender, because that makes the filling smooth enough to pipe neatly into the whites. Lumpy filling cracks the whites and won’t hold a garnish, so this one extra tool changes the whole presentation.
Most deviled egg recipes change the filling, but this one keeps a neutral base and swaps only the garnish across twelve combinations. And that means you can serve a full platter of different flavors from a single bowl of yolk mixture.
Pioneer Woman 12 Ways to Garnish Deviled Eggs
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings45
minutes13
minutes145
kcalClassic hard-boiled eggs filled with a creamy mayo and mustard yolk mixture, then topped twelve different ways for a colorful appetizer spread.
Ingredients
- Base filling:
12 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 12 garnish combinations (choose any):
Paprika, sliced radish, chives
Bacon, blue cheese, chives
Sriracha, black sesame seeds, cilantro
Smoked salmon, capers, lemon zest
Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian parsley
Feta, lemon zest, oregano
Green olives, lemon zest, black pepper
Ham, cheddar, green onion, black pepper
Prosciutto, Parmesan, chives, black pepper
Jalapeño slices, cumin, cilantro
Sour cream and onion potato chips, chives, black pepper
Grape tomato, ripe black olive, green onion, cilantro, taco seasoning
Directions
- Boil and peel: Hard-boil 12 eggs for 13 minutes. Cool, peel, and rinse under running water to remove shell fragments. Pat dry.
- Make the filling: Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Pop yolks into a bowl. Mash with a fork, then add mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Blitz a few times with an immersion blender for maximum smoothness.
- Fill the whites: Divide the yolk mixture evenly between the egg white halves using a spoon, cookie scoop, or piping bag fitted with a round or fluted tip.
- Garnish and serve: Top each half with any of the 12 garnish combinations above. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready.
How far ahead can you make deviled eggs?
You can make the filling and boil the eggs up to two days ahead, so the day-of work is just piping and garnishing. Store the whites and filling separately in the fridge, because assembled eggs release moisture and turn soggy overnight.
How do you keep the filling from getting watery?
Watery filling usually comes from undercooked yolks that haven’t fully set, so make sure the eggs get a full 13 minutes of cook time. Draining any liquid from the mashed yolks before adding mayo also helps, and chilling the finished filling for 30 minutes firms it up.
Can you use Dijon mustard instead of yellow?
Yes, and Dijon adds a sharper, more complex flavor than yellow mustard. Start with one tablespoon of Dijon in place of two tablespoons of yellow, though, since Dijon is stronger and you can always add more.
What’s the easiest way to fill deviled eggs without a piping bag?
A small cookie scoop works well for portioning the filling evenly into each white, and it’s faster than a spoon. For a smoother look, drop the filling from the scoop, then use a spoon to shape a small well for the garnish.
