Southern Deviled Eggs
No holiday dinner, party, or potluck is complete without a platter of Southern deviled eggs. Perfectly cooked eggs are filled with a creamy, tangy, and zesty egg yolk filling made with mayo, mustard, sweet and dill relish, and ground paprika. This deviled eggs recipe is easy to make in a little over 30 minutes and they will come out fabulous every time!
Cooking for the holidays? Check out this Southern Turkey Cornbread Dressing, Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread, Whole Roasted Duck, or Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream.
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Deviled eggs are like mashed potatoes, they are a MUST-HAVE side dish at any gathering but they are especially delicious during the holidays. Always a crowd pleaser, southern deviled eggs are very simple to put together with minimal time and effort. The hardest (not!) part about this recipe is taking the time to boil and peel the eggs. Peeling hard-boiled eggs can be a pain so I have also included my favorite technique for making hard-boiled eggs that peel perfectly and effortlessly every time down in the recipe card.
The main thing that makes this deviled egg recipe “Southern” is the addition of relish! This southern-style twist is so delicious and it’s an easy way to give the eggs a bit of texture and crunchiness without having to chop celery or add vinegar and risk your filling becoming overly sour.
Instead of relish, my dad loves to use sandwich spread. I have included instructions down in the recipe card if you would like to use that instead. It is a combination of mayo, chopped pickles, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and ground paprika. It definitely gives the eggs a more old-fashioned down South flavor and you’ll love it if you grew up using sandwich spread instead of mayo.
No matter which way you prefer them, these deviled eggs are simply the best and are always a hit with my family!
Recipe Ingredients
Eggs – You’ll need 12 hard-boiled eggs. The recipe card shows you how to make the perfect easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs. You can boil the eggs right before you are ready to make deviled eggs or make them 1 – 2 days ahead of time. You can totally make a half batch or double it if you making them for larger gatherings. Use whichever eggs you prefer, the Happy Eggs Brand is very flavorful and gives a bright orange yolk.
Mayo – To make to egg yolk mixture creamy. Start with a little bit at a time so you can adjust the consistency and creaminess of your filling to your liking. Use regular mayo, Miracle Whip, or sandwich spread.
Relish – I used a combination of sweet and dill relish to give a tangy zing with a hint of sweetness. Relish gives a slight crunch and texture to the egg filling as well.
Mustard – Adds just a hint of tangy flavor. Use to type and amount of mustard you like. Yellow or whole-grain mustard works perfectly.
Ground paprika – Used for color and it adds a slightly sweet flavor.
Salt and black pepper – Season to taste.
Toppings – Sprinkle of ground paprika, fresh dill, or chopped chives. Optional, but it looks nice for presentation.
Pro tips
- Taste the filling as you go, adding in more seasoning to your liking.
- For a better presentation add the egg yolk filling to a plastic bag. Cut the end off using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. Make sure the hole isn’t too big or it will be hard to pipe. Alternatively, use a frosting bag fitted with a star piping tip to pip the egg yolk filling into the egg white shells, giving a more elegant look.
- Add the mayo a little bit at a time. This helps to keep the mixture from becoming too mayo-tasting.
- Drain as much juice from the relish as you can to avoid a watery egg filling.
How To Store/ Make Ahead
Prep white egg shells and filling 1-2 days ahead of time, and store in separate air-tight containers in the fridge.
Deviled eggs keep in the fridge for up to 2 days covered in the refrigerator. If you are making the eggs ahead of time leave off any toppings until just before you are ready to serve them.
Frequently Asked Questions —
It helps to balance out the richness of the mayo and egg yolks. For this recipe, relish steps in as the vinegar.
Too much mayo can make the filling overly mayo-tasting with a looser slightly runny consistency. The only way to fix it is by boiling a couple extra eggs and then adding the yolks to the mixture to thicken the filling up a bit more.
Hard-boiled eggs, mayo, mustard, relish or vinegar, ground paprika, and salt and pepper.
It can add a tiny bit of sweet or smoky flavor depending on which variety you get and it makes the deviled eggs look nicer when serving.
This can happen if the hard-boiled eggs are over or under-cooked. If the yolks are still kinda soft once you peel them it will be harder to mash and make a smooth filling. Same with the overcooked yolks, they can have a rubbery texture that makes them harder to work with.
Looking For More Recipes?
How To Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs Every Time
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Southern Deviled Eggs
Equipment
- 1 large pot(6 quart) or pot large enough to fit all of your eggs in comfortably
- Slotted spoon or ladle
- Medium-sized mixing bowl
- Fork or potato masher
- Spoon or plastic bag to fill the egg white halves
Ingredients
- 12 eggs large
- ⅓ cup mayo + 2 tablespoon or to your liking
- 2 teaspoons mustard Djion, yellow or whole grain
- 4 – 5 tablespoons relish I used a mix of sweet relish and dill relish, drained
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika regular or sweet
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional garnish
- Ground paprika
- Fresh dill
- Chopped chives
- Crispy bacon pieces
Instructions
Making Hard Boiled Eggs:
- On medium-high heat, bring a large pot with water to a rolling boil. The pot should be large enough for the eggs to sit comfortably and the water should be high enough to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch.
- Next, gently lower the eggs into the boiling hot water, one at a time using a slotted spoon. Be care not to drop the eggs or they might break. Set a timer and cook the eggs for 10 minutes.
- After the timer is done, remove the pot from the heat then allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for another 10 minutes.
- Finally, drain the hot water then immediately pour cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking process. Peel eggs by tapping or rolling on the countertop.
Making Deviled Eggs:
- Cut peeled eggs in half lengthwise, then pop the yolks into a medium-sized mixing bowl. It's ok if there is still a little bit of yolk left in the whites. 12 eggs
- Mash egg yolks using a potato masher or fork until you have small pieces of egg yolk.
- Add the rest of the ingredients – mayo, mustard, relish, ground paprika. Make sure to drain as much of the liquid out of the relish as possible otherwise it will make your filling watery. Stir to combine. 1/3 cup mayo 2 teaspoons mustard 4 – 5 tablespoons relish ¼ teaspoon ground paprika Salt and black pepper Ground paprika
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Spoon filling into the egg white shells or fill a plastic sandwich bag. Cut off a corner then pipe the filling into each egg half.
- Top with more ground paprika or dill if you like. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge for 10- 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
