deviled eggs

I will never find it again [please send me a link if see the original], but a few weeks ago a TikTok* went through my feed in which a woman is invited to eat half a dozen eggs and she says “Oh no, that’s too much.” “But what if I scoop them out, mash it with mayo, and stuff it back together?” “Thanks, I’ll have the whole tray!”

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t the intended effect, but I’ve been craving deviled eggs since. I know we often think of them as a holiday party food, so this might make little sense, but I absolutely love them in the summer, especially when it’s too hot to cook anything real and I only want to eat, like, two cold salads and a handful of potato chips for dinner. Deviled eggs — basically egg salad with less gloop (my food writing chops are legendary, I know) — are the perfect piece to round out the meal. I like to keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge anyway, so it’s just a matter of peeling, popping out the centers (why is this so fun), mashing them up, and spooning them back in.

I have a few rules, though: I refuse to use a star piping tip, although a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off is acceptable. I always use a recipe, this one. I know measuring mayo in teaspoonfuls sounds fussy but what I want, what I always want, is for my eggs to be exactly as perfect as they were the last time they were perfect, for that, and that’s what formulas are for. Finally, while I prefer the centers of my deviled eggs uncluttered; no truffle salt, caviar, dill, or relish, I apply toppings with chaotic abandon, whatever I can dredge up from the fridge. Here, I used thinly sliced a shallot and pickled one half and fried the other. I also used finely diced celery, chives, radishes, and cornichon, and diced and crisped up some dry chorizo. Hot smoked Spanish paprika (mild paprika + some cayenne or chipotle powder also works) is my favorite on top. This recipe is for eight eggs (or 16 deviled halves) and makes no suggestion of serving size. This is because the Smitten Kitchen is, as ever, a judgement-free zone.

More ideas: We like to eat these with a few other low- or no-cook summer things, like a tomato, a cucumber salad, watermelon, or fennel salad, this quick zucchini sauté, and/or prosciutto, if we’ve indulged my husband’s wishes to have it 365 days a year.

* did you know Granny Smitten is on TikTok? And I’m doing narrated recipe demos? You can follow along here.

Video

Have you checked out the new Smitten Kitchen YouTube channel? There will be new recipe video every Wednesday morning through the end of July. If you subscribe to the channel, you won’t miss even one. Here are the most recent two episodes; I hope you enjoy them:

Previously

6 months ago: Parmesan Oven Risotto
1 year ago: Pasta with Pesto Genovese
2 years ago: Frozen Watermelon Mojitos
3 years ago: Corn Fritters and Bourbon Peach Smash
4 years ago: Hummus Heaped with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
5 years ago: Corn, Bacon and Parmesan Pasta
6 years ago: Tomato and Fried Provolone Sandwich
7 years ago: Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles and Grilled Peach Splits
8 years ago: One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes and Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
9 years ago: Bacon Corn Hash
10 years ago: Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones
11 years ago: Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint, Thai-Style Chicken Legs, Peach Blueberry Cobbler, and Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons
12 years ago: Light Brioche Burger Buns, Blueberry Boy Bait, and Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza
13 years ago: Chocolate Sorbet
14 years ago: Double Chocolate Layer Cake