The deviled egg is a staple in our house. Even more so this year as we have fresh eggs daily from our hens and the fastest way to get my family to eat eggs is by hard boiling. An added bonus if they are deviled. In light of the spring season and the fun holidays coming up, I am sharing my classic Southern-Style Deviled Eggs recipe with y’all.

southern-style deviled egg on marble and ticking stripe

I used to hate deviled eggs as a kid. I could not understand why people would take something so boring (an egg) , add the worst condiments to it (mayo and mustard) and actually volunteer to eat it. And they were at every family gathering. Why???

Now that I am an adult and love pretty much all food- funny how taste buds change- I cannot imagine a holiday, cookout or picnic without deviled eggs. And it seems we never have enough! Anytime they are served my husband magically makes them disappear. I love this because they are a fairly healthy snack when made with wholesome ingredients (this is true for most recipes. You can make almost anything healthier by making simple ingredient switches.) and things like fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar or homemade pickles actually make them taste better! Swap regular mayo out for olive oil mayo or homemade mayo, store bought pickles for homemade fermented pickles and use local, fresh eggs. Nourishing and delicious!

Loaded with flavor from the traditional mayo and mustard, garlic and onion and the zing of a splash of vinegar and fresh dill, these truly are a southern style deviled egg. They are easy and the best deviled eggs.

Best Southern-Style Deviled Eggs

Now deviled eggs are one of those foods that everyone has their way of making them and no other recipe will suffice. I get it, I do. We think these are the best due to a few qualifying factors.

What Makes A Southern Style Deviled Egg?

If you dig around on the internet, you will find millions of deviled egg recipes all in different styles. But one main ingredient in all of the “southern” style is relish.

Boo. My husband hates pickles or anything with a pickle taste. So I had to compromise some but do not fear! I found a way to get a similar flavor that he actually enjoys with a little vinegar and fresh dill.

Why Are They Called Deviled?

Deviling just means to mix a food with something with more flavor. More specifically, the Food Lover’s Companion defines it as “combine a food with various hot or spicy seasonings such as red pepper, mustard, or Tabasco sauce, thereby creating a ‘deviled’ dish.” Genius.

When To Serve Deviled Eggs?

I like to make them for any and every holiday but also at cookouts and picnics. They lend so well with any meal. They are also great to make when you have an abundance of eggs because these go FAST! They are a staple in our house.

Easy Southern-Style Deviled Eggs

We think these are the best but they are also so easy. Paired with my last post on Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe, you can whip these up in 20 minutes easily with most of that time being hands off.

How Do You Peel The Perfect Deviled Egg?

When you cook the eggs in the Instant Pot, peeling is very easy. Crack the shell all over and it will come off in big pieces, if not all in one piece. It could not be any easier! I would be sure to let them soak in ice water for a few minutes first though. Not only does it cool them off faster so they take less time, but it also helps them peel easier.

Can You Boil Eggs The Day Before You Make Deviled Eggs?

Yes! This is just another way to simplify a meal and make these even easier. You can boil or cook the eggs the day before, store in the fridge still in the shell. When you are ready to make your deviled eggs, just remove from the fridge and peel.

How Do You Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs So The Shell Comes Off Easily?

I shared in my last post how I cook my hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot. You can get that information here. It makes it so simple and you get perfect, easy peel eggs every single time. It’s as simple as adding the eggs and some water, cooking for a few minutes and adding to an ice bath. No more fighting fresh eggs with stuck on shells OR ugly egg whites that cannot hold up to a filling!

What You May Need

12 hard boiled eggs
3 (heaping) tablespoons Mayo
1 teaspoon Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder or fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
Splash of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika to garnish

fresh local eggs for southern-style deviled eggs

How To Make Southern-Style Deviled Eggs

Start with hard boiled eggs that have been peeled. Cut in half and carefully remove the egg yolk into a bowl. Set the whites aside.

To the yolks, add the mayo, mustard and apple cider vinegar. Mix until clump free.

Add onion, garlic and dill. Combine then add salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop the filling back into the egg whites. You could use a piping bag or just a spoon.

Garnish with more dill and paprika.

Plate up and serve!

southern-style deviled eggs on blue and white plate

Yum, I can taste them now. The dill and apple cider vinegar give the relish taste that is so important in a southern style deviled egg but also serves as a fresh take on a classic and traditional food. If you do like pickles, I would recommend a homemade pickle relish for that same fresh spin!

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Classic Southern-Style Deviled Eggs