Add A New World Of Flavor To Deviled Eggs With One Salty Ingredient

If you haven't heard, canned fish is totally back. And while mainstream varieties like tuna and salmon are included in this trend, it also encompasses less widely beloved tins like sardines. If you think of sardines as solely being an oily ingredient with a too-pungent taste and smell, these little fish are actually delicious when air-fried, spread on bruschetta and stirred into pasta.

If you're not ready to take the plunge into eating this seafood on its own, however, try adding it to your deviled eggs. These fish already pair well with eggs, as they're commonly added to scrambled egg or shakshuka recipes for extra protein and taste. They'll provide your appetizer with a deeper umami flavor, and you can typically find tins with either salty or smoky notes, so you can choose one to suit your taste buds. And if you really want to level up your deviled eggs, find a can packed with oil and herbs or a tasty sauce that will match your snack. Aside from the flavor benefits, sardines will add a nutritious twist to your dish, since they're high in omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D. 

Not only are sardines a tasty addition to deviled eggs, but they're also an easy one to incorporate. Make sure to drain your fish ahead of time and chop them up into small bits. Then, simply stir them into your filling along with all the other ingredients, and plop the resulting mixture into your empty egg halves. To keep your sardines from taking over the flavor of your appetizer, stick to a ratio of one can for every 12 eggs, although you can up the amount of fish if you want more salty goodness. As an alternative, feel free to simply slice up your seafood and use it as a garnish on top of your filling, but note that you will get more of a punch of its flavor this way.

Since you're getting plenty of savory taste from the eggs, sardines, mayo, and mustard, you may want to balance out these elements a bit. Try stirring some briny pickled onion into your filling, as we do in our Easy Deviled Eggs, or a little harissa for a smoky kick, as we do in our Smoky Pumpkin Deviled Eggs. Jalapeño and lemon zest will give your halves acidic spice (which we know thanks to Sunny Anderson's hot tip), while horseradish, gochujang, or wasabi paste will provide even stronger heat. And for milder, more Mediterranean vibes, top your snacks off with dabs of pesto or pitted green olives instead.