The Fun Flavor Infusions To Take Your Deviled Eggs To The Next Level

From peeling the shells to piping the yolk mixture, to garnishing and making sure they're as pretty as can be, the process of preparing deviled eggs is almost as satisfying as the moment you bite into one. However, if you're someone who makes them often, perhaps you've found that the traditional recipe is a bit boring. You've experimented with all of the topping swaps that aren't paprika and you've tried incorporating different ingredients to upgrade deviled eggs — what more can be done to take your deviled egg-making to the next level? Nelson Serrano-Bahri, chef and director of innovation at the American Egg Board, gave us his best flavor infusion tips to ensure that you'll never get bored with deviled eggs again.

Serrano-Bahri recommends boiling eggs in a different type of liquid, whether it be wine, veggie broth, or soup, to add a bit of subtle flavor to your eggs. This is the easiest way to add flavor to your deviled eggs, since you're not changing the recipe up all that much. Swap out water for your liquid of choice, and watch the magic happen. "When boiling shelled eggs, the shell tends to be pretty impermeable, which means you need a longer period of boiling time to get any extra flavor from the water," Serrano-Bahri said. The typical hard boiled egg cooking time is about 10 minutes, and this should be enough time for the shell to absorb some but not all of the liquid's flavoring — whatever it may be — before you assemble it into a deviled egg.

Swapping water with another flavorful liquid is one way to alter your boiled eggs in a subtle way, whether you choose to boil them in a savory broth or with a few teaspoons of herbs, but if you're looking to change up the appearance of your deviled eggs, we've got just the trick you need. Dyeing hard boiled eggs isn't just a kid's activity for Easter — though our recipe for beet-dyed deviled eggs is an eggscellent Easter appetizer too. Pickling cooked hard-boiled eggs with Lucy's beet juice (or any other preferred brand) after they've been peeled is a simple way to create a show-stopping plate of deviled eggs. "This generally takes several days, and your eggs will need to sit in the fridge for the infusion process to work," Serrano-Bahri said. "But pickling is a fun technique for some unique deviled eggs."

Beets possess a striking deep-purple color, and this comes from a chemical called betalain, which is often used as a natural dye for other foods and products. This color mixed with the deviled eggs' mustard yellow creates a jewel toned palette that looks gorgeous once plated. If you don't have beet juice on hand, add vibrant color to pickled deviled eggs with turmeric, a spice you probably have in your pantry, and watch your eggs go from bland to brilliant.