These spring-inspired deviled eggs will add a whimsical touch to your table with their light pink egg whites and creamy yellow filling. Dye the whites with a few drops of pink food coloring or beet powder dissolved in water.
Easy-to-Color Spring-Inspired Deviled Eggs
When I was young, I thought deviled eggs were only eaten in the spring, especially after an egg hunt. I have a memory of an egg hunt with lots of children searching for hand-dyed eggs. I remember my basket did not have many eggs at the end of the hunt–compared to other baskets heaped with eggs. In retrospect, I believe I would only pick up the colors I liked!
After the hunt, I broke open all my eggs to see if the inside was the same color as the outer shell. Sometimes I was in luck, and the dye had seeped in through a crack leaving a small stripe of color. When I got older, I realized that deviled eggs are great any time of year and can be dyed to match Easter egg colors!
Choose Pleasing Colors
When dying egg whites to make deviled eggs, it is helpful to consider that not all colors are appealing. I prefer pastel colors for spring eggs. However, if I am making eggs around Halloween, it can be a different story!
How to Dye Eggs for Spring-Inspired Deviled Eggs
It is easy to dye egg whites, and there are two ways to do it.
Use Artificial Food Coloring
The first way to dye eggs is to use artificial food coloring. Add a few drops of your chosen color to a bowl filled with water–in this case,ย pink. The more color added to the water, the less time it takes to dye the eggs. However, if you get distracted, they can over-saturate with color. I like to add less color and let the whites sit a little longer to dye. If they aren’t changing color enough after a few minutes, add more coloring to the water and stir. Using food coloring is my preferred way to dye egg whites.
Use Natural Food Coloring
The second way to dye eggs is to use natural food coloring. For pink eggs, try usingย beet powderย dissolved in water. Many people like the results when using powder or juice from beets. However, you may not get the same results as when using artificial food coloring. Sometimes the egg whites will turn brownish-red instead of pink. Other foods produce red hues, such as cherries and strawberries, but they can impart the wrong flavor to eggs.
Making the Filling for Spring-Inspired Deviled Eggs
Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients for a creamy egg yolk filling. Add all the ingredients to a container with a flat bottom and then blend with the immersion blender for a few seconds until smooth. If you mix by hand, use a fork to break apart the yolks before you mix in the other ingredients, or press the yolk through a fine-mesh wire strainer (or sieve) to break it apart. Then stir until smooth and creamy.
Add the Yolk Mixture
Add the yolk mixture with a piping tip to get a pretty result. You can use aย piping canisterย with an extra-largeย star-shaped piping tipย to get a look like the one shown below. Or, use aย reusable piping bagย (orย disposableย bag) with a star tip. You can also substitute a resealable plastic food bag for a piping bag. Just snip off a bottom bag corner large enough to insert the piping tip but small enough to lodge firmly in the hole to keep the filling from spilling through when you squeeze the bag.
How to Cook Eggs for Spring-Inspired Deviled Eggs
The shells from boiled eggs can be hard to remove without damaging the egg whites. Some sources suggest that fresh eggs are to blame and to use only older eggs. However, I have had trouble with both! The best way I found to cook eggs and easily remove the outer shells is to pressure cook them for 5 minutes in anย Instant Pot.ย
Tap an egg onto a solid surface, rotating it until the shell is broken all over. Then peel it away from the egg. If you find it difficult to peel, slip the tip of a spoon under a piece of broken shell and wiggle the spoon until the peel releases. It will help protect the egg white as you remove the outer shell.
Remove Loose Membranes
Before dying the egg whites, remove any loose membranes from their surfaces. Membranes are similar to plastic wrap and coat the egg whites on the outside and around the yolk on the inside. It will color when you dye the egg whites; however, if you remove it from a dyed egg, you will also remove the dye color, leaving a white spot on your egg. Fortunately, the outside membrane film will usually peel away when you remove the outer shell, so it is not a big concern.
How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs Easier to Peel
If you cook eggs on the stovetop instead of in an Instant Pot, here are some tips that might make them easier to peel.
- Use eggs that are at least 1-2 weeks old. Older eggs are easier to peel because their inside air cell increases when the egg gets older. The egg shrinks as the air cell enlarges, thus causing the egg to pull away from the shell.
- Put 1/2-1 teaspoon of baking soda in the water before cooking to increase the eggs’ alkaline pH. Fresh egg whites stick to the outer shells because of their acidic pH. Baking soda helps reduce acidity.
- Place a boiled egg into a glass with water. Place your hand or a small plate over the glass. Shake the glass hard until there are tiny cracks all over it. Then gently peel away the shell.
- Cool hard-boiled eggs in ice water. The cold water will stop them from cooking and help the eggs to contract from the membrane, thus making them easier to peel.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Here are some other recipes with eggs as one of their main ingredients. Click on each name to link to the recipe.
Spring-Inspired Deviled Eggs
Equipment
- immersion blender
- 1 piping bag or resealable bag
- 1 large (1M) star piping tip
Ingredients
- 9 large eggs
- โ – ยฝ cup mayonnaise
- 1/16 – โ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- pink food coloring
Instructions
- Cook the eggs one of two ways. 1) Cook the eggs in an Instant Pot for 5 minutes, depressurize for 5 minutes, and then rest them in ice water for 5 minutes. 2) Or place the eggs in a pot. Add enough water to cover them by about 1 1/2 inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. Then cover them and turn off the heat. Let them sit for 12-15 minutes to cook. Then submerge them in ice water for 10-15 minutes to cool.
- Peel the eggs. (See the tips in Notes for easier peeling.) Remove the yolks from the egg whites, keeping the whites intact. Set the whites aside for later. Put the yolks in a flat-bottomed bowl for blending. Add 1/3 cup mayonnaise, salt, Dijon mustard, and vinegar.
- Blend with the immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Add additional mayonnaise, up to 1/2 cup total, if the mixture is not as creamy as desired. (If you do not have an immersion blender, press the yolks through a fine, wire-mesh strainer to break them apart. Then add the other ingredients and blend them with a fork or spoon until creamy.)
- Remove any loose membranes from the egg whites. Fill a large bowl with water and add a few drops of pink food coloring. Stir to mix. Make the water as dark pink as desired. Darker pink water will color the eggs quicker than light pink water but may oversaturate them with color if you leave them too long.
- Keep a check on the color of the egg whites. Remove them from the water to drain when they reach your preferred pink color.
- Add the prepared yolk mixture to the piping bag. Pipe filling into each egg white.
- Store the eggs in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Food Colorings
Artificial Food Coloring
The first way to dye eggs is to use artificial food coloring. Add a few drops of your chosen color to a bowl filled with water–in this case, pink. The more color added to the water, the less time it takes to dye the eggs. However, if you get distracted, they can over-saturate with color. I like to add less color and let the whites sit a little longer to dye. If they aren’t changing color enough after a few minutes, add more coloring to the water and stir. Using food coloring is my preferred way to dye egg whites.Natural Food Coloring
The second way to dye them is to use natural food coloring. For pink eggs, try using beet powderย dissolved in water. Many people like the results when using powder or juice from beets. However, you may not get the same results as when using artificial food coloring. Sometimes the egg whites will turn brownish-red instead of pink. Other foods produce red hues, such as cherries and strawberries, but they can impart the wrong flavor to eggs.How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs Easier to Peel
If you cook eggs on the stovetop instead of in an Instant Pot, here are some tips that might make them easier to peel.- Use eggs that are at least 2 weeks old. Older eggs are easier to peel because their inside air cell increases when the egg gets older. The egg shrinks as the air cell enlarges, thus causing the egg to pull away from the shell.
- Put 1 teaspoon of baking soda in the water before cooking to increase the eggs’ alkaline pH. Fresh egg whites stick to the outer shells because of their acidic pH. Baking soda helps reduce acidity.
- Place a boiled egg into a glass with water. Place your hand or a small plate over the glass. Shake the glass hard until there are tiny cracks all over it. Then gently peel away the shell.
- Cool hard-boiled eggs in ice water. The cold water will stop them from cooking and help the eggs to contract from the membrane, thus making them easier to peel.