How to Make Deviled Eggs Without a Recipe

Deviled eggs are one of those iconic hors d'oeuvres we see on buffet tables and at holiday celebrations time and time again. But they're almost always made the same way: with mayo and mustard and hot sauce, topped with a sprinkle of paprika. This classic preparation is delicious, of course, but it can get kind of boring.

And so as Easter approaches, I'm here with some heartfelt, egg-related advice: you can put anything you want into deviled eggs. They don't have to be spicy, and they don't even have to be made with mayonnaise—there are so many other flavors and ingredients that you can add instead. Here's how to do it:

1. Boil Some Eggs

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully add however many eggs you want to devil to the pot (I plan on 1 1/2 eggs per person, plus a few extra in case any eggs break) and then lower the heat so the water is at a low boil. Let the eggs boil for 12 to 14 minutes. The longer you boil the more crumbly the yolk will be; I like to pull mine at 12 minutes for a creamier yolk.

2. Shock In Ice Water

While those eggs boil, get a bowl of ice water ready, then gently transfer all your boiled eggs into the ice bath and let them cool completely. The ice bath helps prevent them from overcooking, makes them easier to handle (no one wants to touch boiling-hot eggs!), and also makes them easier to peel.

3. Peel Those Eggs

To make peeling even easier, gently crack the cooled eggs on the edge of the bowl and return them to the water for a few minutes. (You could also get the same results by breaking and peeling each egg under running water.) Use your hands to peel the shell off each egg, working as carefully as possible to not blemish the smooth, white surface of the egg inside. A few will break—that's ok; eat them on the spot and no one will ever know.

4. Half the Eggs and Remove the Yolks

Slice each egg in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, and pop out the yolk by turning each half upside down over a bowl. To keep the whites as clean and pristine as possible, wipe your knife on a damp paper towel or kitchen towel between each slice. You'll thank yourself for this step later when you don't have to wipe yolk crumbs off the surface of each egg half.

5. "Devil" the Yolks

This is where the creative fun starts. For every six eggs (or 12 yolk halves) start by adding 1/4 cup of something creamy, and about 2 teaspoons each of something spicy and something tart to make your deviled egg filling. You'll also need to season it with salt and whatever other mix-ins you want to add. Each of these categories of mix-ins can be whatever you want, as long as you have each category covered and follow the basic ratio.

For your creamy mix-in (about 1/4 cup per every 6 eggs) mayonnaise is the classic choice, but not everyone likes mayonnaise, and sometimes you want to mix it up, right? You can use sour cream, Greek yogurt, or crème fraîche instead of mayo, or you can use a mix of mayo and any of those creamy things.

For your spicy mix-in, you definitely do not want to add 2 teaspoons of cayenne powder for every six egg yolks. You're looking for something "spicy" in paste or liquid form, like mustard, hot sauce, harissa paste, curry paste, chipotles in adobo, etc. If you're sensitive to spice or working with a spicy mix-in that's particularly potent, start with just one teaspoon per six yolks. You can always add more, but you can't take it away.

For your tart mix-in, the classic choice is white vinegar, but you can mix this up by using rice vinegar or white balsamic, or you can use lemon or lime juice instead. If you used a vinegar-based hot sauce as your spicy mix-in, back off on the vinegar here, or use mustard instead. You could also use pickle juice or a relish here instead.

Once you've added all your mix-ins, season everything with a bit of salt. You can use straight salt, or you can use something else that's naturally salty like a tiny splash of fish sauce or a few anchovies. I love to add anchovies and a lot of green herbs to deviled eggs made with mustard and mayo—it tastes like green goddess dressing. But you can always add some finely chopped fresh green herbs to your mix-ins, or some lemon or lime zest, or any other ground spices you want to feature, like a pinch of curry powder or cayenne or a bit of smoked paprika or some freshly ground black pepper.

6. Purée (or Mash) Your Filling Until Smooth

When I make deviled eggs, I like to use a food processor to get the filling creamy as quickly as possible, but you can also do it without a food processor, so don't let not having one stop you. To make the filling, buzz your yolks and all your mix-ins around in the food processor until the mixture is nice and smooth, stopping a few times to scrape down the edges. Then give it a taste: it should taste good! If it doesn't, fix it. Add more salt, more spices, more acid, more creaminess—whatever you think it needs. Keep buzzing and fussing until it's exactly how you like it.

Making less than a dozen deviled eggs (from 6 eggs) in the food processor just isn't going to work—there won't be enough volume for the machine to function properly. So if you're making a smaller amount, or if you don't have a food processor, follow this method instead: Use a rubber spatula or a spoon to push the egg yolks through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in all your mix-ins until smooth.

7. Pipe That Filling Into The Egg Whites

Don't worry: you don't need a piping bag or piping tips to do this! If you have them, you can certainly use them, but I just use a resealable plastic bag. That way I can scoop all the filling into the bag, seal it, and pop it in the fridge until I'm ready to serve my deviled eggs. I arrange the empty white halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop that in the fridge too. They can sit like that for up to two days. Who doesn't love a do-ahead party appetizer?

When you're ready to serve the deviled eggs, arrange the egg white halves cut side up on a serving platter and snip off the corner of your plastic bag. Gently squeeze the filling into each hole. Don't worry about making swirls or anything—if you aim for one spot and squeeze until the hole is full, the filling should naturally layer itself like soft-serve ice cream. When it's full, stop squeezing and flick the bag off to the side so you don't get a pointy tip on top. If you're having trouble with the filling coming out smoothly, make the hole in your bag a little bigger. Or if you want to make elaborate swirls or star shapes with a star-tip and a piping bag, by all means do so—I usually don't have the patience for that and am happy with a more rustic look.

8. Garnish, and Serve

While I'm cool with a casual piping, I never leave my deviled eggs ungarnished. Not only do garnishes look pretty, but they're also another way to add flavor to the bite. A simple dusting of paprika is classic and never a bad idea. A sprinkling of fresh herbs will also never disappoint. Sometimes I drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top, then coarsely grind some black pepper over it, and add a cilantro leaf to each egg. Or you can top each egg with a little slice of pickle, or half a potato chip for crunch. Or try some pickled onions, or a spoonful of caviar or a piece of smoked salmon. You're the boss of this deviled egg adventure: choose your own happy ending.