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Southern Deviled Eggs

Southern deviled eggs with creamy, tangy yolk filling—boiled, halved, piped, and chilled for a classic southern appetizer. The yolks are mashed with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, vinegar, and a touch of sugar for a smooth, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Eggs
  • 12 large eggs
Deviled egg filling
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
Garnish
  • 0.5 tsp paprika for dusting
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives snipped

Equipment

  • 1 pot

Method
 

Boil the eggs
  1. Place the large eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, watching for rapid bubbling around the edges.
  2. Cover the pot, remove from heat, and let the eggs stand 12 minutes. Keep the lid on so the eggs steam gently and set through.
  3. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 10 minutes. Cool until the shells are easy to handle, with visible firmness when pressed lightly.
  4. Peel the eggs and halve lengthwise. Arrange them cut-side up so the yolk filling can be piped neatly.
Make the deviled yolk filling
  1. Mash the yolks with mayonnaise until smooth. Mix until creamy and thick enough to hold its shape.
  2. Add sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white vinegar, and sugar to the mashed yolks. Stir until uniform in color and tangy, with no dry yolk bits remaining.
  3. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper to taste. Stop when the filling tastes balanced rather than flat.
Fill, garnish, and chill
  1. Pipe or spoon the yolk filling into the egg whites. Fill each half to the top for a clean, rounded look.
  2. Dust the tops with paprika and scatter snipped fresh chives. Chill until serving so the filling firms slightly and the flavors meld.

Notes

Pro tip: for extra-clean deviled egg halves, cool the eggs fully in the ice bath before peeling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; do not freeze. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise (the filling will stay creamy but slightly softer).