Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe with Relish
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These delicious Southern deviled eggs are creamy, tangy, and made with sweet relish that gives them that classic Southern flavor my whole family loves. I can have them ready to serve in just 15 minutes of prep. They’re super easy to make anytime for yourself or as an appetizer for celebrations.
There are two types of people when it comes to deviled eggs: the ones who make a simple version with just mayo and mustard, and the ones who go full southern with sweet relish mixed right into the filling. Which one are you? I am firmly in the relish camp, I love the little bit of sweetness which adds another layer of flavor that plain deviled eggs just do not have. If you love deviled eggs as much as I do, my classic deviled eggs and my easy deviled eggs with bacon are two more versions worth trying.
Southern Deviled Eggs with Relish
Deviled eggs date back to ancient Rome, where boiled eggs were seasoned with spicy sauces and served as a first course. The term “deviled” appeared in the 1700s and originally described foods seasoned with mustard, pepper, or other hot ingredients. In the American South, deviled eggs became a staple at cookouts, church potlucks, and family gatherings.
I have been making deviled eggs for as long as I can remember. For me, the yolks need to be fully cooked through with no grey ring, the filling needs to be smooth and creamy, and the relish needs to be folded in at the end so it keeps its texture. I mash the yolks with a fork, mix in mayo, mustard, a dash of hot sauce, and seasoning, then fold in the sweet relish right before filling the whites.
My daughter loves helping me pipe the filling into the eggs, and honestly, she has gotten pretty good at it. These go quickly at every Easter family gathering we bring them to, so I always make a double batch. I highly recommend giving them a try for your next gathering. I promise they will impress your guests.
Ingredients and Substitutions
These southern deviled eggs use simple ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen, and the sweet relish is what gives them that unmistakable southern character.
Hard-Boiled Eggs – I always use my perfect hard boiled eggs method. Make sure the yolks are fully cooked through with no soft center.
Mayonnaise – I prefer homemade mayo for the flavor, but any store-bought mayo works fine. Duke’s is the standard in the South if you want to keep it authentic.
Yellow Mustard – Classic yellow mustard is all you need here. You could use Dijon if you want a sharper flavor, but traditional southern deviled eggs stick with yellow.
Sweet Relish – This is what makes them southern. You can also try finely minced bread and butter pickles in place of the relish for a homemade twist.
Hot Sauce – Just a dash for a little heat. I like it subtle, but you can add more if you want a kick.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper – I season to taste after mixing everything together.
Garnish – Paprika, fresh dill, or chopped chives. Paprika is the classic look.
How to Make Southern Deviled Eggs with Relish
Slice the eggs: I slice the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks into a medium bowl. I place the whites on my serving dish, hole side up.
Mash the yolks: I use a fork to mash the yolks until they are a fine crumble with no large chunks.
Mix the filling: I add the mayo, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to the mashed yolks and mix until it is smooth and well combined.
Fold in the relish: I fold in the sweet relish at the very end so it keeps its texture and does not get lost in the filling.
Fill the whites: I divide the filling evenly into the egg white halves. I either spoon it in or transfer the filling to a piping bag with a star tip for a cleaner presentation.
Garnish and serve: I finish with a sprinkle of paprika, fresh dill, or chopped chives and serve immediately or chill until ready.
chef tip + notes
The difference between good deviled eggs and great ones comes down to the texture of the filling. I mash the yolks completely before adding anything else, and I make sure everything is mixed until it is smooth and creamy. If you rush this step and leave chunks of yolk in the filling, the texture will be off and the flavor will not be nicely distributed.
- Food processor shortcut: If you want the absolute smoothest filling, add all the yolk filling ingredients except the relish to a food processor and process until smooth. Then fold in the relish by hand. This is the fastest way to get a perfect consistency.
- Microplane the yolks: For a finer crumble without a food processor, try grating the yolks on a Microplane. It breaks them down into an almost powdery texture that mixes beautifully with the other ingredients.
- Pipe for presentation: A piping bag with a star tip makes these look like they came from a catering spread. It takes an extra minute but the visual difference is worth it, especially for holidays.
- Do not over-season: The relish, mustard, and hot sauce all bring their own salt and flavor. I always taste the filling before adding extra salt because it is easy to overdo it.
Serving Suggestions
On Easter I set these out as part of a big appetizer spread alongside my ham and cheese sliders and homemade hummus. They are always the first thing to disappear, and I always make sure to make extra because people cannot stop eating them.
I also love bring them to every summer cookout, potluck, and family gathering we go to. They pair perfectly with my southern potato salad and honestly they make any casual meal look a little more put together.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: I make these up to 1 day ahead of time. I keep the filled eggs covered in the refrigerator until I am ready to serve. The filling can also be made a day ahead and piped into the whites right before serving.
How to Store: I cover and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These do not freeze well.
How to Reheat: These are served cold, no reheating needed.
More Egg Recipes to Try
Video
Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe with Relish
Ingredients
- 6 large hard-boiled eggs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish or chopped bread and butter pickles
- Dash of hot sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- paprika, dill, or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half longways and place the yolks in a medium-size bowl. Feel free to add the whites to your serving dish.
- Mash the yolks using a fork until it becomes like a small crumble. Add in the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and mix well until combined and as smooth as possible. You can use a whisk or spoon. See notes about the food processor.
- Evenly divide the yolk filling between the 12 egg white halves using a spoon into each egg white.
- Garnish with paprika, chopped fresh dill, or chives.
What kind of hot sauce
Tabasco
I am wondering what kind of hot sauce did you use? I know i probably could use the one I like but I really want to try it with the hotsauce that maybe you prefer or what is in normal traditional southern recipes like this one! I want to make them soon for my partner 🙂
tabasco