Deviled Eggs
Creamy, mustard-y deviled eggs just make us think of Easter and spring. You might not believe it, but deviled eggs' history is quite ancient!
Deviled Eggs' History
The roots of the modern-day deviled egg can be traced back to ancient Rome, where boiled eggs were served with spicy sauces as a first course. The Romans actually had a saying, "ab ova usque ad mala" which literally meas "from eggs to apples," meaning from the beginning of a meal to the end.
This dates our deviled friends back the the first century AD!
The mashing of yolks to create a stuffing for the eggs was first seen in the 13th century in Spain. By the 15th century, deviled eggs, closer to what we know them as, were commonly found across Europe.
Why Are Deviled Eggs Called Deviled?
While widely popular across Europe by the 15th century, they weren't yet known as 'deviled.'
It wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries when the word 'deviling' became widely used to describe the process of making a food spicy. And, many cultures still use other words "mimosa eggs," "dressed eggs," "salad eggs," and "stuffed eggs" to avoid associating this appetizer with Satan.
Making Lightened Up Deviled Eggs
Mayonnaise is now a common binder for the egg yolks, but plain yogurt or sour cream also work nicely, particularly if you are looking to lighten things up a bit. We do find that if we use sour cream or yogurt, we need to use a little extra vinegar to make up for the mayo tang that we do love in our deviled eggs.
This recipe reflects our preference for deviled eggs with a bit of a kick from the mustard, a bit of vinegar tang, and a slight sweetness. Feel free to play with the quantities of mustard and seasonings until you find your perfect combo!
Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled *
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise (sour cream or plain yogurt can also be used for a lighter variation)
- 1 ½ teaspoon mustard (choose your favorite)
- 1 ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- dash ground white pepper
- Paprika (to garnish)
Instructions
- Cut the hard boiled eggs in half and place the yolks in a medium bowl. Set the whites aside.
- Add remaining ingredients (except paprika) to the yolks and mash together until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip, or a ziploc bag with a corner snipped off, fill each egg white with roughly 1 teaspoon of mashed yolk.
- Sprinkle paprika over top as a garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
This is one of the recipes from the early days of Curious Cuisiniere. We've updated our pictures since we first shared it, but we've left some originals here, in case you've found us in the past and are looking for that old, familiar image.

Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Deviled Eggs' History








This is nice
Hope you enjoy them!