I’m not sure which event I looked forward to most at Easter time as a kid: the egg dyeing, the egg hunting, or the egg deviling. After we’d retrieved all the eggs from every nook and cranny around the house, my mom would take them into the kitchen and come back out a short time later with a plate of delicious deviled eggs. Even a picky eater like me couldn’t say no to the creamy, tangy morsels flecked with relish and paprika. However, quite a few always went to waste, because there are only so many deviled eggs you can eat in one sitting, and they’re just not as good a few hours later.
This is a classic conundrum among families post-Easter. Most traditional ways to use hard-boiled eggs, like making deviled eggs or egg salad, get repetitive and boring after a while, which leads to wasted food. But there are many uses for hard-boiled eggs beyond these classics, some of which might shock you. (Hard-boiled eggs in cookies?! Believe it.) If you’re looking for an Easter shake-up this year (or whenever you’ve got an excess of eggs), try any of these innovative recipes.
New Twists on Old Favorites
As much as I liked my mom’s recipe for deviled eggs as a kid, I want something less traditional (read: less mayo) as an adult. Thank goodness for hummus, which makes them just as creamy and even more flavorful. If you’re looking for an easy variation on deviled eggs, give this one a try. The measurements are approximations; just taste as you go and add things as you like.
Huevos Duros de Santillano
Six hard-boiled eggs
1/3 to 1/4 cup hummus, any flavor (I prefer spicy or roasted red pepper)
1 tablespoon relish
1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon or brown)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Paprika for sprinkling
1. Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and put them into a bowl.
2. Mix the yolks with hummus, relish, mustard, and curry powder. Taste and adjust ingredients as necessary. Add salt and pepper.
3. Add a big spoonful of the filling to each egg-white half, then sprinkle paprika on top.
Incorporating new flavors into old recipes—such as by using curry powder and hummus—is the best way to spice up classics. If you’re suffering from deviled-egg or egg-salad burnout but don’t want to try any riskier recipes (like the ones below), try adding different ingredients. I’ve seen recipes for deviled eggs using crab, wasabi paste, sour cream, goat cheese, chipotle, lime juice, pesto, curry, and even caviar. For a unique spin on egg salad, check out this recipe from 101 Cookbooks, which features apples, pecans, chives, and yogurt.
Fried Eggs Like You’ve Never Seen
Want to throw cholesterol caution to the wind? Make Son-in-Law Eggs, a Thai appetizer of hard-boiled eggs fried in oil until golden brown and served with sweet-and-sour dipping sauce. For an even heartier dish, try Scotch eggs, which consist of sausage-wrapped eggs that are breaded and fried.
Cookies? Yes, Cookies
I found a few recipes online that replaced the usual raw egg in cookie dough with a hard-boiled egg or two. If you’re intrigued, I suggest making this delicious-looking oatmeal-walnut-raisin cookie.
Kedgeree: Breakfast with Pedigree
Kedgeree is a British breakfast staple that hails from India. It usually involves haddock, rice, peas, lemon juice, parsley, butter, and cream. As most breakfasts are, it’s probably good any time of day, though. This Boston Globe recipe substitutes smoked salmon and light cream.
Layers of Goodness in Savory Bakes
Classic comfort foods like meatloaf and casserole sometimes include a layer of hard-boiled egg slices between ingredients. For example, the egg layers in Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie are sandwiched between ground beef and spinach.
The Perfect Salad Topping
Hard-boiled eggs are excellent accompaniments to almost any salad. Spinach salads with beets, carrots, walnuts, and creamy vinaigrette taste even better with diced eggs on top. Salad Niçoise (tuna, green beans, and potatoes over lettuce) and Cobb salad (bacon, tomato, and avocado over lettuce) both include hard-boiled eggs. If greens aren’t your thing, this recipe for Tomato, Egg, and Olive Salad with Gorgonzola vinaigrette might be up your alley.
