Even in the old-school, simplest form made with just mayonnaise, mustard, and a garnish of paprika, deviled eggs are a delicious snack or starter for any meal. But why stop there with the classic dish? There are a plethora of ingredients to elevate your next batch of deviled eggs from bacon to truffles (fancy, we know). Out of the many options, however, the horseradish you might use for cocktail sauce is an easy way to add a spicy kick to deviled eggs.
Horseradish is procured from the root of the plant of its namesake, and offers a spicy, pungent flavor to any dish it goes into. The ingredient passes on those flavors to condiments like cocktail sauce, which the secret ingredient will also provide to that creamy deviled egg filling. Be warned, home cook, because a little certainly goes a long way. The key is to use prepared horseradish, where it’s combined with vinegar, instead of the fresh option, because it’s not as spicy. The richness and fat in mayonnaise will certainly balance out the flavors, and you can opt for yellow mustard or mustard powder instead of Dijon to prevent too much spice.
Pro tips for amping up your deviled eggs with prepared horseradish
Whether it’s your family’s recipe or our easy deviled eggs recipe, horseradish can be added to basically any rendition of the dish. You’ll add it to the mixture of hard-boiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard. For every dozen eggs, start with around 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish. Then, give it a taste test and add more to match your desired spice level. Remember, if you decide to use fresh horseradish, start with far less. Then fold all of the ingredients together, or use an immersion blender if you want to make it easier and achieve a smoother consistency. Now, fill those eggs and grub down.
If you want to continue to enhance your deviled eggs, there are ingredient pairings that meld well with the horseradish. Meaty umami will contrast with the spice of the horseradish, so add a garnish of bacon to the top of each egg. Another option is a dash of hot sauce to heat it up even more. And don’t forget a pinch of paprika for a pop of color and a bit of smokiness at the top of each bite. To really perfect the batch, check out our pro tips for deviled egg presentation.
