The Surprising Ingredient I Always Add to My Deviled Eggs

I spent a large chunk of my childhood in Louisiana, so I have cooking habits that some folks might find peculiar. I dip potato salad into my gumbo; I add the holy trinity of bell peppers, onions, and celery to my spaghetti sauce; and I sprinkle Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning on almost everything.

Finding ways to make food taste more like home is important to me. While I didn’t grow up in a home that made a lot of deviled eggs, I did grow up in a home that loved Creole and Cajun-spiced foods, so Tony Chachere’s being the secret ingredient in my deviled eggs just makes sense.

This swap works because deviled eggs taste best when they’re highly spiced. The rich, creamy filling made from egg yolks and mayonnaise complements complex, spicy seasonings perfectly. In fact, the term “deviled” refers to a highly spiced dish. Using Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning in place of salt won’t make your deviled eggs hot and spicy, but it will give them a hint of Creole flavor.

How to Swap Out Salt for Tony’s

To use Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning instead of salt in deviled eggs, I use a little more than a 1:1 ratio. For a dozen deviled eggs, I typically use 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt, so I swap in 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s instead. I mix the Creole seasoning with the filling and fill the egg whites as usual. Then, I sprinkle a small amount of the seasoning on top of the finished eggs, along with paprika.

Kick It Up a Notch

If you want your deviled eggs to have more of that signature Creole heat, I recommend using Louisiana Hot Sauce and a little cayenne pepper along with the Tony Chachere’s in your filling. I’d start with three to four dashes of the hot sauce and 1/8 of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Just be mindful not to add too much and taste after each addition.

If I want to give my deviled eggs an even bigger Louisiana kick, I’ll add in some fun extras. Bell peppers, diced up really small, a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and fully cooked crawfish or shrimp chopped into small pieces are some of my favorite additions. Don’t be afraid to try out some of your favorite Creole or Cajun additions and make it your own.