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Deviled eggs are high on the list of American classics that never go out of style. I love that they feel retro and modern at the same time. Umami Girl has been all in on the deviled egg bandwagon for many years. I have easy yet special recipes galore, tips and tricks for the best deviled eggs, and lots more. So I thought it was high time to throw a deviled egg party.
Setting up a deviled egg bar is a great way to make classic deviled eggs into a beautiful DIY event at your next party. Think brunch buffet, cocktail party, Easter, Mother’s Day, and beyond. I tend to use my extensive list of deviled egg recipes, below, for inspiration on what toppings to include, but eggs are so versatile that you can easily riff on these ideas and include whatever looks great at the market.
Sourcing eggs
The least-complicated (though often not the most convenient) way to source great eggs is to buy from local farmers whom you know and trust, either directly from the farm or at a farmers’ market or small grocery store.
If you’re shopping at a U.S. supermarket, things can get a little more complicated. Here’s a quick guide to the terminology that will and won’t help you choose the best eggs you can afford.
Words that mean something
- Organic
- Pastured (best) or free-range
- USDA A or AA
- Certified Humane or Animal Welfare Approved seals
Words that don’t mean anything
- Natural (anything can be called natural)
- Vegetarian-fed (chickens are natural omnivores)
- No added hormones (this is required by the government)
- Antibiotic-free (chickens are rarely medicated with antibiotics)
What you’ll need for a deviled egg bar
Platters and bowls
I love our deviled egg serving plate, which keeps the eggs stable and looking their best. You can also use a regular serving platter and just go ahead and nestle the eggs up close to each other so they stay put.
For toppings, an eclectic mix of little bowls is fun. Don’t forget to include small serving utensils for toppings where appropriate.
For serving, place a stack of small plates and a stack of napkins at the start of the buffet, near the platter of eggs. You might consider including some forks as well, depending on the toppings you choose and how you think they — and your guests — will behave.
Deviled eggs
For a deviled egg bar, I start with my classic five-star deviled eggs recipe and figure on one to two whole eggs per person, depending on the crowd and what else I’m serving.
Toppings
You can absolutely go as nuts as you like with deviled egg bar toppings. If you’re putting out a ton of options, I suggest grouping them together into recommended pairings to prevent overwhelming your guests. Here are some of our favorite individual toppings. Cut everything into manageable bite-sized pieces. See the section below for grouping ideas based on our top deviled egg recipes.
Protein
- Bacon
- Smoked salmon
- Caviar or other fish roe
- Jarred tuna
- Anchovies
- Diced ham
- Prosciutto
- Cooked, crumbled sausage
- Diced soppressata or other salami
Herbs & greens
- Parsley
- Chives
- Chervil
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Baby spinach
- Baby arugula
- Microgreens
- Celery leaves
Punchy flavors
- Capers
- Cornichons
- Giardiniera
- Pickled jalapeños
- Minced red onion
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Sliced olives
Dairy
- Blue cheese
- Feta
- Crème fraîche
Crunch
- Butter-toasted panko
- Crushed potato chips
Sauces
- Sriracha
- Frank’s Red Hot
- Salsa
- Guacamole
The best deviled eggs
Here are some of our very favorite deviled egg recipes to use for inspiration:
- Classic
- Niçoise
- BLT
- Herbed
- Fancy, with caviar and crème fraîche
- Giardiniera
- Cobb salad
- Buffalo
- Spinach dip
- Ultimate miso
- Bagels and lox
Hungry for more?
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Deviled Egg Bar
Ingredients
For the deviled eggs
For the toppings, choose from
- Bacon
- Smoked salmon
- Caviar or other fish roe
- Jarred tuna
- Anchovies
- Diced ham
- Prosciutto
- Cooked, crumbled sausage
- Diced soppressata or other salami
- Parsley
- Chives
- Chervil
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Baby spinach
- Baby arugula
- Microgreens
- Celery leaves
- Capers
- Cornichons
- Giardiniera
- Pickled jalapeños
- Minced red onion
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Sliced olives
- Blue cheese
- Feta
- Crème fraîche
- Butter-toasted panko
- Crushed potato chips
- Sriracha
- Frank’s Red Hot
- Salsa
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Prepare one or two batches of classic deviled eggs, depending on the size of your party and what else you’re serving. Figure on one to two whole eggs per person depending on circumstances. Set them out on a serving tray near the beginning of the buffet line.
- Set out toppings in small bowls. Be thoughtful about grouping ingredients together so as not to give your guests analysis paralysis, and also about setting out serving utensils where needed. Sauces like sriracha can stay right in the bottle, as long as it’s been reasonably well maintained.
- Place a stack of small plates and a stack of napkins at the start of the buffet line. Depending on your toppings, you may want to include forks as well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
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I was searching for the Prairie Hill Farms egg bar and found this. Yours look tastier but way too much work, LOL!
Ha, thanks, Allan. I learned something here too!