How To Thicken Deviled Eggs – I Try 4 Methods [Pics]

If you’re having a deviled-eggs-emergency, fear not, I’m here to save the day. I’ve experimented with several different thickening techniques to find out what works best at reviving your too-thin deviled egg mixture into something delicious and thick.

The best way to thicken deviled eggs is with extra egg yolks. Mash up some extra egg yolks with a small amount of mayo and combine with your deviled egg mixture to thicken. Other options include adding instant mashed potatoes, xanthan gum, or breadcrumbs. Avoid using flour.

How I tested thickening deviled eggs

I whipped up a batch of deviled eggs but purposefully made the mixture too runny so I could test different methods of thickening it up.

I tested four different ways of thickening deviled eggs:

• Using extra eggs: My favorite method. Dilutes the flavor, but that’s easily fixed.
• Instant mash: Effective and easy to work with.
• Xanthan gum: Really effective, but you need to use a blender to avoid lumps.
• Breadcrumbs: Okay for minimal thickening, but adding too much creates soggy lumps.

Thickening deviled eggs with extra egg yolk

Rating: 10/10
Thickening power: Medium
Taste/texture: Dulls flavors, no change in texture.

1. Cook some extra eggs and remove the yolk.
2. Mash the yolks up, adding a tiny bit of mayonnaise to help form a smooth paste.
3. Mix the new, thick yolk mixture into your old runny mixture.
4. Keep adding extra yolks until your deviled eggs are the consistency you want.
5. Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

If you don’t have quite enough yolks to do the job, add some finely minced egg white as well.

Results: This was my favorite method because I didn’t have to add anything that wasn’t originally in the mixture. The final result tasted pretty eggy, but it was fine once I added some more vinegar and pepper. The big bonus for this method – more deviled eggs!

This is also a good option if you’ve also over-done a particular flavor (such as pickle juice) because it will dilute the mixture.

Thickening deviled eggs with instant mash

Rating: 8/10
Thickening power: Strong
Taste/texture: So change at first, but if you add a lot then it can go grainy.

1. Sprinkle a small amount of instant mash into your deviled eggs and stir well to incorporate.
2. Let the deviled eggs sit for 5-10 minutes so the instant mash can absorb the excess liquid.
3. Test the consistency of the mixture, and add more instant mash if needed.

Instant mash works by absorbing extra liquid in the mixture. You need to allow enough time for this to happen before deciding if you need to add more. The first time I used instant mash as a thickener, I didn’t think it was working, so I ended up adding way too much.

Psst… Even if you don’t think you have any instant mash, have a look. You might find a packet hiding in the back! An alternative to instant mash is baby cereal.

Related: How To Keep Cereal Fresh

Results: Instant mash was more effective than breadcrumbs and extra egg yolk, so it’s helpful if you need a lot of thickening. If you only add a small amount, you won’t notice any taste or texture changes. I added a decent amount and could detect a slight starchy taste and a rougher texture, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Thickening deviled eggs with xanthan gum

Rating: 7/10
Thickening power: Extreme
Taste/texture: No change in taste or texture (unless you use too much).

1. Weigh out your deviled eggs.
2. Weigh out the appropriate amount of xanthan gum. For a light thickening, you need 0.5% of the weight of the deviled eggs. 1% of the weight will give you a very heavy thickening.
3. Put your deviled eggs into a blender (or a bowl if you’re using an immersion blender).
4. Start blending and sprinkle the xanthan gum into the mixture.
5. Check the mixture after 20-30 seconds of blending. If it’s not thick enough, add a pinch more xanthan gum and repeat.

Xanthan gum is one of the most effective thickeners you can get, but adding too much can totally ruin a dish. If you add too much xanthan gum, your deviled eggs will take on a gummy texture that you can’t fix with more liquid.

So go slowly and add less than you think you need. 

It’s best to use a blender because xanthan works so quickly. As soon as the xanthan gum hits your devilled eggs, it will start working. If it’s allowed to sit on the surface of the mixture, it will thicken the liquid where it’s resting, creating balls of gel-like deviled eggs.

Results: This was by far the best thickener, and if you use it correctly, there will be zero change to taste or texture. If you’re unfamiliar with xanthan gum, I suggest practicing on a small amount of your deviled egg mixture first so you can get an idea of how much you need to add.

Thickening deviled eggs with breadcrumbs

Rating: 7/10
Thickening power: Medium
Taste/texture: no change in taste, slightly lumpy texture.

1. Add a spoonful of breadcrumbs into your mixture and mix well.
2. Wait for 5-10 minutes for the breadcrumbs to absorb the excess liquid.
3. Check the consistency of the eggs and add more breadcrumbs if needed.

Breadcrumbs are an easy fix but only suitable for light thickenings because if you add too much you’ll have lumpy deviled eggs.

Small breadcrumbs are best because they are less noticeable in the final product. If you only have panko bread crumbs, crush them up as much as you can before adding them to the deviled eggs. 

If you find yourself having to add a lot of breadcrumbs, I would stop and consider other options because too many breadcrumbs will alter the texture of the mixture.

Results: Breadcrumbs had the weakest thickening power out of all the methods I tried, so I had to add quite a lot. This resulted in some soggy lumps of bread in my final dish. However, if you don’t add too much, this won’t be a problem.

Related: How To Store Bread Crumbs

Can I thicken deviled eggs with flour?

Some sources online suggest using flour to thicken your deviled eggs, but I advise against this (as does the CDC). Flour doesn’t look ‘raw’, but it is, which means it hasn’t been treated for germs such as E.Coli. Therefore, eating it without cooking it can make you sick.

Also, raw flour will give your egg mixture a funny taste and texture. You can use flour to thicken hot sauces because it gets cooked, and the cooking gets rid of any lingering taste.

How to thin out deviled eggs that are too thick

If your deviled eggs end up too thick, you can thin them out again by mixing some liquid into the yolks. Lemon juice is a good thing to add if you don’t need a lot of thinning but can be overpowering if you add too much. You can also just use water.

How to prevent runny deviled eggs

My main advice here is: stick to the recipe!

Recipe makers try and test all their recipes so they know if the proportions work. Deviled eggs are a simple dish, so it can be tempting to go off-piste and try different things, but this can mess with the ratios and leave you with runny egg yolks.

When you’re adding the mayonnaise or other liquid ingredients, go slowly. Start by adding ½ of what’s asked for, and then slowly add in the rest until your eggs reach your desired consistency.

It’s very easy to add more liquid in but impossible to take it out.

And one last thing, always drain relishes before you add any. They can be pretty juicy (I learned this the hard way).

Other tips to get the perfect deviled eggs

Here are some other tips to make sure you get the best out of your deviled eggs.

• Use large or extra-large eggs. This makes the filled process less fiddly, and means you get more yolk to play with!
• Pick older eggs. I’ll let you in on a little secret… old eggs are MUCH easier to peel than younger eggs. Another trick is to submerge the eggs in an ice bath once they’re cooked , this makes the shell a lot more fragile.
• Let the eggs reach room temperature before cooking them to ensure they cook evenly. This helps keep the yolk in the middle.
• Don’t be scared to experiment! There are SO many cool additions you can use in your deviled eggs. And this extends to the side dishes too… check out my article here for ideas on what to serve with deviled eggs.

More Egg Content:
– How To Make Round Egg Patties
– How To Reheat Hollandaise Sauce

The Best Way To Thicken Deviled Eggs

If you're having a deviled-eggs-emergency, fear not, I'm here to save the day.

I have experimented with several different thickening techniques, to find out what works best at reviving your too-thin deviled egg mixture into something delicious and thick.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: deviled eggs, thicken deviled eggs

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 201kcal

Ingredients

• 1 portion deviled eggs
• 1 portion egg yolks mashed
• 1 portion instant mashed potato
• 1 portion breadcrumbs
• 1 portion xanthan gum

Instructions

How to thicken deviled eggs with extra egg yolk

• Cook some extra eggs and remove the yolk.
• Mash the yolks up, adding in a tiny bit of mayonnaise to help form a smooth paste.
• Mix the new, thick yolk mixture into your old runny mixture.
• Keep adding extra yolks until your deviled eggs are the consistency you want.

How to thicken deviled eggs with instant mash

• Sprinkle a small amount of instant mash into your deviled eggs and stir well to incorporate it.
• Let the deviled eggs sit for 5-10 minutes so the instant mash can absorb the excess liquid.
• Test the consistency of the eggs, and add more instant mash if needed.

How to thicken deviled eggs with xanthan gum

• Weigh out your deviled eggs.
• Weigh out the appropriate amount of xanthan gum. For a light thickening, you need 0.1% of the weight of the deviled eggs. 1% of the weight will give you a very heavy thickening.
• Put your deviled eggs into a blender (or a bowl if you’re using an immersion blender).
• Start whisking and sprinkle the xanthan gum into the mixture.
• Check the mixture after 20-30 seconds of blending. If it’s not thick enough, add a pinch more xanthan gum.

How to thicken deviled eggs with breadcrumbs

• Add a spoonful of breadcrumbs into your mixture and mix well.
• Wait for 5-10 minutes for the breadcrumbs to absorb the excess liquid.
• Check the consistency of the eggs and add more breadcrumbs if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 201kcal