Adding Canned Tuna To Your Deviled Eggs Is An Instant Flavor Bomb

Whether it's a family gathering or a summer picnic, there always seems to be a select number of attendees waiting near the buffet table for that iconic tray of classic deviled eggs to appear. There's just something about hard-boiled eggs filled with a creamy yolk-based mixture of mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, and select seasonings that satisfy almost anyone in the mood for a tasty snack. 

Yet even if you do add cayenne pepper or extra pickle juice to your own deviled egg filling, you may often wish you had other tried and true ways to upgrade this iconic appetizer. Sure enough, canned tuna may be the extra ingredient you need to change up the flavor profile of this classic snack. Not only will this pantry staple transform your traditional deviled eggs into a heartier snack, but they'll taste great too.

Unlike raw tuna, canned tuna is boiled, pressure-cooked, and packed in water or oil with some type of salt brine. With its distinct flavor, adding canned tuna as an ingredient to your deviled eggs not only gives the dish an exciting palate-related twist but also allows you to consume a heart-healthy protein. So how exactly can you incorporate this pantry-stable into your next batch of filling for your deviled eggs?

Assuming you've been making perfect hard-boiled eggs and their devilish counterparts for years, it might be time to take it up a notch by adding a new ingredient to the mix. The best part about adding canned tuna to your traditional deviled eggs recipe is that you can experiment with how much tuna to add based on how much of that signature fish flavor you want. (That being said, the general rule of thumb ratio-wise is that for every six hard-boiled eggs, you should plan to use one 4.5-ounce can of tuna.)

Start by boiling your eggs and separate your egg whites from the yolks as usual. Drain your tuna of choice and scoop out with a spoon, flaking well with a fork to break up any larger chunks of fish. After that, simply combine all of your deviled egg filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well before spooning into egg whites.

The addition of canned tuna packs a significant amount of flavor to an already tasty snack. If you want to make these tuna-filled appetizers even more flavorful, opt for one of the 14 seasonings you should be using in tuna salad, such as chipotle or curry powder. Besides choosing a unique assortment of spices, the type of canned tuna you choose may also impact the flavor of your deviled eggs.

Given the fact that all you need is canned tuna to elevate a classic crostini, adding some of this convenient protein to your next platter of deviled eggs makes sense. Even so, you may want to consider oil-packed tuna over any water-packed assortments if flavor is the most important element of your homemade hors d'oeuvres.

On the whole, tuna packed in olive oil tends to be more developed flavor-wise, as it's nicely salted and the fats found in olive oil help concentrate the taste. Conversely, water-packed tuna tends to have a more muted concentration of flavor. Since this variety tends to contain extra fat, it's fine to reduce the amount of mayonnaise you use in your standard deviled egg filling.

Speaking of which: If you want to skip the mayonnaise altogether, feel free to swap out this condiment for a more nutritious ingredient like Greek yogurt. Since this alternative is also packed with protein, adding it to your filling mix gives it both a boost of extra protein and flavor. All things considered, if maintaining the base of your deviled egg filling is important to you, skip any condiment swaps and try canned tuna to elevate the complexity of flavors in your next platter of this nostalgic snack.