The Powerful Ingredient That Brings Out The Best In Deviled Eggs

With their soft, creamy, texture and bright yellow hues, deviled eggs are savory appetizers with a lot of visual appeal. Their simple harmony of hard-boiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickles, dill, paprika, and more is easy to mix up at home with a classic deviled egg recipe. If you're a fan of these eggy little delights, welcome to the club. A dozen deviled eggs are a light and flavorful snack that's been served at all kinds of get-togethers for generations.

One of the best things about deviled eggs is that the recipe is very customizable, which is beneficial for a dish that, if not correctly seasoned, can be bland. Ideas for enlivening deviled eggs include numerous unexpected ingredients, from bacon bits to truffle oil, which you can use to bring dimension to this ubiquitous dish. 

One unique ingredient you might not expect but that meshes well with the traditional elements of deviled eggs and brings this appetizer to life is horseradish. A classic becomes a classic because its original version becomes widely popular, yes — but it rarely hurts to try something new. Adding spicy horseradish sauce to your deviled egg recipe is a variation worth trying out. 

Found in the condiment aisle or refrigerated section of grocery stores and available online, most basic prepared horseradish sauces are a mix of grated raw horseradish, salt, and vinegar. To tame the pungent kick of horseradish ingredients such as mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream, or mustard are added to create creamy horseradish sauce. These same ingredients are also commonly used in deviled eggs; when creamy horseradish sauce is added to the mix, the tangy flavor of horseradish shines without bringing an overwhelming spiciness along, too. Plus, the creamy texture of this sauce meshes well with the soft makeup of a deviled egg, so it will blend right in.

An important point to keep in mind when shopping for horseradish sauce is to avoid picking up basic prepared horseradish. This particular condiment's simple combination of just horseradish and vinegar means it is quite pungent and spicy — and too overpowering for a delicate deviled egg. Go for a creamy horseradish sauce instead.

Creamy horseradish sauce can make deviled eggs taste heavenly, but that's only one use for the kicky condiment. Indeed, horseradish sauce is probably best known as a dipping sauce for meats, especially prime rib, roast beef, and steak. 

Mixing horseradish sauce into a salad dressing is an eye-opening way to elevate a bowl of leafy greens. The next time you make a honey mustard dressing, try adding a tablespoon of creamy horseradish sauce. You can also make a big bowl of hummus and spike it with horseradish sauce, or even plop a spoonful into mayonnaise, to give your chips and sandwiches some extra zing. 

Creamy horseradish sauce is a great condiment to have on hand, as it brings a whole new dimension of flavor to otherwise mild dishes. Even if you're not the biggest fan of spicy products, don't be afraid to give this sauce a try. You can always adjust the amount of horseradish you use to your preference.