Ina Garten’s Secret Ingredient for Irresistible Deviled Eggs (They're the Best I've Tried)

Better Homes and Gardens readers have a seemingly endless appetite for deviled eggs. Honestly, same. High in protein, easy to eat with one hand, and generally quite budget-friendly, it’s no wonder deviled eggs are nearly ubiquitous on many potluck spreads and relish trays.

Over the years, our Test Kitchen has shared many variations, ranging from Classic Deviled Eggs and briny Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs to pretty-in-pink Beet-Dyed Deviled Eggs and ghoulishly green avocado-stuffed Halloween Deviled Eggs. For the sake of “research,” of course, we also couldn’t resist trying Oprah’s Deviled Eggs, which are spiked with hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish.

With all of those creative remixes, I thought I had just about seen it all. That is, until Ina Garten blew me away with her bougie rendition in the 2010 cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? The moment Ina introduced me to her elegant upgrade, I knew I had to get cracking and give it a try.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

I somehow missed Ina’s decadent deviled eggs in that early cookbook in her collection. Instead, I spotted it on an episode of Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food. Here’s how to make deviled eggs a la Ina:

1. Prep the eggs. Place eggs along the bottom of a large pot. Cover them with cold water, bring this to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn off the burner. Add the lid and allow the eggs to stand for 15 minutes. Drain the eggs, then refill the pot with cold water. Let the eggs rest until cool.
2. Make the filling. Peel the eggs, then slice them in half. Scoop out the egg yolks. Transfer the yolks to a large bowl, then place the egg whites on a platter in a single layer cut-side up. Season the whites with kosher salt. To the bowl with the yolks, add sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, fresh chives, minced smoked salmon, kosher salt, and black pepper. Using a hand mixer or the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, blend until fluffy.
3. Stuff and chill. Use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill each of the egg white wells. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
4. Top and share. Just before serving, garnish each egg with a dollop of salmon roe, and a dash each of fresh chives, salt, and pepper, and enjoy.

Tips For Making Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

As I allowed the salmon-stuffed eggs to chill out and come together, I couldn’t resist scouring through fan comments, reviewing our team’s other deviled egg recipes, and watching Ina’s demo in the TV segment once more to dig up some additional tips in case you’d like to join in the devilish fun.

• Use any egg size. Since she believes they offer a better value than smaller eggs, Ina always calls for extra-large eggs in her recipes. Medium or large eggs work A-OK here if that’s what you have in stock.
• Let your eggs age a bit. No matter what size you utilize, your best bet for any hard-boiled egg recipe is to use eggs that are 7 to 10 days old. These tend to be easier to peel than very fresh eggs because the air pocket inside of the shell has had time to grow; making it easier to extract the egg from the shell after boiling.
• Cook the eggs another way. Boiling in water is one of many ways to hard cook eggs. If you prefer, follow our Test Kitchen’s instructions to steam or bake the eggs instead of boiling. 
• Go off script. If you find yourself shy in sour cream, plain Greek yogurt works just as well here. No roe? No worries. Simply omit it. (This will also trim down on the cost per serving, since a 2-ounce tin of salmon roe usually runs around $20.) Instead, consider leaning into the bagels and lox concept and topping each egg with a few capers or a pinch of everything bagel seasoning.
• Love what’s left over. I—and many other home cooks—ended up with extra filling after generously stuffing each of the egg whites. Rather than letting that go to waste, scoop it up with crudites, crackers, or bagel chips come snack time.

The Verdict On Ina’s Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

I had set my sights on making a batch of Ina’s deviled egg recipe to share at a gathering with girlfriends. Since no one would notice if there were 15 instead of 16, I couldn’t resist taste testing one before I packed things up and headed to the party. 

The instructions here are spot on; from the hard-boiled egg timing to the chill time. The cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo team up to create a lusciously silky filling that was just rich enough, thanks to a punch of fresh flavor from the lemon juice and chives. The salmon’s smoky, savory quality was a lovely addition to the filling, but I think I could have done without the roe. Although it was a beautiful finishing touch and I personally enjoyed the double dose of salmon and playful egg-on-egg idea, the salty, sea-like flavor might be a bit too potent for some of my pals. Plus, a roe-free remix makes this a more affordable appetizer idea. Next time, I think I’ll keep the smoked salmon, but substitute the salmon roe with everything bagel seasoning—or simply a little crunchy, flaky sea salt.

That said, I agree with an Ina fan who says this is “unlike any other recipe I’ve ever had but in a good way! Do yourself a favor and make these,” even just to learn a few new tricks for your deviled egg arsenal. (I’ll always add cream cheese, sour cream, and lemon juice from now on!)