French Onion Deviled Eggs elevate the southern classic with sweet caramelized onions, fresh herbs, and crispy, nutty Gruyere. These are company deviled eggs, dressed up in their favorite little black dress and pearls.
Deviled eggs are a timeless party favorite, whether it’s a holiday gathering like Thanksgiving or Easter, or college football season, they’re always the right answer, and always the first thing to disappear. They’re the ultimate two bite appetizer that you can never make enough of. From Mexican Street Corn Deviled Eggs to these cheese crowned creations, the possibilities are endless.
French Onion Deviled Eggs take the familiar flavors of both French onion dip, and French onion soup, and combines them with the perennial party favorite deviled eggs. The sweetness of the caramelized onions is balanced by bright thyme, tangy Dijon, and the umami of Worcestershire making these eggs an explosion of flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Texture is everything! Most traditional deviled egg recipes are soft without a lot of texture. The crispy Gruyere cheese topping off these eggs not only dresses them up and adds flavor, but also provides a fun crunchy bite.
- Make ahead and meal prep. All of the components of these deviled eggs can be prepared a couple of days in advance. You can even make the deviled eggs themselves the day before you plan on serving them. They actually get better as the flavors meld and the yolk filling thickens up.
- Budget Friendly. Aside from the Gruyere cheese, this deviled egg recipe uses ingredients you probably already have on hand like mayo, mustard, and a few basic spices.
Ingredients
- Eggs – This recipe uses large eggs, but you can use what you have on hand. You may need to add a little additional mayo if using extra-large eggs.
- Onion – As a southern girl, the sweet onion is the allium of choice when it comes to caramelizing. Pick up Vidalia onions when in season, but any sweet onion will work for this.
- Mayonnaise – This gives the yolk filling its creamy texture. Pick a high-quality mayo such as Duke’s for the best flavor.
- Dijon Mustard – This gives s sharp tang that balances the sweetness of the caramelized onions.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds salty umami and is a staple in any good French onion dip.
- Thyme – Lemony, earthy, but bright, fresh thyme adds depth of flavor to caramelized onions.
- Spices – Besides kosher salt you’ll also need smoked paprika for both flavor and garnish, and garlic powder for that savory element.
- Gruyere Cheese – Nutty, slightly sweet, yet savory, Gruyere cheese adds both complexity and texture to these deviled eggs.
- Spice it Up – Completely optional, but I love to add a little back note of heat to these deviled eggs with a pinch of cayenne pepper and also a splash of hot sauce. Feel free to add one or both.
Variations and Substitutions for French Onion Deviled Eggs
- Substitute the Gruyere in this recipe for another type of cheese such as sharp white cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Manchego.
- Instead of using a sweet onion use a red or yellow onion. You can also use a combination of onions and shallots.
- Short on time? Top these eggs off with crumbled crispy onions.
- Swap out the thyme in this recipe for snipped fresh chives.
- Make these extra special and add crumbled bacon or pancetta over the top.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika you can also use sweet paprika for a slightly different flavor profile.
How to Make French Onion Deviled Eggs
- Boil your eggs. Peel them, and make sure they’re dry.
- Caramelize the onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Stir often, allowing the onions to go from translucent, to blonde, to a deep, sticky caramel color. It should take around 45 minutes. Don’t rush the process. If your onions look like they’re getting dark too quickly turn the heat down. If they seem like they’re beginning to dry out you can give them a splash of water. Let the onions cool.
- Make the Gruyere crisps. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with either a silicone baking mat, or parchment paper. Spread the shredded cheese in an even layer on the baking sheet. Allow the cheese to bake for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden, melted, and bubbly. Let cool for a couple of minutes to harden and then transfer to a paper towel lined cooling rack to cool and harden. Once hardened you can break the crisp up into small pieces.
- Make the French onion filling. Carefully cut the eggs in half and gently remove the yolks from the center. Place the yolks in a bowl and use a fork to break them up. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, spices, and hot sauce if using. Continue to mash with a fork until smooth and creamy. Finally add the caramelized onions and thyme, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Fill the eggs. Use a piping back or plastic bag with the corner snipped to easily fill the egg whites.
- Garnish. Sprinkle additional paprika over each egg. Top with a little reserved caramelized onion, extra type, and finally place the Gruyere crisps on each egg.
How to Store Deviled Eggs
- Deviled eggs need to be kept refrigerated unless they’re being served. Place them in an airtight container. or cover them tightly with plastic wrap.
- Deviled eggs will last up to four days in the refrigerator, but for the best flavor and texture are best enjoyed within two days.
- You can make the hard boiled eggs up to five days in advance and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to make your French onion dip deviled eggs.
Tips From the Beach
- Everyone has their own tips and tricks for making the perfect hard-boiled eggs. Use your preferred method! For my go-to method, I bring a pot of water to a boil before gently lowering the eggs into the boiling water with a colander. I cover the pot and allow them to boil for 12 1/2 minutes before shocking them in an ice bath.
- Older eggs tend to peel better than new eggs.
- Don’t rush the process of allowing your onions to caramelize. It does take time. Stir them fairly often and give them a little splash of water if they seem like they’re drying out.
- I used olive oil for the onions, but for extra richness feel free to use butter instead.
- Wipe your knife off in between halving each egg. This will make for a cleaner cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of onion is best for caramelized onions?
Sweet onions have less sulfur than other types of onions and lend well to being caramelized. They’ll offer up a sweeter flavor profile. Yellow onions are another option and are more pungent. If you are adding the caramelized onions to a dish that is savorier, they are a great option.
French Onion Deviled Eggs
French Onion Deviled Eggs elevate the southern classic with sweet caramelized onions, fresh herbs, and crispy, nutty Gruyere.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 17
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 large sweet onion, finely diced (1 1/4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus additional for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- pinch of cayenne, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the eggs. Peel them, and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Make the caramelized onions. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Place the onions into the skillet along with a pinch of salt. Stir often. Allow them to go from translucent, to blonde, to a deep sticky caramel. If they seem like they are beginning to burn turn the heat down. If they begin to dry out give them a splash of water. It should take around 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them cool completely.
- Make the Gruyere crisp. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Like a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Sprinkle the shredded cheese into a single layer onto the baking sheet. Allow the cheese to bake for 3-5 minutes until melted and lightly golden. Let cool enough to handle and then transfer to a paper towel lined cooling rack to cool and harden. Once completely cooked break into small pieces for topping the deviled eggs.
- Halve the eggs. Use a knife to cut the eggs in half. Gently remove the yolks and place them into a bowl.
- Make the filling. Use a fork to begin breaking up the egg yolks. Add the mayo, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, spices, and hot sauce if using. Mash until smooth and creamy. Stir in most of the cooled onions, reserving a little for garnish, and the fresh thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Fill the eggs. Transfer the filling to either a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner snipped. Evenly fill each egg.
- Garnish. Sprinkle a pinch of paprika over each egg. Garnish with remaining caramelized onions and fresh thyme. Top off each egg with a Gruyere crisp.
Notes
- Deviled eggs will last up to four days in the refrigerator, but for the best flavor and texture it’s recommended to enjoy them within two days.
- Don’t rush the process of caramelizing the onions. It takes time. Don’t be afraid to give them a splash of water if they start getting a little dry.