Happy Easter! This year was my first year in a very long time dying Easter eggs, and I tried out using natural dyes from fruit and veggies! Natural food dyes are a great alternative to the traditional food coloring kits. But, why should you go through all the extra trouble and use natural food dyes?!

You can actually eat the eggs afterwards!
Artificial food dyes have been linked to increased rates of behavioral disorders in children, including ADD/ADHD, impaired learning ability in school, and increased aggressive behavior.
Some people have intolerances to food dyes and don’t even know it! Symptoms could include allergies, congestion, stomachaches, or digestive problems.
The consumption of the three most common food dyes (Yellow #5, Blue #1, Red #40) have increased five-fold since 1955.
Some of the food dyes have been linked to increased rates of cancer in rats.
Food dyes are ubiquitous in processed foods, personal care products and cleaning supplies; the list goes on and on. Why does Yellow #5 need to be in pickles and Blue #1 in your toothpaste?! Just why.
Most of these food dyes have been banned in European countries. (The U.S. always seems to be behind in these types of things.)

So, going “natural” with most of my food and personal care products led me to want to try using fruits, veggies and spices to dye eggs this year. And it was perfectly fitting because I was visiting my mom at her new house in Texas, where she has 10 acres and about 15 egg-laying hens to supply this experiment! We gathered these eggs the day before dying them. Look at these cute chickens! Thanks for the eggs, girls.

A few helpful tips when natural egg-dying:

Brown eggs will alter the colors a tad.
Farm-fresh eggs are very, very hard to peel. A tip to make it easier to peel would be adding some vinegar to the water when you are boiling them.
Natural dyes need to soak a LOT longer than artificial food dyes. I soaked mine about an hour and a half, but I have heard 4+ hours, or even overnight, will get the deepest hues.
The colors on the eggs do not necessarily turn the same color as the fruit or veggie (i.e. Blueberries did not, in fact, turn my eggs blue!

Farm-fresh eggs, straight from the chicken coop!

Blueberry dye; turmeric dye; red cabbage dye.

Natural food dyes I used:

Yellow: 1-2 Tbsp ground turmeric + 1 Tbsp white vinegar + water
Light brown: ½ cup frozen blueberries + water (Note: if using white eggs, these may turn out a light gray-blue)
Blue: ½ of a head of red cabbage, sliced + 1 Tbsp white vinegar + water
- You may also get light green from this method.
- To get a bright, royal blue, soak the eggs in the dye overnight in the fridge.

For all, bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes; let cool before straining.

*Note: I used all brown eggs.

Other food dyes to try:

Red/Magenta: Beets, quartered + vinegar + water
Deep brown: Coffee grounds + water
Yellowish-orange: Skins of yellow onions + vinegar + water
Reddish-orange: Ground paprika + water

I also tried dying the eggs once they were peeled, to see the effect on the whites of the egg. The eggs dipped in red cabbage dye turned out a lovely lavender or light blue. The eggs dipped in turmeric dye turned a BRIGHT yellow! I did not try the eggs dipped in blueberry dye because I didn’t want my deviled eggs to taste like blueberries 🙂

Turmeric and red cabbage dyed deviled eggs.

Dying eggs with natural foods should be a fun experiment in your kitchen, especially if you have kids! Let me know if you find any other fun colors that come about with produce or spices!

Naturally dyed Easter eggs with deviled eggs recipe

Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs

Tangy and rich deviled eggs using part Greek yogurt and part mayonnaise for a healthy appetizer! I love using avocado oil based mayo for these.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 11

Total Time 31

Servings 6

Ingredients

12 eggs organic pasture-raised, if possible
1/4 cup mayonnaise avocado-oil based
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp coconut aminos (GF) or soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup green onions diced

Instructions

Boil a large pot of water.
Once boiling, gently add the eggs. Make sure all eggs are submerged in water. Turn the heat to low, cover, and set a timer for 11 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath for the eggs by filling a bowl with ice cubes and water.
After the timer goes off, immediately use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and place them in the ice bath, for about 5 minutes.
Once cooled, peel and slice the eggs in half and scoop out the yolks gently.
Add yolks and all remaining ingredients into a bowl and mash, or into a food processor and blend.
Spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg white holes, or put into a plastic bag, cut the tip off, and pipe the mixture into the eggs.
Add a dusting of paprika and green onions.

Notes

Note: Adding a splash of vinegar to the water of the egg pot may help with the ease of peeling the eggs.

References:

http://www.eatingwell.com/article/16442/the-hidden-health-risks-of-food-dyes/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957945/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2012/08/27/living-in-color-the-potential-dangers-of-artificial-dyes/#433fb18b107a

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13311-012-0133-x

https://cspinet.org/resource/food-dyes-rainbow-risks

Naturally Dyed Easter eggs and deviled egg recipe

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Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs + Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs

A few helpful tips when natural egg-dying: