Unique Uses for Easter's Hard-Boiled Eggs - Let's Get Crackin'

Spring is in the air and the Easter bunny has come and gone, leaving a refrigerator full of hard-boiled eggs behind.

Choosing between candy-filled plastic eggs and dyed hard-boiled eggs is a nutritional no-brainer! Now, with the fun of the hunt behind us, I have dozens of hard-boiled eggs to make into delectable delights my family will not get tired of. Although we have some favorite ways to make use of these delicious little nutrition powerhouses, this year I was determined to find some unexpected ways to use up the fruits of my children’s hunting labor.

To prevent hard-boiled egg burnout, let me introduce you to some unique options for using up leftovers

Breakfast burritos

blog_easter_hard_boiled_eggsBreakfast burrito (or taco). Roughly chopped hard-boiled eggs can work just as well as scrambled eggs as a filling for this festive breakfast. We include a bit of warm hash browned potatoes (or a shredded root veggie mix), some bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, salsa, and avocado wrapped in a warm corn tortilla (or even a sheet of seaweed). If you want to increase your creativity, try topping with some fermented veggies.

Breakfast chili

Breakfast chili uses hard-boiled eggs and breakfast sausage or bacon in a base of “chili” for a warm and hearty breakfast. You can add lots of veggies to chili to make this a well-balanced breakfast option.

English muffin egg pizza

English muffin egg pizza is a nicely different breakfast or snack idea. Using half of a toasted gluten-free English muffin (or grain-free roll), drizzle with olive oil, and layer with tomato slices, basil leaves, sliced hard-boiled eggs and grated mozzarella cheese. Season with oregano and salt, and heat under the broiler until cheese melts.

Wilted greens

Wilted greens- especially with bacon! Hard-boiled eggs lend a wonderful complement to just about any wilted greens recipe by balancing some of the bitter tones. This recipe for collard greens, blue potato and bacon salad from delish.com is one wonderful example.

Sandwich toppings

Sliced hard-boiled eggs make a great sandwich toppingTry with sardines, tuna, or as a layer in any meat or veggie sandwich.

As a garnish

Hard-boiled eggs make a wonderful garnish for appetizers or cold soups (such as borsht or gazpacho).

There are also a wide variety of recipes for meat that include hard-boiled eggs. Try adding chopped hard-boiled eggs to meatloaf or meatballs, or try a beef roll such as braciole or farsumagru. Personally, I look forward to trying this primal scotch eggs recipe–hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and fried. Yum!

In addition to these unique ideas, there are some family favorites that I just can’t overlook

If I didn’t make at least a few deviled eggs there might be a strike at my house. But even these traditional recipes can get a new shine with some added spices and ingredient twists.

Deviled eggs

There is almost always a fight for the last deviled egg at our family picnics, and they make a protein-packed breakfast or after school treat. Try this traditional recipe, or add an unexpected twist to your deviled eggs with one of these varieties:

  • Buffalo–add a dash (or more) of cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce and garnish with blue cheese crumbles.
  • Guacamole–add 1-2 mashed, cooked egg yolks to your favorite guacamole recipe. Use this as your filling for the egg whites. Ole!
  • Sriracha-and-wasabi deviled eggs–this recipe from delish.com uses soy sauce, ginger and other traditional Asian flavors for a deliciously different deviled egg.

blog_easter_hard_boiled_eggsEgg Salad

Egg salad makes a great filling for a lettuce wrap and is one of our family favorites. We like including fresh tomato slices and pickles with this traditional recipe, or try one of these tasty varieties:

  • Replace some of the mayonnaise with mashed avocado and add a teaspoon of dried basil for extra healthy fats and a delightful green color!
  • Serve with cooked bacon and tomato slices in a lettuce wrap for an eggtastic BLT.
  • Add in 1 tsp curry powder (or more to taste) for a spicy spin on this staple!
  • This recipe with lemon, dill, and capers from delish.com includes more mature flavors that are a great option for brunch!

Who knew there were so many creative and delicious ways to use hard boiled eggs! These recipes will absolutely help my family avoid hard-boiled egg burnout as we work through the beautifully dyed leftovers. Hopefully one of these creative options will spark your family’s appreciation for the loveable hard-boiled egg!

Now we want to hear from you

Please share your inspiration for hard-boiled egg use in the comments below. We would love to hear about your family favorites and recipes you can’t get enough of!