Why are these dreamy, pillowy morsels of cooked egg whites filled with a luscious and creamy filling called “deviled eggs?” The colors are springy and angelic, so the evil culprit must be the mayo. At 100 calories of saturated fat per tablespoon, my guess is the mayo makes these eggs devilish!
Today’s recipe was inspired by way too many leftover hard boiled eggs from my Easters in the past. I learned that transforming hardboiled eggs into deviled eggs made them far more interesting in flavor and texture, and enticing for the whole family. As a matter of fact, going forward I am calling these angel eggs, because the additional ingredients add more satiating protein, and even some fiber with little saturated fat.
The two magical ingredients that will transform these eggs are hummus for one variation, and herby labneh cheese for the other variation. While most people know about hummus, labneh cheese is a tart and creamy yogurt cheese that is a staple in Middle Eastern breakfasts and mezza (appetizer) platters. You can buy labneh ready made, or make this spreadable cheese from scratch, as I demonstrated in a previous blog here: https://feastinthemiddleeast.com/2019/05/01/how-to-make-your-own-labneh-yogurt-cheese/
The hummus variation is hearty, earthy, zesty and slightly briny from the addition of za’atar, capers, and pickle juice. Yes pickle juice, as it makes the filling more creamy, and pickles are highly compatible with hummus.
The labneh variation is fresh, herbaceous, and tangy as it is accented with fresh thyme, onion powder, and lemon pepper. I love these eggs any time of year, as a light lunch with a salad, or as a satisfying afternoon snack that kills my cravings for something more devilish. To see my new video on this delicious recipes, click on the video below:
Angel Eggs with Hummus
- 3 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
- 2 tbsp hummus
- 1 tbsp pickle juice or white vinegar
- 1 tbsp capers
- Za’atar for sprinkling
- Mash the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the pickle juice and combine until smooth. Pipe into the egg whites using a plastic bag with the corner cut off. Sprinkle each egg with capers and za’atar
Angel Eggs with Labneh
- 3 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
- 2 tbsp labneh cheese
- Dash lemon pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Paprika and chopped red bell pepper for garnish
- Mash the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the labneh, lemon pepper, onion powder, and thyme and combine until smooth. Pipe into the egg whites using a plastic bag with the corner cut off. Sprinkle each egg with more fresh thyme, paprika, and chopped red peppers
