At first glance, you could easily mistake these gluten-free vegan deviled “eggs” for their hen-laid counterparts. Created for the 2022 Met Gala, chef Lauren Von Der Pool cast boiled baby potatoes in the role of “vegan eggs” with a few simple tricks. The potatoes halved, you’ll scoop out their tender centers (this is your melon baller’s time to shine) and mash them with vegan mayo (if you need a recommendation, check out our taste test of the best vegan mayos), relish, yellow mustard, and, crucially, kala namak, also known as Indian black salt.
If it’s your first time cooking with the volcanic, mineral-rich product, listen to Antara Sinha, who describes kala namak as having an eggy flavor, “a polite way to say that, on its own, it’s a punch of sulfur and phosphorus to the palate, like hard-boiled egg yolks.” A little goes a long way. You can find it at Indian grocery stores or from spice purveyors like Burlap & Barrel.
You’ll pipe (or dollop with a couple of spoons) the deviled potato filling into the hollowed-out shells, which fill in for the egg-white boats. When shopping, look for oval or egg-shaped potatoes instead of round. Like most deviled egg recipes, this one can be adapted by swapping in Dijon mustard, adding a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper, or switching up the garnish from dill to finely chopped chives. Serve the “eggs” as an appetizer or at brunch alongside a salad of roasted chickpeas and carrots dressed in herby cashew cream.
What you’ll need
Piping Bag and Tips Set
$13 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
$39 $36 At Amazon
Large Saucepan
$60 At Amazon
Potato Masher
$15 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
50 minutes
Yield
Makes 30
Ingredients
15
¼
2
1
1
1½
1
½
½
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Add 15 small Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 lb. total), scrubbed, to a large saucepan of boiling generously salted water. Return to a boil and cook potatoes until fork-tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a bowl of ice water; let cool 5 minutes. Drain again.
Step 2
Cut each potato in half. Slice off a small piece from rounded end to create a flat side so potato halves are stable and sit cut side up. (Transfer potato flesh to a medium bowl as you work.) Scoop out a rounded ½-teaspoonful of flesh from each half to make a well in the center. (You should have about 1 cup potato flesh.)
Step 3
Add ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. plant-based milk or water, 1 Tbsp. sweet relish, finely chopped if chunky, 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard, 1½ tsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. kala namak (black salt), and ½ tsp. ground turmeric to bowl of potato flesh. Using a potato masher, smash everything together, adding more plant-based milk by the teaspoonful if needed to achieve a pipable consistency until smooth. Taste filling and season with kosher salt if needed.
Step 4
Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip or a resealable plastic bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe some filling into each potato half. Top potatoes with a dash of smoked paprika and a dill sprig. Transfer deviled “eggs” to a platter to serve.
Editor’s note: This recipe for vegan deviled “eggs” was first printed online in May 2022. Head this way for more of our favorite vegan recipes →