Easter baskets, at home egg-hunts, pastel-painted this, egg-shaped that, chocolatey rabbit something or others. ‘Tis the season to be a little egg-sessive. But no need to go hunting for natural dyes to paint your Easter eggs with. Odds are, the main ingredients for naturally dyed eggs are already in your crisper drawer or on your spice rack. 

Turmeric Dyed Eggs

Materials

• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 2 cups water
• 3-4 white eggs, hard-boiled
• 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar

Directions

1. Place turmeric in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, boil water and pour over turmeric. Steep for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours. 
2. Stir in vinegar. Submerge eggs into bowl and refrigerate eggs in the dye for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. The longer they soak, the more opaque the color will be.
3. Remove eggs from dye with a slotted spoon. Rinse off excess dye and let dry on a wire rack. 
4. For extra shiny eggs, polish the dry eggs with a little olive oil.  

Red Onion Dyed Eggs

Materials

• Onion skins from about 4 red onions
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 3-4 white eggs, hard-boiled

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine onion skins, water and vinegar. Stir all the onion skins into the water and bring up to a boil.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
3. Strain the onion skins from the liquid and allow to cool until slightly warm.
4. Submerge eggs into the dye for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. The longer they soak, the more opaque the color will be.
5. Remove eggs from the dye with a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack.
6. For extra shiny eggs, polish the dry eggs with a little olive oil.  

Purple Cabbage Dyed Eggs

Materials

• ½ head purple cabbage (about 1 pound)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 3-4 white eggs, hard-boiled

Directions

1. Roughly chop cabbage and put it into a medium saucepan with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain into a medium bowl and mix in vinegar.
3. Submerge eggs into the bowl and refrigerate eggs in the dye for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer they soak, the more opaque the color will be.
4. Remove eggs from the dye with a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack.
5. For extra shiny eggs, polish the dry eggs with a little olive oil.   

Beet Dyed Eggs

Materials

• 3 beets
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 3-4 white eggs, hard-boiled

Directions

6. Roughly chop beets and put them into a medium saucepan with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Strain into a medium bowl and mix in vinegar.
8. Submerge eggs into the bowl and refrigerate eggs in the dye for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer they soak, the more opaque the color will be.
9. Remove eggs from the dye with a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack.
10. For extra shiny eggs, polish the dry eggs with a little olive oil.  

Notes

• After your Easter egg hunt is over, gather all your eggs (hopefully someone found the one hidden behind the couch) and get cooking! Any recipe that works well with hard-boiled eggs such as a smashed eggs sandwich, deviled eggs, an egg salad. Or even this recipe which combines all three would be a great way to have your Easter eggs and eat them too.
• Check out a few of our other festive recipes like this Swirly Chocolate Easter Bark and Cinnamon Bread Pudding.