1-Hard Boiling the Eggs: To start, hard boil the eggs with your preferred method. Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda, then cover and remove from heat; let sit for 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice water bath to cool. Alternatively, for an Instant Pot, add 1 cup water with a wire rack, place eggs on it, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes followed by a 5-minute natural release, then cool in ice water for 5 minutes. If using an oven, preheat to 325°F, place eggs in a muffin tin, and bake for 30 minutes before transferring to an ice water bath for 10 minutes.

2-Preparing and Filling the Eggs: Once cooled, peel the eggs, slice them lengthwise, and remove the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise mixture, pickle relish, and mustard until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. This step is where the magic happens, blending everything into a creamy filling. Spoon or pipe the mixture back into the egg white halves, and garnish with paprika or chives for that final touch.

3-Adjustments for Dietary Needs: Don’t forget, you can tweak as you go for instance, use the vegan substitutes I mentioned earlier right here in the mashing step. This keeps things flexible, and I’ve found that adding a bit of extra seasoning makes all the difference.