Naturally-Dyed Easter Eggs
Dying eggs is one of the many traditions at Easter time. Eggs symbolize rebirth, new life, and the end of the privations of Lent. Throughout history the staining of eggs has moved from strictly coloring them red to a wide variety of brilliant or pastel colors.
Using household ingredients, vegetables and spices, the Easter eggs can be dyed in beautiful subdued shades of earthy tones that are safe for your family. Here is how:
1. Start with clean, white hard-boiled eggs, cooled to room temperature.
2. For light blue and green eggs: Chop 2 cups of purple cabbage and add to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let the liquid cool. Pour the cooled liquid (your dye) through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass container. Stir two tablespoons of white household vinegar into the liquid. Carefully submerge two, already boiled eggs into the container. Let them sit for at a few hours and check the color (the longer they sit, the deeper the stain). The color will become a “Robin’s egg blue” on white eggs, and a light green on brown eggs.
3. For rust-colored eggs: Peel the skin of enough yellow and red onions to have 2 cups of onion skins per two cups of water. Bring the water with the onion skins to a boil, cover and simmer for half an hour. Let the liquid cool. Pour the cooled dye through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass container. Carefully submerge two, already-boiled eggs into the glass container. Let them sit for at a few hours and check the color (the longer they sit, the deeper the stain). White eggs will turn a beautiful, rich, rusty brown.
4. For yellow eggs: Mix 2 tablespoons ground turmeric in one cup of warm water. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and then submerge one egg into the liquid at a time. The color will become a light yellow. If you prefer a deeper yellow, keep the egg in the liquid and refrigerate over night.
5. Once the eggs have turned the desired color, remove them from the staining liquid and place them on paper towels to dry completely. Rub some neutral oil (like vegetable or grape seed oil) on the dry the eggs and polish with a paper towel. Store the eggs in the refrigerator until it is time to eat them.
I’ve never dyed easter eggs using a natural technique before.. this is something I must try!
You should give it a try, Thalia! It is very easy; just remember to allow the eggs to sit in the natural dye for a long enough time–until you can achieve the color you want.
A friend in school wanted me to save onion skins for a whole semester to dye eggs. I think it is time to give this a try! Do the onions skins add any slight flavor?
I don’t think so Kathy….. They just give the egg shell such a gorgeous and interesting color!