This is the ultimate guide for dying Easter eggs. Learn how to dye Easter eggs with food coloring or natural colors. 

Bird's eye view of Dyed Easter Eggs in egg cartons.

Is Easter egg dye edible?

Knowing if your Easter egg dye is edible can be very important especially if you are going to be eating your eggs. While natural dyes are edible, not all store bought Easter eggs dyes are. If you are using store bought dyes, make sure you closely read the labels to see if they are edible because every dye will be different. Making your own dye using food coloring is always a safe bet.

How can I naturally dye my eggs green?

Getting a beautiful green dyed egg is a must for many families and their kids! To get your egg naturally dyed green is a two-step process. First, you must dye it yellow in something like a turmeric and vinegar mix. Then once your egg is nice and yellow drop it into a natural blue dye from something like a purple cabbage and vinegar mixture. The green color you end up with will depend on how long you let the egg sit in both mixtures.

Can you dye brown eggs naturally?

Not only can you dye brown eggs naturally, but many people would argue that the colors you end with are even more beautiful than your typical dyed white egg. The only thing to consider is that if your eggs are coming from your own hens at home make sure you give them a wash before you start.

Bird's eye view of a red cabbage, red onions, a bowl of turmeric, beets, and yellow onions all labeled with the color they will dye the egg.
Five pots on the stove each with different ingredients in it.

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Natural Colors

  1. Use this color guide and place the designated item into a saucepan.
  2. Pour 2-3 cups of water over and bring to a boil. Add in 1 tablespoons vinegar.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer 10-30 minutes, until desired color is achieved.
  4. Strain liquid dye into a container for dying eggs and discard solids.
  5. Soak  boiled eggs in liquid 30 minutes - 24 hours, or until eggs reach desired color.

Natural Color Guide:

  • BLUE: 1 cup chopped purple cabbage
  • LAVENDER: 1 cup red onion skins
  • PINK/RED: 1 cup shredded beets
  • ORANGE: 1 cup yellow onion skins
  • YELLOW: 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
Five mason jars full of food color with the red one getting an egg placed in it. Food Coloring

PRO TIP: How to Make Eggs Easier to Peel

Older eggs are easier to peel as a gas is released as the egg ages that helps separate the peel from the egg. We have tested a variety of methods for making your eggs peel easier, but the best, most consistent methods we’ve found are to either steam the eggs or cook them in an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). Check out our article on How to Boil Eggs for more information.

  • For steaming, place your eggs in a steamer basket and place over a saucepan over cold water with the lid on. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the eggs steam for 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool completely and stop the cooking process.
  • For an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot), place the eggs on the rack insert. Pour 1 cup of cold water into the bottom. Place the lid on. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, followed by a 4 minute natural release, and then place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
A basket full of dyed eggs.