Instead of store-bought egg dyes, try using natural ingredients to make your own easy natural egg dyes.

If you’ve never tried dying eggs using natural ingredients, you’re missing out! Creating the natrual egg dyes is very hands-on and easier than you think. Every egg will turn out different, so it’s a mystery that ends with a beautiful surprise!

Ingredients

This is for making about 4 cups of dye. Adjust the amount of each ingredient if you want a more subtle or more intense color.

Vinegar
Water
Ground turmeric – yellow
Purple cabbage – blue
Beets – red
Mix of turmeric and beet liquid – orange
Boiled eggs

Tools

Items to have on-hand to make easy natural dyes. Gloves and aprons are optional, but some of the natural dyes can stain under/around your nails and stain your clothes.

pots
measuring spoons
measuring cup
fine mesh strainer
cooling rack
paper towels
bowls or jars for dye
slotted spoon or tongs
spoons
optional – gloves
optional – aprons or old top

Natural Egg Dye

Name: Natural Egg Dye
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 T. vinegar for each color; 4 cups water for each color; Purple cabbage, shredded or roughly chopped - for blue eggs; Ground turmeric - for yellow eggs; 2-3 beets, cut into 1" cubes or cut into 1" slices - for red or pink eggs

Yield: 4 cups each dye

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

How to make natural egg dye using cabbage, Tumeric, and beets.

Ingredients

1 T. vinegar for each color
4 cups water for each color
Purple cabbage, shredded or roughly chopped - for blue eggs
Ground turmeric - for yellow eggs
2-3 beets, cut into 1" cubes or cut into 1" slices - for red or pink eggs

Instructions

Each color will have to made in separate pots. Yellow color - 3T. ground turmeric to 4 cups water. Blue - 3 cups cabbage (about 1/2 head) to 4 cups water. 4 cups chopped beets (about 2 large beets) to 4 cups water. See notes for making orange dye. Place the natural dye ingredient into a large pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Turn off the heat. Uncover and let the liquid completely cool.
While the mixture is cooling, gently place the boiled eggs into glass bowls or jars. Tip: Use narrow bowls or jars that will ensure the dye liquid fully covers the eggs. I prefer mason jars as these create a 'tube' of liquid and will ensure the eggs are submerged. Jars can also easily be covered and placed in the fridge without having to worry about leakage.
Once the liquid has cooled, use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the dye ingredient(s). Discard, compost, or use cooked ingredients as you please. For turmeric, use a fine mesh strainer to get as much of the spice strained out or leave it in. Stir in 1 T. vinegar. Strain the dye liquid into the bowls or jars with the eggs. Tip: If the jar or bowls are too small to easily strain the dye liquid, strain it into a large bowl and distribute it into smaller bowls and jars. Cover the bowl or jars and place in the fridge for 30 minutes for pale-colored eggs. Leave eggs in the fridge for 2-3 hours for a deeper color and overnight for intense colors.
When the eggs are ready, remove them from the dye with tongs or a spoon. Using your fingers will leave spots. Place the eggs onto a cooling rack to completely dry. If there are any damp spots, blot with a paper napkin.
When the eggs are dry, display them and eat! Dyed eggs can be kept in the fridge for a week to enjoy as snacks, in salads, for sandwiches, and so much more!

Notes

I used 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jars for dying my eggs. It can hold two eggs in each jar. The jar can hold three eggs, but it will push the eggs against the jar. Any area that touches the jar will become light undyed spots on the eggs. Old glass spaghetti jars are good alternatives.
To make orange-colored eggs, mix 1 cup turmeric liquid with 1/4 cup beet liquid. Leave overnight, making sure to periodically rotate the jar. Remove and let eggs dry on a cooling rack. Orange eggs can also be made by dying the egg in the turmeric mixture and then for a short time in the beet mixture.
Optional, but highly recommend to use aprons or old clothes when making naturally dyed eggs. Some of the dyes can dye clothes. Also, wear gloves if you don't want the skin around your nails to get dyed.

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