How to dye Easter eggs naturally using fruit and vegetables

Skip the standard egg dying kit and make your own Easter egg dye using veggies and spices you have in your kitchen. Natural egg dye is easy and more eco-friendly using vegetables, spices and berries to create just about any colour you want.

Use these all-natural dye recipes made using ingredients from your pantry to create Easter eggs in pretty, subdued shades of blue, green, pink, yellow and orange.

We love that it is an eco-friendly alternative that uses natural ingredients without food waste because you can eat eggs free of toxic dyes.

Keep in mind that when dying eggs using all-natural ingredients the results will vary from batch to batch. The end result of the dye will vary depending on the colour of your eggs, how concentrated the dye is, how long the eggs are immersed in the dye and the intensity of the colour of the vegetables that you use. Don't forget that you can try experimenting by double dipping your eggs in multiple dyes to see what colours you can create. We used red and yellow onions, beets, frozen blueberries and turmeric.

*Note: If you plan on eating the hard-boiled eggs please make sure you keep them refrigerated or if you want to keep them indefinitely (and you're patient!) plan on taking the time to blow the yolks out of the egg shells before dyeing.

Step 1: Gather Supplies

medium sized pots
fine mesh strainer
clean, empty glass jars or bowls
measuring cup & spoons
wooden spoon
slotted spoon
white vinegar
hard boiled white eggs
assorted vegetables and spices (red onions, yellow onions, beets, frozen blueberries, and ground turmeric)

Step 2:

Follow each recipe using the ingredients below to create these natural dye colours. Natural dyes can have unexpected results, so don’t be surprised if the colours vary.

Blue:

Combine 1 cup of frozen blueberries (wild blueberries work best) with 1-cup cold water. Let the berries defrost and come to room temperature in the water. Mash the berries gently to release their entire colour. Add one tablespoon white vinegar. Remove berries from liquid using a fine mesh strainer.

Greenish

Remove paper skins from six red onions and simmer in two cups of water for 15 minutes. Remove the skins from the water. Add 3 teaspoons of white vinegar. Let cool.

Peachy Pink

Cut one large beet into chunks and add to four cups of boiling water. Stir in two tablespoons of white vinegar. Let cool to room temperature. Remove beets with slotted spoon.

Orange:

Remove paper skins from six yellow onions and simmer in two cups of water for 15 minutes. Remove the skins from the water. Add 3 teaspoons of white vinegar. Let cool.

Yellow:

Add two tablespoons of ground turmeric to two cups of boiling water. Let steep for approximately 20-30 minutes. Add vinegar to the mixture and stir.

Step 3:

Pour the strained, cooled dyes in clean glass jars or bowls.

Step 4:

Add cooled hard-boiled eggs to the dyes and let the eggs steep in the dye until desired colour is achieved.

Step 5:

Remove the eggs from the dyes with a slotted spoon and let dry completely. We used a cookie cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any extra drips of dye and let the eggs dry..

You'll end up with really pretty coloured eggs that you can display on your Easter table. Gather the eggs inside a vintage compote or bowl and set in the centre of your table.