• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Valya's Taste of Home logo

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Shop
  • Work with Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Shop
  • Work with Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Let's Connect

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > Holidays and Seasonal > Easter/Spring

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Published: Apr 11, 2022 by Valya's Taste of Home · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    There’s no need to buy expensive store-bought dyeing kits to make these beautiful, dyed Easter eggs. In fact, you don’t even need to use liquid food coloring. All you need is some vegetable scraps to make the prettiest Naturally Dyed Easter eggs you’ve ever seen.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    By just using onion skins, eggs, and water, you’ll get these incredible-looking dyed Easter eggs that will wow your family and friends this Easter. It’s also a great activity to get your kids involved in!

    These are a family tradition from Ukraine, and I’m here to share my family secret with you. I’m sure you’re going to love and enjoy this method of dyeing Easter eggs as much as I have my whole life.

    Dyed Easter Eggs Recipe: Sharing A Family Legacy

    This Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs Recipe has been a part of the Easter tradition ever since I can remember! One of my most vivid memories from childhood is from my days back in Ukraine.

    I remember my mother and grandmother getting all geared up for Easter preparations. And oh, were they on it! Easter was taken really seriously in my house and observed carefully, just as it should be. We observed it all, from worship to the feast celebration afterward.

    The experience of observing the depth and importance of this beautiful holiday was such a humbling experience for me growing up. Church services were more frequent during those holiday days than any other time of the year.

    It would start from Palm Sunday and go all the way to Good Friday and then to the glorious Easter Morning as well as the following week. Service would start at 6:00 AM to commemorate Christ’s early morning rise.

    Everyone could be seen greeting each other with a special greeting saying, ‘He has Risen!’ and you’d hear them respond with ‘Risen Indeed!’. It was definitely incredibly special and one of my fondest memories from childhood.

    Most of these traditions are still followed to this day, but unfortunately with less urgency and importance than in those good ol’ days. The menu after the morning service on Easter days would always be elaborate and beautiful. And of course, there would always include dyed eggs.

    Table of Contents
    • What Do Dyed Easter Eggs Symbolize?
    • Where Does the Tradition of Dyeing Easter Eggs with Onions Come From?
    • How Do You Make the Best Natural Dye for Easter Eggs?
    • What You Need to Make Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs at Home
    • How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally Using Onions – Step-by-Step
    • Can You Dye Brown Eggs?
    • How Long Can I Store These Naturally Dyed Eggs?
    • Similar Recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Comments

    What Do Dyed Easter Eggs Symbolize?

    As a curious child, I remember asking my mom why we color and eat eggs on Easter. What I learned back then has still stuck with me to this day.

    I remember learning that eggs symbolized new life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I now continue on with the same tradition in my household to ensure my kids know and remember the true meaning of Easter.

    The hard shell around the eggs represents the tomb, while the cracking of the shell symbolizes the breakthrough of death, the opening of the tomb, and the resurrection of Christ into life.

    Like the bread and wine tradition during communion in church, dyeing and eating eggs on Easter is a symbol and reminder for Christians of the glory and miracle of Easter.

    Interestingly, Easter egg hunting has historically not been part of the Easter celebration in Christianity, nor has it been a tradition for me growing up. I personally don’t see how they serve to represent and glorify Christ’s resurrection.

    For this reason, they’re typically not done in my family. I love to partake in the celebration of Easter as it serves as a great reminder for us to keep our eyes and hearts on the true meaning of Easter. This is especially true because of just how busy and distracted we tend to be in life these days.

    Where Does the Tradition of Dyeing Easter Eggs with Onions Come From?

    It’s so fascinating to know the deeper history of this beautiful tradition. People from around the world decorate Easter eggs with different designs according to how their culture views the blossoming of life.

    Dyeing Easter eggs using onion skins exists in many cultures around the world including Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Russia, Czech Republic, Romania, and Israel. It’s traditionally used to represent the blood of Christ.

    Other parts of the world use other things from nature to dye eggs. In England, eggs are sometimes stained with coffee grains for mocha-colored eggs. Eggs are also wrapped in onion skins and boiled there to make the shells look like mottled gold.

    In Scandinavian countries, eggs are wrapped with flowers and leaves first in order to leave a pattern on the eggs. In other parts of the world, they’re also first drawn on using wax candles before the eggs are stained. Usually, a person’s name and date are written on the eggs using wax.

    How Do You Make the Best Natural Dye for Easter Eggs?

    The best dye for Easter eggs is one that’s free of any chemicals and unnatural ingredients. This holiday is a symbol of the glory of Jesus and representing it with nature is the best way for us to pay tribute to it.

    Using onion skins to dye eggs for Easter is by far the most popular natural way of dyeing eggs. My recipe will teach you exactly how to do that step by step. It’s also a great way to get kids involved in the tradition of Easter and to get them to be creative in the kitchen.

    I recommend trying my recipe to a T first to get the best results and the most beautiful burgundy color for your Easter eggs. Once you’re more familiar with this natural method of dyeing eggs, you can ask your kids to brainstorm and figure out which other vegetables or fruits can be used to dye eggs naturally!

    In this recipe, I’ll tell you exactly how to achieve a beautiful, traditionally burgundy color to dye your Easter eggs using red or purple onion skins in boiling water.

    For other different colors, you can use blueberries for a dark blue color, turmeric for a yellow color, red beets for a dark pink color, and yellow onion skins for a pale-yellow color.

    For most of these ingredients, the same method from the recipe can be used with slight variations. Let me know if you’re interested in learning how to do any of these in more detail for next Easter!

    A few other ingredients you can use, apart from red or brown onion skins, are blueberries for a dark blue color, turmeric for a yellow color, red cabbage (purple cabbage) for a light blue color, and spinach for a green color.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    What You Need to Make Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs at Home

    This recipe has got to be one of the easiest ones I’ve shared on my blog. All you need are three pantry-staple ingredients to make these naturally dyed Easter eggs at home. Here’s what you need:

    Onion skins: We’ll be using red or purple onions for this recipe. You’ll need about 30 large onions or a packed gallon-sized Ziploc bag full of them. It’ll give you a beautiful, burgundy-burnt orange color.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Eggs: We’ll need 12 large eggs for this recipe. You can both white and brown eggs.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Water: All you need is 8 cups of water or 2 liters of cold water to get started.

    Incredibly simple ingredients, right? That’s all you need to get the most beautiful color!

    How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally Using Onions – Step-by-Step

    Using onion skins to dye these Easter eggs is even easier than using liquid food coloring or egg dyeing kits! I’ve included step-by-step pictures and instructions to make it incredibly easy for you to follow along.

    Let’s start by making our natural Easter egg dye first:

    How to Make Natural Easter Egg Dye:

    Start by filling a medium pot or saucepan with 8 cups of water. Add the onion skins to the pot.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Now submerge the onions skins into the water by pressing them down with a spoon. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let the onion skins simmer in the water for 1 hour.

    After the hour is up, remove the pan from the burner and set it aside on a countertop for 24 hours. This will allow the onion skins to release as much color as possible.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    After 24 hours, you should have natural Easter egg dye using onion skins. Now let’s look at how to use this to dye Easter eggs.

    How to Naturally Dye Easter Eggs with Onion Skin Dye:

    Start by submerging the eggs into cold burgundy water that has the onion skins to allow them to fully soak. Next, return the colored water back to the burner and bring it to a boil.

    Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes rotating the eggs occasionally. You can also boil it till the eggs reach your desired color in the hot water.

    By following my recipe, you’ll get beautiful burgundy eggs. If you boil them for less time, the color will turn out lighter.

    After the eggs have cooked, transfer them into a bowl of ice-cold water one by one by using a slotted spoon or tongs. Allow them to sit in cold water for 30 minutes so that the boiled eggs get cooler.

    After 30 minutes, remove the egg. Pour the water out and drain it. You can see what the eggs look like after being removed from the dye bath. Place eggs on a drying rack or paper towels then store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Can You Dye Brown Eggs?

    Yes, you can definitely dye brown eggs to achieve this beautiful burgundy color. In fact, you can use either brown or white eggs for this recipe.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    How Long Can I Store These Naturally Dyed Eggs?

    You can store these eggs in the fridge for up to one week. It’s a great way to prep early for Easter!

    Similar Recipes

    • Mini Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Cupcake Size Paska - Kulich)
    • Carrot Cheese Spread with Smoked Salmon Appetizer
    • Hedgehog Cookies Recipe - Ezhiki
    • Paska Easter Bread Recipe
    • Sweet Braided Easter Bread with Raisins
    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    Recipe Card

    There’s no need to buy expensive store-bought dyeing kits to make these beautiful, dyed Easter eggs. In fact, you don’t even need to use liquid food coloring. All you need is some vegetable scraps to make the prettiest Naturally Dyed Easter eggs you’ve ever seen.

    Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs with Onion Skins

    There’s no need to buy expensive store-bought dyeing kits to make these beautiful, dyed Easter eggs. In fact, you don’t even need to use liquid food coloring. All you need is some vegetable scraps to make the prettiest Naturally Dyed Easter eggs you’ve ever seen.
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Easter
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: dyed easter eggs recipe, eggs dyed with onion skins, naturally dyed eggs, onion skins dye
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    1 day
    Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 24 eggs
    Author: Valya's Taste of Home

    Ingredients

    • 8 cups (2 L) – cold water
    • Onion skins (From about 30 large onions. Or a packed gallon size Ziploc bag of purple and red onion)
    • 24 large - eggs brown or white

    Instructions

    How to Make Natural Easter Egg Dye:

    • Start by filling a medium pot or saucepan with 8 cups of water. Add the onion skins to the pot.
    • Now submerge the onions skins into the water by pressing them down with a spoon. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let the onion skins simmer in the water for 1 hour.
    • After the hour is up, remove the pan from the burner and set it aside on a countertop for 24 hours. This will allow the onion skins to release as much color as possible.
    • After 24 hours, you should have natural Easter egg dye using onion skins. Now let’s look at how to use this to dye Easter eggs.

    How to Naturally Dye Easter Eggs with Onion Skin Dye:

    • Start by submerging the eggs into cold burgundy water that has the onion skins to allow them to fully soak. Next, return the colored water back to the burner and bring it to a boil.
    • Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes rotating the eggs occasionally. You can also boil it till the eggs reach your desired color in the hot water.
    • By following my recipe, you’ll get beautiful burgundy eggs. If you boil them for less time, the color will turn out lighter.
    • After the eggs have cooked, transfer them into a bowl of ice-cold water one by one by using a slotted spoon or tongs. Allow them to sit in cold water for 30 minutes so that the boiled eggs get cooler.
    • After 30 minutes, remove the egg. Pour the water out and drain it. You can see what the eggs look like after being removed from the dye bath. Place eggs on a drying rack or paper towels then store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo on Instagram @valyastasteofhome or tag #valyastasteofhome!
    Follow Like

    Thank you for following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

    « 12 Authentic Ukrainian Recipes
    Easter Deviled Egg Baskets (With Bacon and Avocado!) »

    Love What You See? Please Share!

    138 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eugenia says

      April 15, 2022 at 5:46 am

      Do you not need any vinegar in the dye?

      Reply
      • Valya's Taste of Home says

        April 15, 2022 at 11:14 am

        No. Thanks for asking!

        Reply
    2. Vicky says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:55 am

      Very beautiful! My grandparents were from Czechoslovakia and this is how the Easter eggs were dyed. Looking forward to reading some Ukranian recipes. Nice blog.

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 18, 2017 at 6:22 pm

        Welcome Vicky! Than's nice. I think a lot of Czechoslovakia and Ukrainian recipes are very similar. You are welcome to explore and if you make any of my recipes let me know how you like it. Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Linna says

      April 14, 2017 at 5:46 pm

      Wow! These look soo cute! We will be making these for Easter!!! Valya you are really talented and an amazing cook! Happy Easter to you and your family!

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 14, 2017 at 6:42 pm

        Thank you dear!!! Have fun making these, its so much fun. Have a very blessed Easter as well!!! 😉

        Reply
    4. Michelle says

      April 13, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! How cute they are!

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 13, 2017 at 9:31 pm

        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Joanne |No plate Like Home says

      April 13, 2017 at 3:20 am

      These look so shiny and rich with color. I am coloring eggs today with my little boys. Happy Easter Valya to you and your big family!!

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 13, 2017 at 9:09 am

        Thank you Joanne! Kids love coloring eggs, it is so much fun. Happy Easter to you as well!!!

        Reply
    6. Makos(@thehungrybites) says

      April 12, 2017 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      These eggs are amazing Valya!
      The best way to dye eggs is go natural! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 13, 2017 at 9:21 am

        Natural is natural..., you can't add much to it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    7. Nata says

      April 12, 2017 at 11:28 am

      5 stars
      So beautiful and natural looking!

      Reply
      • valya'stasteofhome.com says

        April 12, 2017 at 11:54 am

        Thank you kindly! 🙂

        Reply

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet the Author

    Valya with cake

    A food blogger, recipe developer, photographer, editor, and author behind Valya’s Taste of Home website. Sharing family-proven tasty recipes with step-by-step photos and videos. Read more...

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    HOME · ABOUT · CONTACT · SHOP · PRIVACY POLICY

    SIGN UP! For Emails and Updates

    Valya's Taste of Home is a Participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program · Disclosure

    Copyright © 2023 Valya's Taste of HomeTM LLC - All Rights Reserved

    138 shares