Good Eggs [1] gave us this ingenius idea to dye Easter eggs with vegetables [2] and other natural foods like coffee and turmeric. First we watched a quick how-to [3], and then we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Dying eggs this way will take all day, so we recommend you start the process tomorrow morning and finish up in the evening . . . just in time for the Easter bunny to hide them on Sunday morning.

Hard-Boil Eggs

Start with lightly colored or white eggs. Hard-boil the eggs [4] and allow them to cool completely.

Boil the Dyes

Meanwhile, make the vegetable dyes. Fill each medium-sized stockpot with onion peels (for orange), turmeric (for yellow), chopped red cabbage (for blue), coffee (for brown), and chopped beets (for pinkish red) along with enough water to cover the vegetables about an inch. Boil for 30 minutes, strain the dyed water, discard the solids, and let the dyes cool to room temperature.

Dye the Eggs

Splash a little white vinegar into each dye. Then carefully dip the eggs into the bowls. Make sure they are coated. Let the eggs sit in the dye for up to eight hours.

Let the Eggs Dry

Carefully remove the eggs from the dye, using a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any drippings. Let them dry fully before handling.

Enjoy!

Starting at the top and going clockwise: the yellow egg is made with turmeric, the pinkish egg with beets, the blue egg with cabbage, the brown egg with coffee, and the orange egg with onion peels.

Eat Your Work

After the Easter egg hunt is over, enjoy the eggs in one of these hard-boiled egg recipes [5].