Description
A creamy, crowd-pleasing pasta salad that combines the beloved flavors of deviled eggs with tender elbow macaroni and fresh vegetables. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large hard boiled eggs
- 8 oz elbow macaroni pasta
- 1¼ cups mayonnaise
- 2½ tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 medium stalk celery, diced
- 1 sliced green onion
- Extra smoked paprika for garnish (optional)
- Finely chopped chives or dill (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente (7-9 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
- Prepare hard boiled eggs by placing in saucepan, covering with cold water, and bringing to boil. Once boiling, cover, remove from heat, and let sit 10-12 minutes. Transfer to ice bath, cool, peel, and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, kosher salt, and smoked paprika until smooth and well blended.
- Dice red onion and celery finely. Slice green onion thinly.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled macaroni, chopped eggs, red onion, celery, and green onion. Pour dressing over top and gently fold together until evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Sprinkle with additional smoked paprika and green onion for garnish. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent mushiness
- Always rinse cooked pasta under cold water to stop cooking and remove starch
- Ensure all ingredients are fully cooled before mixing to prevent dressing from splitting
- Can be made 1 day ahead – flavors improve overnight
- Reserve extra dressing to add before serving as pasta absorbs moisture
- Keep chilled at all times, especially for outdoor events
- Can substitute half or all mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for lighter option
- Add diced ham, chicken, or bacon to make it a main dish
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350-400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 22-26g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18-22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30-35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10-12g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: deviled egg pasta salad, pasta salad, potluck recipe, picnic food, make ahead salad, creamy pasta salad, crowd pleasing recipe