Deviled Egg Pasta Salad fuses two classic favorites: creamy deviled eggs and tender pasta salad. A unique twist on the traditional handheld appetizer turned into a delicious side dish for barbecues, potlucks, picnics, and group gatherings.
Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
Easy Deviled Egg Pasta Salad recipe combines the rich and tangy taste of deviled eggs and gives them a hearty makeover by mixing them with elbow macaroni. While the traditional bite-sized egg appetizer stuffs a yolk mixture back into the halves of whites, this variation takes those same filling flavors and turns them into a creamy dressing to coat each piece of pasta.
Need a crowd-pleasing change from the classic chicken salad, pasta salad, potato salad, or cold summer staple? This modern take on deviled eggs brings a fun yet comforting twist to your table. It’s perfectly sharable as a satisfying side or can be served as a light main meal.
IIngredients for Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Hard boiled eggs: Make this recipe fool-proff with my simple method for preparing perfect hard-boiled eggs. Or try my instant pot hard boiled eggs for an easy-to-peel eggs every time.
- Elbow macaroni pasta: Any small-shaped pasta can be substituted for the elbow macaroni such as rotini, small shells, and small penne. Since rotini is a bit larger, you may need to increase the “dressing” by half.
- Mayonnaise: You can substitute the mayo with Miracle Whip for a bit of a zing. Or to cut the calories, feel free to swap the full fat mayo with reduced-fat or lite mayo, plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream.
- Yellow mustard: You can also substitute the yellow mustard for dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard.
- Kosher salt
- Smoked paprika
- Red onion
- Celery
- Green onion, chives, parsley, or dill (optional garnish): Fresh herbs can brighten the salad and add a fresh finish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Prepare The Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions.
- Slice And Separate: Hard boil the eggs and slice them the long ways, removing the egg yolks. Place the yolks in a large mixing bowl and mash them into fine bits, almost powdery. Slice the egg whites into small cubes and set aside.
- Make The Dressing Mixture: Add the mayo and mustard to the mashed egg yolks and vigorously whisk together until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the salt and paprika. Set aside.
- Combine: Fold the noodles, chopped egg whites, onion, and celery into the deviled egg dressing mixture.
- Serve: Sprinkle with paprika and serve immediately.
Variations of Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
One of the best things about this deviled egg pasta salad recipe is how customizable it is! You can easily tailor the ingredients to suit your personal taste or add extra layers of flavor and texture. Here are some fun mix-ins to make it different each time:
- Bacon Bits: Add crumbled bacon for a smoky, savory balance to the tangy, creamy dressing. Sliced olives would add a briny, slightly tangy flavor
- Add A Tangy Twist: Sweet pickle relish or dill relish brings a bit of zest and tang to the salad. Sliced olives add a briny, slightly tangy flavor as well as a soft, smooth texture that complements the crunch of other add-ins like celery or pickles.
- Choose Some Cheese: Shredded cheddar or crumbled feta adds richness and a new dimension of taste.
- Create More Crunch: Chopped dill pickles or bread-and-butter pickles provide extra crunch and a briny kick. Or add some vegetables, like diced celery, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes to bring both crunch and color to the dish.
- Serve It Spicy: A pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce can give the dish a subtle heat. You can also opt to sprinkle smoked or sweet paprika on top for pop of color and flavor.
Tips for the Best Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- To make it easy to peel your eggs, transfer them directly from the hot water to an ice bath. This will cause the eggs to shrink in the shell. When they are cooled, tap the shell all the way around and remove the peel.
- For even smoother egg yolks, place yolks in a metal strainer over a bowl and push the yolks through it, into the bowl. This will ensure that the eggs are the consistency that you want.
- After you strain the cooked pasta, rinse it well with cold water. This will stop the cooking process and prevent it from sticking together.
- Let the salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving, as this will allow the flavors to meld together and the salad to become more flavorful.
How to Store and Serve Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
You can prepare this deviled egg pasta salad about 30 minutes to an hour ahead and keep covered in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Keep in mind that the longer it sits, the pasta will absorb the mayo mixture and may not be as creamy as when freshly made.
Store any leftovers covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You may need to add additional dressing when ready to eat.
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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 6 large hard boiled eggs peeled
- 8 oz (½ pound) elbow macaroni pasta cooked & drained according to package directions
- 1¼ cups mayonnaise
- 2½ tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika divided into ½ and ¼ teaspoons
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 medium stalk celery (½ cup) diced
- 1 small thin sliced green onion (optional garnish)
Instructions
- While your pasta is cooking, according to package directions, you can prepare the deviled egg ingredients.
- Using a cutting board, slice the hard boiled egg long ways, removing the egg yolks. Place the yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl, and leave the egg whites on the cutting board.
- Using a fork, begin to mash the egg yolks until they are fine bits, almost powdery.
- Add the mayonnaise and yellow mustard to the mashed egg yolks. Vigorously whisk the mashed yolks, mayo and mustard until the mixture is smooth.
- Whisk in the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon paprika. Set the bowl aside.
- Slice the egg whites into small cubes, and set them aside.
- Add the cooked elbow macaroni noodles, chopped egg whites, diced red onion and diced celery. Using a wooden spoon, stir to completely combine.
- Transfer the deviled egg pasta salad to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the ¼ teaspoon paprika and serve immediately. (You can make this about 30 minutes to an hour ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the longer the time before serving is, the pasta will absorb the mayo mixture and may not be as creamy as when freshly made.)
Jenn’s Notes
- To make it easy to peel your eggs, transfer them directly from the hot water to an ice bath. This will cause the eggs to shrink in the shell. When they are cooled, tap the shell all the way around and remove the peel.
- For even smoother egg yolks, place yolks in a metal strainer over a bowl and push the yolks through into the bowl. This will ensure that the eggs are the consistency that you want.
- After you strain the cooked pasta, rinse it well with cold water. This will stop the cooking process and prevent it from sticking together.
- Letting this classic macaroni salad with egg chill for 30 minutes to an hour before serving will allow all the flavors to mingle together.
Looks really good!