Description
This Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad combines the creamy, tangy taste of classic deviled eggs with the comforting bite of elbow macaroni. Packed with crunchy celery, zesty pickles, briny olives, and sharp red onion, this salad is quick to prepare and bursting with flavor. Perfect as a side dish for picnics, potlucks, or a hearty lunch, it brings the best of deviled eggs and macaroni salad together in one delicious, easy-to-make recipe.
Ingredients
Eggs and Pasta
- 8 large eggs (hard boiled)
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni (uncooked)
Salad Mix-ins and Seasonings
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground, or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 medium dill pickles (chopped)
- ½ medium red onion (chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (chopped)
- ½ cup black olives (sliced)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chives (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Prepare the eggs: Peel the hard boiled eggs carefully. Slice each egg in half, scoop out the yolks into a bowl, and chop the egg whites into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the dressing: Mash the egg yolks using a fork until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, then mix in the Dijon mustard and mayonnaise until the dressing is creamy and well combined.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, egg yolk dressing, chopped egg whites, chopped pickles, celery, red onion, black olives, and smoked paprika. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly so the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the top of the salad with additional smoked paprika and chopped chives for a flavorful and colorful finish. Chill the salad in the fridge for at least one hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- For perfectly hard boiled eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with at least 2 inches of cold water, bring to a rolling boil, then turn off heat and cover the pot. Let sit for 10 to 12 minutes before transferring to an ice bath to cool and make peeling easier.
- Adding a pinch of salt or vinegar to the boiling water helps prevent eggs from cracking during cooking.
- Rinsing pasta with cold water after cooking stops it from overcooking and prevents sticky clumps.
- Peel eggs after cooling completely in ice water to shrink the egg inside the shell and make peeling simpler.
- Choose mix-ins that add crunch, salt, and tanginess; pickled vegetables are especially excellent for brightening the dish.
- Chill the salad before serving to allow flavors to meld and improve taste.
- Store leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
