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Egg Salad Pasta Salad

Egg salad pasta salad is a creamy deviled egg pasta-style side dish with chopped hard-boiled eggs tossed through pasta. It’s dressed with a mayonnaise-Dijon relish mixture, then chilled until flavors meld.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Egg Salad Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni or shells
  • 8 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 0.5 cup celery, finely diced
  • 0.25 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp paprika for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and chill the base
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the elbow macaroni or shells according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta quickly.
  2. Arrange the chopped hard-boiled eggs on a sheet pan in a single layer. Refrigerate until ready to assemble so they stay firm for a creamy-but-not-mushy texture.
Mix the creamy dressing
  1. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, fresh dill, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined. Use a gentle whisking motion so the mixture stays thick and creamy.
Assemble the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled elbow macaroni or shells, chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, and red onion. Toss just enough to distribute the eggs and vegetables evenly.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to avoid breaking up eggs too much. Stop tossing as soon as the pasta looks fully coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the salad thickens slightly. Cover tightly to prevent drying on top.
  4. Right before serving, sprinkle paprika for garnish over the top for color. Serve cold for the best creamy texture.

Notes

For clean slices and less crumbling, chop hard-boiled eggs while they’re cold, and chill the pasta fully before mixing. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the mayo-based dressing can separate. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat mayonnaise (look for one with a similar viscosity) to keep the dressing creamy without changing the method.