Summer cookouts have a way of bringing out the best in potluck side dishes, and this Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad is my secret weapon. It takes two all-time crowd-pleasers and combines them into one seriously satisfying dish. The yolks from hard-boiled eggs go straight into the creamy mayo dressing, making it richer and more flavorful than your average pasta salad, while sweet pickle relish, smoked paprika, fresh dill, and a touch of Dijon rounds everything out.
Here’s the crazy thing about deviled eggs: You know how you can eat one, maybe two, hard-boiled eggs and be absolutely done, but can inhale a plate of deviled eggs like you hadn’t eaten in a week? They’re just so inexplicably gooood.
I just knew it had to be a winner to take the classic macaroni salad we know and love and dress it up with the flavors of deviled eggs. So rich and creamy, with the irresistible tang of Dijon and pickles, plus crunchy summer veggies.
A SoupAddict cookout just isn’t a SoupAddict cookout without a selection of sides, including my Mashed Potato Salad, Cowboy Coleslaw, and the best Oven-Baked Canned Baked Beans ever, to complement the burgers and brats on the grill. And now this macaroni salad. Try it and see if it doesn’t make the cookout rotation at your summer parties!
Recipe Highlights
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Cook time: About 10 minutes each for the pasta and eggs. To save prep time, cook them side by side on the stove. Total time is about 30 minutes, plus 2 hours chill time in the fridge.
- Servings: about 12 one-cup servings
- What makes my version special: The unique flavor of deviled eggs is the perfect addition to the classic creamy macaroni salad. Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, and smoked paprika add irresistible flavors to the hard-boiled egg yolk-enriched mayo dressing. It’s a cookout-worthy pasta salad with extra oomph!
Key Ingredients
Hard-boiled eggs — Of course, hard-boiled eggs are the stars of this macaroni salad! Although I’m a big fan of the jammy egg, for this salad, make sure the yolks are completely cooked through for proper texture.
Mayo and sour cream — These two must-haves make up the base of the creamy dressing. The egg-enriched mayo and the slight tang of the sour cream create a balanced blend with an amazing texture.
Pickle relish — Using relish in place of whole pickles is a shortcut I learned from my mom: less chopping! I prefer sweet relish for this macaroni salad, but you can absolutely use dill pickle relish instead if you love that puckery pop of tangy dill.
Mustard and vinegar — Dijon mustard is key to a really good deviled egg, and a nice splash of apple cider vinegar boosts the overall flavor of the pasta salad.
Seasonings — Garlic and onion powder, plus smoked paprika, round out the dressing.
Vegetables — I always include crispy celery and red bell peppers in my macaroni salads. The crunch adds both texture and extra flavor.
How to Make Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or keep scrolling for a visual walkthrough and summary of making the dish.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Prep the eggs
Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half and pop the yolks into a mixing bowl. Smash them with a fork until finely crumbled. Chop the egg whites and add them to the pasta.
Make the dressing
Add the dressing ingredients to the egg yolks and mix well. Although you can add everything at once, it’s a little easier to first mix the mayo and sour cream into yolks until combined, and then add the remaining seasoning ingredients and veggies, finishing with fresh herbs.
Assemble
Pour about half of the dressing over the pasta and fold it in. Add the remaining dressing and stir well, being sure to coat all of the pasta. You can serve it immediately, but for the best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Recipe FAQs
This Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad has earned a permanent spot on my summer cookout menus, and I hope it becomes a staple for yours, too. Whether you’re making it for a backyard party, packing it for a picnic, or just cooking up a big batch for easy weekday dinner sides, it never fails to please. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out — drop a comment below and let me know!
Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried elbow pasta (about 3 cups)
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled*
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (plus more for optional garnish)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup pickle relish (sweet or dill**)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Bring a 2½ to 3-quart pot of water to a boil, with a generous amount of salt (2 to 3 teaspoons). When the water is bubbling, add the dried pasta and give it a stir. Cook per the "al dente" instructions on the pasta box (i.e., usually about 7 minutes, unless the elbows are large). Strain into a large sieve and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking. Let drain. Pour into a very large mixing bowl (at least 2 quarts).
- Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half and pop out the yolks, placing them in a medium mixing bowl. Smash the yolks with a fork until finely crumbled.
- Chop the egg whites and add them to the pasta bowl.
- Add the mayo, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to the egg yolks and stir well to mix.
- Spoon the celery, peppers, and relish into the dressing, along with half of the dill and chives, mixing well.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and egg whites and fold it in. I prefer doing this in two pourings, to ensure the pasta is well-coated.
- For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with a shake or two of smoked paprika for color, and sprinkle more of the dill and chives over the top.
Video
Notes
Keep the pasta salad refrigerated for up to 4 days. With its mayo, dairy, and egg ingredients, the salad should not sit unrefrigerated for more than two hours. If the pasta spends any time outdoors in the heat, leftovers should be discarded. No-waste tip: If you’re entertaining at home, divide the macaroni salad into two batches. Keep one batch in the fridge while the second goes outdoors to the table. Replenish the outdoors batch as needed. Any leftovers in the fridge will be good for another meal (discard what’s left out on the table). * To cook eggs from raw, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and gently lower in the eggs (a spider strainer is useful here). Adjust the heat so that the water maintains an active bubble but doesn’t spit or overflow. Cook the eggs for 10 minutes. Immediately lift eggs from the water and submerge them in a large bowl of ice water. Let sit until cooled (about 5 minutes). If you have an InstantPot, use the 5:5:5 method: Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot and place the eggs on the wire rack. Cook on high for 5 minutes, then pressure release for 5 minutes, and cool the eggs in an ice bath for 5 minutes. Pressure-cooked eggs are incredibly easily to peel. For both methods, refrigerate the eggs immediately if not using right away. ** I’ve made this macaroni salad with both sweet and dill pickle relish. They’re both good, although I prefer the sweet relish. If you use dill, consider mixing 1/2 teaspoon of sugar right into the relish’s measuring cup to cut the tartness of the pickles a little.