Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad is the perfect side dish for BBQs, game day, holidays and more! This simple recipe combines two picnic favorites into one delicious side dish! The perfect balance of creamy, tangy and crunchy – this dish is sure to be a new family favorite!
More delicious salads to try: Cucumber Salad, Broccoli Salad and Pea Salad!
Next Level Macaroni Salad
Macaroni salad is my go to for most occasions. It’s quick, easy to prepare and everyone loves it. It’s a great dish to make the day before because the flavors really develop and intensify with the extra chilling time. That being said, it’s super delicious after just a few hours in the fridge.
This delicious deviled egg pasta salad adds hard boiled eggs to the mix and really takes my favorite mac salad to the next level. The yolks are added to the tangy macaroni salad dressing, adding extra flavor and dimension, while the whites get mixed in with the other salad ingredients like celery, red onion and pickles. The entire salad is topped with a dusting of paprika for the ultimate deviled egg macaroni salad!
With the perfect balance of creamy, tangy and crunchy ingredients, this easy macaroni salad has all the right ingredients to become your next go-to recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Everyone’s favorite. Pasta salad is everyone’s favorite side dish. It can be dressed up in so many ways but this deviled egg version is extra craveable.
- The perfect dressing. I love a good mac salad but it really comes down to the dressing. This tangy dressing is extra creamy thanks to the mayonnaise but gets a little tang due to the sour cream and apple cider vinegar. It’s so good!
- Versatile side dish. I’m sitting here trying to think of an occasion where this macaroni salad wouldn’t be welcomed and I honestly can’t come up with one. It’s just that versatile. Great for game days, BBQs, holidays, potlucks – you name it!
Ingredients Needed
This macaroni salad calls for mostly pantry ingredients but I always suggest you read through the recipe thoroughly before you head off to the store to make sure you have everything you need. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need…
- elbow macaroni – Can’t have a macaroni salad without macaroni – or can you? Any small tubular pasta will work in this dish but macaroni really is the best.
Dressing Ingredients
- mayonnaise – Creates an ultra creamy dressing that coats the macaroni beautifully.
- mustard – Adds wonderful flavor to the dressing as well as a beautiful color. Consider using Dijon mustard, honey mustard or a grainy mustard for extra flavor.
- apple cider vinegar – The apple cider vinegar does a great job in cutting through the creaminess of the dressing and adding a bit of a bite.
- sour cream – A surprise ingredient but I love the tang of the sour cream as well as the creaminess it contributes to the salad. Greek yogurt can be substituted.
- granulated sugar – Just a little bit! You can omit but I think it makes the other flavors shine in this recipe.
- salt and pepper – I have recommended amounts in the recipe card below but ALWAYS taste your salad and add additional seasoning if needed.
- hard boiled eggs – The yolks are used in the dressing and the whites in the salad. You can add more or less eggs depending on your preference but I find six to be the perfect number.
Mix Ins
- celery – Can’t beat the crunch that celery adds! I like to chop it finely, almost a dice, so there’s not super large chunks.
- red onion – Diced up the onion as small as you can. The sharpness is needed but you don’t want a mouthful of onion either.
- diced pickles – I used sweet but you can use your favorite. Dill or sweet works and can be omitted if preferred.
Optional Garnish
- paprika or smoked paprika – I always top my deviled eggs with paprika (and usually my potato salad and mac salad too!) so it’s a must for me. If you aren’t a fan of paprika, no biggie, just leave it off!
How To Make Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
This salad comes together relatively quickly. There is a little bit of prep time for the vegetables so take that into consideration. I used the same method for making hard boiled eggs as I do for my deviled eggs and I have a lot of information in that post with various techniques including instant pot, oven and stove top. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card.
- Cook Macaroni. Heat a large pot of water over high heat and salt generously. Cook macaroni according to the manufacturer’s directions. When the macaroni is cooked, remove and run under cold water. Drain well.
- Make Dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar and sour cream. Add the sugar, salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Smash the yolks lightly with a fork and then add to the dressing and whisk to combine.
- Add Macaroni. Add the macaroni to the dressing and stir to combine.
- Mix Ins. Stir in the chopped egg whites, celery, red onion and pickles. Make sure the dressing is evenly distributed.
- Taste Test. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.
- Chill. Cover the macaroni salad and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with paprika or smoked paprika. Enjoy!
Storage Information
Cover leftover macaroni salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- Pasta Swap. Elbow macaroni is my preferred pasta for this recipe but you could also use cavatappi, penne or ditalini.
- Crunchalicious. Don’t love celery? No problem! Add diced bell pepper (red, orange or yellow work best) for a sweet but crunchy addition.
- Keep Cool. This salad has may and eggs in it so you will want to keep it chilled until ready to serve. Likewise, store immediately in the refrigerator when you are done with it.
- Be Extra. Top the macaroni salad with slices of hard boiled eggs and then with paprika or be really extra and make my deviled eggs to serve alongside this delicious egg macaroni salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The mayonnaise does not freeze well and will separate when frozen.
Yes! A day or two in advance is a great idea!
Red wine vinegar is a great substitute. In a pinch, white vinegar could be used in stead.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Hamburger Macaroni Soup
- Chili Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Alfredo Bake
- Stuffed Shells
Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 6 large hard boiled eggs peeled and divided
- ¾ cup celery chopped
- ¾ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup diced pickles dill or sweet, your choice
Garnish
- paprika or smoked paprika
Instructions
Cook Macaroni
- Heat a large pot of water over high heat and salt generously. When the water comes to a hard boil, add the macaroni and cook according to the manufacturer's directions. When the macaroni is cooked to al dente, remove and run under cold water for a minute or so. Drain well.16 ounces elbow macaroni
Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar and sour cream.1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Add the sugar, salt and pepper and whisk until combined.1½ teaspoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Remove the yolks from the hard boiled eggs. Smash them lightly with a fork and then add to the dressing and whisk to combine.6 large hard boiled eggs
- Chop up the egg whites and set aside.
- Add the cooled, drained macaroni to the dressing and stir to combine. (It will thicken as it sets up.)
- Stir in the egg whites, celery, red onion and pickles until the dressing is evenly distributed over all the ingredients. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.¾ cup celery, ¾ cup diced red onion, ½ cup diced pickles
- Cover the salad tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or more. Sprinkle with paprika or smoked paprika before serving. Enjoy!paprika
Aurora says
What an amazing macaroni salad recipe!! Love it, it really does taste like deviled eggs!! I prefer green onion to raw red onion, delicious!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It’s a staple here! We make it for nearly every party and BBQ – always a favorite and I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!
Mo says
Really good, I did 1/2 dill and 1/2 pickle relish
Joy says
Love this recipe!!!
Just for me and my husband’s own personal likeI 1-1/2 the dressing part only.