Description
Creamy deviled egg pasta salad delivers Southern comfort with a zesty twist. Crisp bacon, tangy mustard, and perfectly chopped eggs create a crowd-pleasing summer side dish you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Eggs:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) elbow macaroni or pasta of choice
- 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
Creamy Base and Seasonings:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon paprika (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil macaroni in salted water for 8-10 minutes until perfectly tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process, then allow to cool completely.
- Halve hard-boiled eggs and separate yolks from whites. Finely dice egg whites and reserve for later mixing.
- Create creamy dressing by thoroughly mashing egg yolks with a fork until ultra-smooth. Incorporate mayonnaise, sour cream, mustards, pickle relish, vinegar, and seasonings, whisking until fully integrated and velvety.
- Combine cooled pasta, diced egg whites, finely chopped red onion, and thinly sliced celery in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Drizzle prepared dressing over pasta mixture, gently folding ingredients to ensure uniform coating without breaking pasta pieces.
- Transfer salad to serving dish, artfully garnish with fresh chives or green onion slivers, and dust lightly with additional paprika for visual appeal.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Best enjoyed chilled between 35-40°F, which enhances overall taste profile.
Notes
- Pasta Selection: Choose small elbow macaroni or shells to capture maximum dressing and create perfect bite-sized portions.
- Egg Perfection: For easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, use slightly older eggs and shock them in ice water immediately after boiling to prevent green ring around yolks.
- Dressing Customization: Adjust mayonnaise and sour cream ratios to control creaminess and tanginess, making the salad lighter or richer according to preference.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This pasta salad tastes even better after chilling for 2-3 hours, allowing flavors to meld and develop more complex taste profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 291 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 319 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg