Make this simple and creamy egg salad pasta salad with macaroni, crispy bacon, and a rich mayonnaise dressing. It's a delicious, comforting dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick meals.
This creamy and comforting egg salad pasta salad is one you'll make again and again.
A grill party without pasta salad? Hard to imagine! It’s easy, budget-friendly, and great for feeding a crowd. Plus, it keeps well for a day or two, so leftovers are no problem.
With a good pasta salad recipe, you’ll never stress about what to bring to a potluck. And once you bring this deviled egg pasta salad, expect requests for it every time! Check out the German Noodle Salad or the Dill Pickle Potato Salad, too.
Ingredients
I came up with this recipe as another way of dealing with leftover hard-boiled eggs. First, I thought about making the Romanian Boeuf Salad, but then we had so many potatoes already that I needed something else. So I thought an egg salad pasta salad would definitely be delicious. And it was!
Pasta: Macaroni or any other short pasta.
Eggs: Leftovers or freshly boiled and cooled hard-boiled eggs.
Mustard - Medium or French Dijon mustard and mayonnaise - your favorite brand.
Pickles: We like sweet and sour dill and mustard seed gherkins or pickled cucumbers in this egg salad pasta salad and in many other salads. You can use them or any other (dill) pickles you happen to like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Can I make this salad vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the bacon or replace it with chopped olives, roasted peppers or artichokes from a jar, more herbs, finely cubed Gouda, Cheddar cheese, or mozzarella.
How to make egg salad pasta salad?
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Let it cool slightly while you prepare the rest.
Cook the eggs, let them cool slightly, and peel them.
Step #1: Peel the eggs and remove the yolk. Crush the yolks using a fork in a bowl.
Step #2: Add mustard, mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Step #3: Cook the bacon, let it drain on paper towels, then chop it.
Step #4: Mix the pasta with the dressing.
Step #5: Add chopped egg whites, pickles, onion, and chives.
Step #6: Toss to combine and adjust the taste.
Storage
Make ahead: You can make egg salad pasta salad a few hours or a day ahead. Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge and stir before serving. If it gets too thick, add a little mayonnaise or milk to freshen it up.
Store egg salad pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Stir before serving, as the dressing may thicken.
Don't leave it at room temperature for too long, especially in warm weather.
I don't recommend freezing, as mayonnaise-based dressings don’t hold up well when thawed.
Egg Salad Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large pot
- Medium pot
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 9 oz macaroni
- 5 eggs Note 1
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika or a mixture of both
- cayenne pepper to taste
- 5 slices bacon
- 7 oz pickled cucumbers or dill pickles, Note 2
- 1 small onion
- 1 small bunch of chives
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the macaroni according to the packet's instructions. Drain well and let cool slightly while you prepare the rest.9 oz macaroni
- Cook the eggs for 8 minutes. Drain them and let them cool slightly. 5 eggs
- Crush the yolks: Halve the hard-boiled eggs and remove their yolk. Place the yolks in a salad bowl and mash them with a fork.
- Make the dressing: Add the mustard, mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne pepper, and some salt and pepper. Mix very well, then add the pasta to the bowl and mix well again to coat the macaroni with the dressing.3 teaspoons Dijon mustard + 3 tablespoons mayonnaise + ¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika + cayenne pepper to taste
- Cook bacon: Heat a large pan and fry the bacon slices until crispy. Place them on paper towels to remove the excess fat. Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to the bowl.5 slices bacon
- Combine pasta salad: Finely chop the egg whites, pickles, onion, and chives, and add them to the salad as well. Mix well and add more salt and pepper to taste.7 oz pickled cucumbers + 1 small onion + 1 small bunch of chives + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Notes
- Eggs: You can use leftover hard-boiled eggs. You can also cook the eggs a few days in advance and keep them refrigerated until needed.
- Pickles: Dill pickles, sour cucumbers, or gherkins are all fine. Use your favorite sort.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
This pasta is right up my alley! You'e so right, this would be perfect for a potluck. But I'm not waiting for a potluck to make it. I'm adding extra eggs to the shopping list this weekend!
Albert Bevia says
This pasta salad looks absolutely delicious Adina, this is such a great recipe, one I must try, plus I love Dijon mustard 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Can't remember when I last time had some REAL pasta! This look creamy, satisfying and moreish...a perfect spring dish, Adina.