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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Make Deviled Egg Pasta Salad today, creamy deviled yolks and tender shells combine for a crowd-pleasing pasta salad.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time27 minutes
Total Time47 minutes
Yield4

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Hard‑cook the eggs

Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cool water until water is about ½ inch above the shells. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately cover and remove from the heat so the residual heat finishes them gently; let the covered eggs rest for 17 minutes. This step yields evenly cooked yolks with creamy centers that will mash smoothly later—perfect for the deviled yolk texture we want.

Step 2: Shock and peel the eggs

While the eggs rest, prepare a bowl of ice water. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath for about 5 minutes to halt cooking and make peeling easy. Once cool, peel each egg carefully; set four aside to halve and reserve two to be chopped later. Keep the peeled eggs whole until you’re ready to split and mash the yolks so they remain moist.

Step 3: Cook and cool the pasta

Bring a medium pot of well‑salted water to a boil and cook the small shells (or macaroni) according to the package until just tender. Drain and run the pasta under cold water until fully cooled and no longer steaming; this stops gelatinization and keeps the shells separate and toothsome in the salad. Drain thoroughly and leave to rest in a colander while you prepare the dressing.

Step 4: Whisk the dressing and prepare yolk mash

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, and salt in a small bowl until smooth and glossy. Cut four of the peeled eggs in half and scoop the yolks into a fork‑ready bowl; mash the yolks until creamy and then stir those mashed yolks into the dressing to build that classic deviled‑egg hue and tang. The dressing should be thick, slightly grainy from relish, and a pale buttery‑yellow.


Step 5: Chop the whites and remaining eggs

Chop the remaining two whole peeled eggs plus the egg whites from the halved eggs into medium dice—bite‑sized pieces that will scatter through the pasta. Finely chop the celery, thinly slice the green onions, and (if using) finely chop the dill pickles so they read as bright, crunchy flecks against the creamy base.

Step 6: Combine the salad

In a wide, shallow speckled ceramic mixing bowl combine the cooled pasta shells, chopped eggs, celery, scallions, and pickles. Pour the mashed‑yolk dressing over everything and fold gently with a spoon until every shell is coated in glossy, creamy dressing and the chopped whites are distributed evenly. A wooden spoon resting on the rim and a few stray flecks of paprika or cracked pepper give a natural, lived‑in look while keeping the scene tidy.

Step 7: Chill and finish

Refrigerate the assembled salad for at least 1 hour so flavors marry and the dressing firms slightly on the shells. When ready to serve, transfer (or simply present) the salad in the same wide shallow speckled bowl, nest two halved deviled eggs on top with a neat swirl of the mashed yolk mixture, finish with a light dusting of paprika and a few turns of cracked black pepper, and optionally place a small jar of shredded cheese subtly in the background.


Notes