classic creamy egg & pasta salad — loaded with hard-boiled eggs, pasta, ham, veggies, and a seasoned mayo dressing. Here’s a full, detailed recipe to recreate it 👇

Creamy Egg & Pasta Salad

🥣 Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

For the Salad:

3 cups dry medium pasta (shells, rotini, or bowtie)
6 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1½ cups cooked ham, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes, diced
½ cup green onions, sliced
½ cup celery, finely chopped (optional but adds crunch)
¼ cup red onion, finely diced (optional)

For the Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard (or Dijon for deeper flavor)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper
½–1 teaspoon paprika (plus extra for garnish)
1–2 tablespoons milk (if needed to thin)

🥚 Step 1: Boil the Eggs

Place eggs in a pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil.
Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 10–12 minutes.
Cool in ice water, peel, and chop.

🍝 Step 2: Cook the Pasta

Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Drain and rinse under cold water.
Let it cool completely (important so the dressing stays creamy).

🥗 Step 3: Make the Dressing

In a bowl, whisk together:

Mayo
Mustard
Vinegar/lemon
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt & pepper
Paprika

Add a little milk if you want it slightly looser.

🥄 Step 4: Assemble

In a large bowl combine:
- Cooled pasta
- Chopped eggs
- Ham
- Tomatoes
- Green onions
- Celery & red onion
Pour dressing over and gently fold until fully coated.

❄️ Step 5: Chill

Refrigerate at least 1–2 hours (best overnight).
Sprinkle extra paprika on top before serving.

🔥 Optional Add-Ins

Shredded cheddar cheese
Sweet pickle relish
Crumbled bacon
Diced bell peppers
Fresh dill or parsley

📝 Pro Tips

Don’t overcook pasta — slightly firm (al dente) is best.
Let pasta cool fully before mixing.
Taste after chilling — sometimes it needs a pinch more salt.

If you’d like, I can also give you:

A lighter Greek yogurt version
A Southern-style version
Or a macaroni-only egg salad version 😊