Macaroni Egg Salad
Updated Jul 05, 2025
Macaroni egg salad recipe with yogurt instead of mayo, hard-boiled eggs, celery, red onions, and pickle all tossed with elbow noodles in a creamy dressing.
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This Macaroni Egg Salad recipe post is sponsored by Stonyfield, although the content represents my own personal opinion and experience using the product.
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Try my no-mayo macaroni egg salad!
This macaroni egg salad is what happens when I can’t decide between pasta salad and egg salad, so I just go with both. I make it when I need something filling but still kind of refreshing, especially during warmer months when mayo-heavy salads just feel too much.
The base of this macaroni egg salad is simple: elbow macaroni and chopped hard-boiled eggs. But the yogurt, pickle brine, and Dijon give keeps it from tasting flat. I usually toss in whatever crunchy stuff I have celery, red onion, a few too many pickles and call it a day.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Macaroni Egg Salad Ingredients
- Macaroni: I recommend this shape for pasta salad because it’s cut short, holds dressing well, and keeps its al dente texture when chilled. You can also use penne, farfalle, or rotini.
- Eggs: The recipe explains how to hard-boil eggs on the stove, but you can also make air fryer hard boiled eggs or Instant Pot hard boiled eggs. You can also read my tips on how to peel hard boiled eggs.
- Plain yogurt: Instead of mayonnaise, I use Organic Plain Whole Milk Stonyfield Yogurt. Like mayo, it’s tart and tangy, and has a similar texture, which makes it an easy swap. Plus, this yogurt has billions of probiotics, zero artificial flavors, zero artificial sweeteners, and zero preservatives. It also has less fat, fewer calories, and less sodium.
- Mustard: For a milder flavor, you can use whole grain or yellow mustard.
- Red wine vinegar: Apple cider vinegar will work if you’re out.
- Honey: I use raw natural honey for the best flavor. You can also use pure maple syrup.
- Pickles: I use both pickles and a little bit of pickle brine. Dill pickles work best, but you can also try bread and butter pickles for extra sweetness.
- Vegetables: Red onions and celery add a nice crunch to the macaroni salad. You can also add carrots, peas, or red peppers.
- Herbs and spices: Fresh parsley, salt, and pepper for flavor.
Recipe Video Tutorial
How to Make Macaroni Egg Salad
Macaroni Egg Salad Recipe
This macaroni egg salad recipe is made with yogurt instead of mayo, with chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, red onions, and pickle all tossed with elbow noodles in a creamy dressing.
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- Kosher salt to taste
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup Stonyfield Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
- ½ cup pickles finely chopped, reserving 2 tablespoons pickle brine
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- black pepper to taste
- 3 celery stalks finely chopped
- ¼ medium red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool. Set aside.
- Hard-boil the eggs: In a separate small pot, bring 3 inches water to a boil. Prepare a bath of ice water. Gently lower eggs into boiling water and cook until hard boiled, 12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice bath. Peel eggs and finely chop.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together yogurt, reserved pickle brine, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Add drained macaroni to dressing, along with hard-boiled eggs, pickles, celery, red onion, and parsley. Stir to combine. Serve at room temperature or allow to cool in the fridge.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Because it contains yogurt, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than a couple of hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 113mg, Sodium: 213mg, Potassium: 261mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 513IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Variations
- Add protein. Here’s how to make shredded chicken for an extra protein boost. You can also try canned chicken or canned tuna.
- Get cheesy. Make your macaroni egg salad even creamier with shredded cheddar, Swiss, or spicy pepper jack.
- Try global flavors. Stir in curry powder and golden raisins for a curried twist on macaroni salad, or kimchi and sesame oil for a Korean-inspired recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. For pasta salad, I recommend cooking the macaroni one minute beyond the suggested al dente time. That way, it’s not too chewy and not too mushy.
- Use full-fat plain yogurt. Because you’re substituting the yogurt for mayo, the extra fat from the full-fat yogurt helps thicken the dressing, making it richer and creamier.
- Cool the pasta before you add it to the salad. If it’s still hot when you mix it with the dressing, the yogurt can split. When you drain the pasta, rinse it well under cold water so it’s cool and ready to use.
Serving Ideas
- Chicken: Grilled Lemon Chicken, Yogurt Marinated Chicken, Harissa Chicken
- Fish: Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Honey Lemon Salmon
- Grilled sides: Grilled Eggplant, Grilled Onions, Grilled Asparagus
Comments
Just made this salad and it is so delicious, love the fact it doesn’t use mayo, the dressing is full.of flavor! I added a can of tuna to boost the protein factor. Thanks you for all your great recipes , and Happy 40th ๐.
That’s perfect! Sounds great. Thank you so much!