Easy Pasta Salad with Mayo – My Favorite Cold Side Dish!
This easy pasta salad with mayo is the perfect cold side dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or even the holidays! Inspired by the flavors of my childhood, it’s creamy, flavorful, and packed with protein from eggs and chicken sausage. Ready in under 25 minutes and super customizable — trust me, this one’s always a hit!
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta fusilli, farfalle or macaroni – your choice!
- 200 g cooked chicken or turkey sausage diced
- 100 g pickles + 2 tbsp pickle juice
- Or replace with a bit of lemon juice if you skip pickles
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 5 tbsp salad mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
- 1 good pinch of black pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika optional
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Rinse with cold water and let it drain.
- Boil the eggs for 9 to 10 minutes, then rinse them under cold water and peel.
- While everything cooks, dice the sausage and slice the pickles.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sausage, and pickles. Add 2 tbsp of pickle juice.
- Add the mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well until fully combined.
- Cut the eggs into quarters lengthwise, then into small cubes. Gently fold them into the salad.
- Serve cold. You can store leftovers in the fridge for 1–2 days.
Notes
Want it lighter? Swap half of the mayo with creamy plain yogurt.
For a sharper taste, use extra Dijon mustard.
Make it festive: add green peas, red bell pepper, or even sweet corn.
This pasta salad is perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and holiday buffets!