Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ditalini according to package directions until al dente—this timing is important because overcooked pasta will get mushy when mixed into the creamy dressing. While the pasta cooks, hard-boil your eggs (about 10-12 minutes in simmering water), then transfer them to ice water to cool completely. Once cooled, peel the eggs and carefully separate the yolks from the whites. Chop the egg whites into roughly 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse it thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch—this keeps the pasta from clumping.

In a medium bowl, crush the 6 egg yolks with a fork until they're completely broken down and creamy. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, freshly minced garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to the yolks. Whisk everything together until smooth and fully combined—I like to make sure the garlic is really minced fine so it distributes evenly throughout the dressing rather than creating sharp pockets of flavor. This creamy mixture is the heart of the salad and will coat all the pasta beautifully.

Add the cooked and cooled pasta from Step 1 directly into the deviled egg dressing from Step 2, stirring gently but thoroughly to coat every piece of pasta. Now fold in the chopped egg whites, finely diced red onion, bacon bits, and celery, mixing until everything is evenly distributed. I recommend adding the bacon bits at the end rather than earlier—this keeps them crispy and prevents them from softening into the dressing.

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or platter. Garnish the top with sliced green onions and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika for color and a hint of that classic deviled egg flavor. Serve chilled or at room temperature, and enjoy within a few hours for the best texture—the pasta will continue to absorb the dressing as it sits.