Dice the small onion into small pieces and finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces for even distribution and pleasant crunch throughout the salad. Chop the hard-boiled eggs into 1/2-inch pieces—I prefer keeping them slightly chunky rather than finely minced so you get nice bites of egg throughout the dish. Have all ingredients measured and ready before you begin cooking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the macaroni. Cook according to package directions until just tender but still with a slight bite (usually 8-10 minutes). Drain thoroughly in a colander and let cool slightly—warm macaroni will absorb the dressing better than cold pasta, so don't rinse it with cold water.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, mustard, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar until smooth and well combined. This creates a creamy, flavorful base that will coat every piece of pasta and egg. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasonings if needed—you may want a touch more salt or a pinch more paprika depending on your preference.

Add the cooled macaroni from Step 2, chopped eggs from Step 1, diced onion, and diced celery to the dressing bowl. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold all ingredients together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with the creamy dressing. Be careful not to overmix, which can break up the eggs into smaller pieces than desired.