Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. This ensures perfectly cooked, creamy yolks. Transfer eggs immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking process and cool completely—this makes peeling much easier and prevents that gray-green ring around the yolk.

While eggs are cooling, finely dice the celery stalks into small 1/4-inch pieces for uniform crunch, and slice the spring onions (both white and light green parts) into thin rounds. Chop the fresh dill and measure out all dry seasonings into a small bowl. Having everything prepped ensures a smooth assembly when you're ready to combine flavors.

Once eggs are completely cool, gently crack and peel away the shells under cool running water—the water helps separate the membrane from the egg white. Pat dry and chop the eggs into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. I like to keep the pieces somewhat chunky so you get distinct bites of egg in each spoonful.

Add cottage cheese to a medium mixing bowl and stir for about 30 seconds until it becomes slightly smoother and creamier—you don't need to fully blend it, just loosen the texture a bit. This creates a better consistency for binding all the ingredients together. Fold in the Dijon mustard, then add the lemon juice, all the dry seasonings from Step 2, and the fresh dill.

Gently fold the chopped eggs from Step 3 into the cottage cheese mixture, followed by the diced celery and spring onions. Use a gentle hand and fold rather than stir vigorously to keep the egg pieces intact and prevent the mixture from becoming mushy. I like to taste and adjust the seasoning at this point—a pinch more salt or lemon juice can really brighten the flavors.

Transfer the egg salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the smoked paprika on top for color and a subtle smoky note. Serve immediately with your choice of bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, or even straight from a spoon. This salad is best enjoyed fresh, though it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.