Easy Vegan Macaroni Salad
This easy Vegan Macaroni Salad is loaded with healthy ingredients including lots of fresh crunchy veggies, a creamy dairy-free dressing, and tender elbow pasta. It’s oil-free, dairy-free, and completely vegan.
Talk about a perfect side dish to take to picnics, family reunions, and cookouts! This classic cold pasta salad recipe will be such a hit that no one will ever know that it’s actually healthy.
We have more healthy pasta dishes like this quick dairy-free pasta salad, our vegan pasta primavera veggie salad, my roasted garlic butter pasta, and our couscous cinnamon ginger salad.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Creamy & Delicious – This vegan macaroni salad features a rich and creamy dressing made from plant-based ingredients, delivering all the flavor without any dairy.
- Easy to Prepare – Whip up this simple recipe in just 30 minutes, making it a quick and convenient dish for potlucks, picnics, or weeknight dinners.
- Nutritious Ingredients – Packed with fresh vegetables and wholesome pasta, this salad is not only satisfying but also loaded with nutrients to fuel your day.
- Customizable & Versatile – Easily customize this vegan macaroni salad with your favorite veggies, herbs, or seasonings to suit your taste, making it a perfect side dish for any occasion!
Ingredients you will
Thankfully, there are not a lot of ingredients needed for this simple recipe. You may likely already have everything needed in your kitchen. And, it’s versatile enough to substitute a few items to make it fit perfectly with your family’s preferences.
- Pasta- Elbow pasta is what I use, but you really can substitute your favorite, even gluten-free varieties.
- Vegetables- Red or green bell peppers, celery, and fresh parsley are the regular, but other options include green peas, carrots, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Onions- I like to use green onions or red onions, but any type you have on hand will be great.
- Relish- Pickel relish is a must to give that sweet crunch we all love.
- Dressing- Creamy dressing for this recipe is a mixture of tangy and sweet. It can also be used with other pasta salads or even on a garden salad.
Substitutions & variations
- Pasta- Other great pasta options include bowtie, penne, and spiral.
- Gluten-free- There are plenty of gluten-free pasta varieties available. Brown rice pasta is a great option.
- Spiral veggie noodles- Use spiral zucchini or squash noodles to replace the pasta if desired.
- Meal prep recipe- If you are planning to keep this pasta salad for a few days and eat on it throughout the week, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
How to make vegan macaroni salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by cooking the elbow pasta according to the package directions. It’s just a matter of boiling the noodles in water on the stovetop. I do like to add a dash of salt while they are cooking.
The cooking time usually suggests 7-10 minutes. For this pasta salad recipe, you’ll want to go for a shorter cooking time to make sure they are al dente and not mushy.
Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it by pouring it into a colander and running cool water over the top to stop the cooking process and remove the starchy film.
STEP #2: While the pasta is cooking is the perfect time to wash and chop the veggies. I like to use red bell peppers, celery, green onions, and fresh parsley.
The color of the bell pepper doesn’t affect the taste, I just like to use red for the beautiful bright color.
STEP #3: To make the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl, whisk together well, and then set to the side. One of the ingredients is vegan mayonnaise, and my Homemade Low-Fat Vegan Mayo is perfect and only takes about 5 minutes to make.
STEP #4: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, diced veggies, and dressing. Mix well, making sure the dressing is covering all of it. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to suit your preferences.
STEP #5: It can be served immediately at room temperature, but we really like it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or even overnight.
Optional add-ins
To me, the recipe is perfect as is, but if you want to spice it up a little more, consider adding my homemade vegan bacon bits or our easy dairy-free cashew parmesan cheese. You could also add in green peas or corn kernels.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers are even better because refrigerating them helps the flavors have time to marry up. In an airtight container, leftovers should keep for up to 5-6 days which means this is also a great meal prep recipe to eat throughout the week.
If you are planning to keep it for a few days, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prevent the macaroni from becoming mushy, cook it until it’s just al dente—firm to the bite. Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water immediately to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch, which can cause clumping. This helps maintain the pasta’s texture when mixed with the dressing.
Yes, vegan macaroni salad can be made ahead of time. In fact, making it a few hours or even a day in advance allows the flavors to meld together, making the salad even more delicious. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before serving, as the dressing may thicken over time.
You can add a variety of plant-based proteins to your vegan macaroni salad, such as chickpeas, cubed tofu, or tempeh. These options not only boost the protein content but also add texture and flavor. You can also include nuts or seeds, like sunflower seeds or slivered almonds, for an extra crunch.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from EatPlant-Based
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups elbow pasta
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper diced (other colors work great too)
- 1/2 cup green onion diced (or another type onion)
- 3/4 celery diced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
Dressing
- 3/4 cup vegan mayo try my Homemade Mayo in link
- 1/3 cup pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the elbow pasta according to package directions. It’s just a matter of boiling the noodles in water on the stovetop. I do like to add a dash of salt while they are cooking. The cooking time usually suggests 7-10 minutes. For this pasta salad recipe, you’ll want to go for the shorter cook time to make sure they are al dente and not mushy.
- Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it by pouring it into a colander and running cold water over the top to stop the cooking process and remove the starchy film.
- While the pasta is cooking is the perfect time to make the dressing and chop the veggies.
- To make the dressing, place all of the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together well then set to the side. One of the ingredients is vegan mayonnaise, and my Homemade Mayo is perfect and only takes about 5-minutes to make.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, diced veggies, and dressing. Mix well, making sure the dressing is covering all of it. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to suit your preferences.
- It can be served immediately at room temperature, but we really like it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or even overnight.
Video
Notes
- Pasta- Other great pasta options include bowtie, penne, and spiral.
- Gluten-free- There are plenty of gluten-free pasta varieties available. Brown rice pasta is a great option.
- Spiral veggie noodles- Use spiral zucchini or squash noodles to replace the pasta if desired.
- Meal prep recipe- If you are planning to keep this pasta salad for a few days and eat on it throughout the week, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving to give it a pop of fresh flavor.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
