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, no one will ever know that it’s actually healthy. Another delicious option is this Vegan Pasta Salad.
Ingredients needed
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.
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
How to make vegan macaroni salad
This really is one of the easiest side dishes to make, and everyone is going to absolutely love it.
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 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 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 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.
Optional add-ins
To me, the recipe is perfect as is, but if you want to spice it up a little more, consider adding in one or more of these ingredients.
- Smoked Tempeh Bacon (crumbled)
- Green peas
- Vegan Parmesan
- Sliced black or green olives
- Corn niblets
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.
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.
Serving suggestions for macaroni salad
This dish pairs well with most summer picnic foods, and these are some of my favorites.
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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.
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.
Notes
Optional add-ins
To me, the recipe is perfect as is, but if you want to spice it up a little more, consider adding in one or more of these ingredients.
- Smoked Tempeh Bacon (crumbled)
- Green peas
- Vegan Parmesan
- Sliced black or green olives
- Corn niblets
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Delallo Whole Wheat Elbows Macaroni Pasta 1 lb Two (2) Pack with one Authentic Italian Concetta's Cucina Recipe Card by Purchase Positivity | Perfect for Mac and Cheese Dishes -
Maple Grove Farms Pure Maple Syrup, 12.5 Oz -
Amazon Basics Glass Locking Lids Food Storage, 18-Piece Set, 9 Containers and 9 BPA-Free Lids
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 305mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 8.3gProtein: 5.5g
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.
