Home » Recipes » Vegan Side Dishes
ByTerri Edwards
This post may contain affiliate links.Read my full disclosure here.
Jump to RecipeEmail me Recipes
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. 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 cooking time to make sure they are al dente and not mushy.
Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it by pouring it into acolanderand 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 myHomemade Low-Fat Vegan Mayois 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 agreat meal prep recipeto 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.
- Sandwiches
- Tempeh BBQ Ribs
- Baked Beans
- Potato Salad
- Coleslaw
- Black Bean Burgers
- Crockpot Vegan BBQ
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
4.50 from 6 votes
Macaroni Salad
Author: Terri Edwards
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.
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 7 minutes mins
Total: 17 minutes mins
Print Pin Save
Servings: 5 servings
IngredientsUS Customary – Metric
US Customary – Metric
- 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 acolanderand 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 myHomemade Mayois 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
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
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5.5g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 305mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8.3g
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.
Please rate & share if you like this!Leave a comment or share on Pinterest or Instagram
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
