Vegan Macaroni Salad
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This Vegan Macaroni Salad is a lighter, vegan version of a classic BBQ staple. This is a total crowd pleaser you will want to take to every party!
This Vegan Macaroni Salad was originally posted on my site back in August 2018. And I thought it was time to give it a little love (and a makeover). The recipe itself is the same, but we did some new beauty shots to show it in all of its glory.
here’s what you need
ingredients
- macaroni
- vegan mayo
- apple cider vinegar
- pickle juice
- spicy mustard
- agave
- red pepper flakes
- garlic salt
- pepper
- bell pepper
- celery
- red onion
- parsley
equipment
You will need a pot to cook the pasta and a big salad bowl – I am OBSESSED with these metal ones!
steps
step 1: prep
Was anyone else totally grossed out by mayo when they were a kid? You couldn’t get me to eat anything with mayo on it. If it even touched my sandwich, I wasn’t eating it. Funny story though, I could eat ranch all day every day. Makes total sense, I know.
It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized a little mayo can add some nice flavor to certain meals. And lucky for us vegans, there are so many vegan mayo options these days.
To prep this recipe you just need to cook the pasta, chop the veggies and make the dressing. Of course, the base for this dressing is vegan mayo. Just add the mayo, vinegar, pickle juice, spicy mustard, agave, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and pepper to a bowl and whisk to combine.
step 2: assemble & serve
I like to keep my veggies simple. Some bell pepper, red onion, celery & parsley are all you really need. I’ve seen other recipes that call for a bunch of extra stuff. But I like keeping it minimal. The flavor comes from the dressing…the veggies are just there for some crunch.
Once you have your dressing made, veggies chopped and macaroni cooked, you’re literally going to combine everything in a bowl and let it chill for an hour. This will give everything time to marinate and develop a really great flavor.
I swear no one will ever know this is vegan. Perfect for BBQs and parties.
Tips & Tricks
If you are someone who likes a heavily dressed macaroni salad, just double the dressing recipe. It’s all about personal taste!
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Vegan Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups macaroni dry
- 1 cup vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon spicy mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave
- red pepper flakes to taste
- garlic salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
Equipment
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the macaroni is cooking, prepare dressing. Combine the mayo, vinegar, pickle juice, spicy mustard, agave, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the macaroni, dressing and chopped veggies to a large bowl. Toss to combine and place in the fridge for an hour to let the flavors marinate.
- Serve with more chopped parsley, pepper and/or red pepper flakes.
Video
Notes
- If you are someone who likes a heavily dressed macaroni salad, just double the dressing recipe. It’s all about personal taste!
Rene, any recommendations on proteins to add to pump it up? Chickpeas, shredded tofu, black beans? Sounds delicious!
chickpeas would be a great add!
Wow yum! I used lumaconi instead of macaroni and it was a good swap. This will be a summer staple for me!
Delicious! Great dressing!
So glad you liked it!
I have a family member that is allergic to celery. Any ideas for a replacement?
Fennel might be a good swap!
I made this exactly, adding some
sliced radishes. I served it with sesame
seed-coated potato slices and kidney
bean salad. This Mac made the meal!!
This recipe is so good!! I added chopped dinosaur kale from my garden….so delicious.
My son has been asking for vegan macaroni salad for months. Your recipe was exactly what he wanted. We made it for New Year’s Eve for a family dinner and it was a big hit. So simple and delicious, just the right amount of crunch. Thank you!
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