With summer almost here, we are so excited to start coming up with new, easy recipes that are perfect for summer dinners and BBQ’s. Even though we never really ate non-vegan macaroni salad, we’ve had this recipe on our list for a while and knew we could make a vegan version we would all love!
This recipe is great (especially for right now) because you can substitute any veggies you like or have on-hand! It also makes for great leftovers and can keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days after making it. It’s a great side dish and pairs perfectly with a veggie burger, plant-based sausage or whatever else you like to grill up! We love that it’s served chilled because it’s perfect for a hot summer’s night, but if you prefer, you can serve this dish at room temperature.
All you need for this recipe is:
Macaroni Pasta (of course! Although, you could sub for a different pasta and yield great results)
Sweet gherkins (you can sub for dill or garlic pickles if you prefer!)
Red pepper (feel free to use any color you like)
Celery
Red (or white) onion
Vegenaise (we love Follow Your Heart brand)
White vinegar (unsweetened rice vinegar will also work)
Lemon juice
Dijon mustard (yellow will work as well)
Organic white sugar
Spices + herbs
All you have to do is cook the macaroni, chop the veggies, make the sauce, then combine everything and voilà, you have an easy side dish perfect for your next BBQ that will impress vegans and non-vegans alike!
We love this recipe because the creamy vegenaise dressing is lighter than your typical non-vegan macaroni salad. With that said, if you like your macaroni salad a bit heavier in the dressing department, we’d recommend multiplying the dressing recipe by 1.5 in order to yield a more dressing-heavy result.
Love this dish? Try some of our other pasta dishes!
Easy Vegan Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package macaroni pasta
- 3/4 cup diced sweet gherkins can sub for favorite pickle
- 1 cup diced red pepper can sub for any color
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced red onions can sub for white or sweet
For the dressing:
- 1 heaping cup vegenaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard can sub yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp celery salt can sub regular salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- fresh parsley chopped (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Start by cooking the noodles according to the package instructions (ours took ~8 minutes to cook). Be careful not to overcook as you don't want the noodles to be too soft for this recipe. Once done, strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.*
- Next, dice the vegetables and place them in a large bowl.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing (except for the parsley, we will use this later for topping)**. Add the dressing to the large bowl with the vegetables and mix well to combine.
- Add the noodles to the vegetable/dressing and mix well to combine.
- Top the macaroni salad with chopped parsley, if using, and serve. We prefer to serve this chilled (for at least an hour in the refrigerator), but you can serve at room temperature if you prefer!
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Make sure to tag us on Instagram and leave a review in the comments!
Best pasta salad I have ever had!
This is really good! I’m 6 months pregnant, and after 8 years of being vegan, just had a major craving for macaroni salad. I love how the vegan mayo is more like a light dressing rather than the thick conventional mayo. I wish I new this recipe years ago. Just set it out and omni’s won’t even notice the difference!
I’ve made this twice now and my non-vegan family and friends go crazy for it! It’s a hit for sure!
Yay! That’s amazing. It’s a huge hit with all our non-vegan family and friends as well!
This would be perfect to bring to a family gathering to show everyone how delicious vegan food actually is!