Vegan Macaroni Salad (Easy!)
This classic-style macaroni salad is rich, creamy, and made with whole food plant-based ingredients! It's a crowd-pleasing side dish and great for potlucks.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 oz. elbow noodles (GF if desired)
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 roasted red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 1/4 cup pickle relish
For the creamy dressing:
- 3/4 cup Cashew Mayo (or store-bought mayo)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook the elbow noodles according to package instructions, leaving al dente (slightly firm, not mushy). Drain in a colander when finished and give it a quick rinse with cool water to halt the cooking. Drain well again.
- Prepare veggies: Meanwhile, dice the celery and roasted pepper. Finely dice the onion. Roughly chop the dill. Place all in a large mixing bowl with the relish.
- Make dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. (Please note this is a heavily-dressed salad as written, and the noodles will soak up much of the dressing as it chills. But if you prefer a lighter dressed salad, reduce the dressing or simply reduce the amount of mayo.)
- Combine: Add the pasta (cooked & drained) to the bowl with veggies. Add the dressing and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. You can serve it immediately or chill covered in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors combine further.
Notes
For gluten-free: Use GF pasta.
For oil-free: Use my homemade cashew mayo as most store-bought vegan mayo includes oil.
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 4 days.
Yield: Recipe makes about 5 cups lightly-packed salad. (This could even stretch to serve 8-10 as a small side dish.)
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 230 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Potassium: 149 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 208 IU | Vitamin C: 7 mg | Calcium: 35 mg | Iron: 2 mg
