share
dinnereasymacaronimacaronisaladplantbasedsidesidedishvegan
4 years ago
by Six Vegan Sisters
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!
Vegan Baked Mac n Cheese
Vegan Bolognese
Pesto Pasta Penne
Drunken Noodles
Delicious, easy vegan macaroni salad the whole family will love!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 8 people
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
*If you plan to let the noodles sit for a bit before combining with the dressing, we’d recommend tossing the noodles in a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
** This creamy vegenaise dressing is lighter than your typical non-vegan macaroni salad (based on our personal preference). So, 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.
Keyword appetizer, bbq, cookout, easy, macaroni, macaronisalad, plantbased, quick, salad, sidedish, vegan
Did you make this recipe? Make sure to tag us on Instagram and leave a review in the comments!
Categories:feast
- Tina
- May 24, 2020
Reply
Best pasta salad I have ever had!- Andrea
- May 31, 2020
Reply
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!- Rachel
- August 13, 2020
Reply
I’ve made this twice now and my non-vegan family and friends go crazy for it! It’s a hit for sure!- Six Vegan Sisters
- September 21, 2020
Reply
Yay! That’s amazing. It’s a huge hit with all our non-vegan family and friends as well!
- Lea
- August 19, 2021
Reply
This would be perfect to bring to a family gathering to show everyone how delicious vegan food actually is!
- Madison
- June 18, 2022
Reply
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now, family is vegan and I am super-not 😊 it is TO DIE FOR!! And everyone requests it at family events! Thank you ladies so so much, a little bit of work but sooooo worth it, and keeps good for days!
