Vegan Macaroni Salad

This vegan macaroni salad can be ready in about 30 minutes. It is made without mayo and, instead, covered in a flavorful creamy cashew dressing.  Serve it at any picnic, backyard barbecue, or summer party.

Vegan macaroni salad is a summertime favorite is an excellent companion to vegan burgers, carrot hot dogs, grilled tofu, and more.

The pasta and fresh crisp veggies covered in a creamy cashew dressing are always a hit at my 4th of July get-togethers.  

Ingredients

3 main ingredients make up this recipe.

• Pasta. Choose either elbow macaroni or ditalini pasta.
• Relish. I suggest using sweet relish. It will add an extra flavor to the macaroni salad. But you can go with dill if you prefer.
• Cashews. The dressing is made with cashews for a healthier vegan macaroni salad.

The remaining main ingredients are carrots, red onion, and bell pepper. I went with red for the pop of color. You can use any colored bell pepper.

Instructions

This vegan macaroni salad is made with fresh vegetables and a tasty homemade cashew dressing.

To make the dressing

Start by soaking the cashews for the dressing.

Step 1. Toss the soaked cashews and remaining dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender or Nutri-Bullet. 

Step 2. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy.

To make vegan macaroni salad

Cook the pasta, and chop the veggies.

Add the chopped veggies, cooked pasta, and cashew dressing to a large mixing bowl.

Fold the ingredients together --or as I like to say 'toss the salad’-- until everything is evenly combined.  

Cover the bowl and chill the macaroni salad in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Just before serving, give the macaroni salad another mix and top with fresh parsley.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of corn to the mix for a rainbow-style macaroni salad.
• Replace the sweet relish with dill relish for a savory side dish.
• Switch out any of the veggies to your taste.
• Add celery for an extra crunch.

Tips for success

• Don’t forget to salt the pasta water!
• Cook the macaroni until it's "al-dente".
• Rinse the cooked pasta in cold water to bring the temperature down and stop the cooking process.
• Allow the macaroni salad to chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving.
• Give the fully chilled salad a taste and adjust any flavorings if needed. Adding more relish will add flavor and moisture to the dish.

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Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Vegan macaroni salad is a classic summertime favorite with crisp vegetables and a creamy cashew dressing, It's the perfect recipe for backyard BBQ's, picnics, and potlucks. And it's made without mayo.  

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Ingredients

Macaroni Salad

• 16oz macaroni pasta
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 4-6 Tablespoons sweet relish
• A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Dressing*

• 1 and 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
• 1/3 teaspoon ground mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup
• pepper to taste

Instructions

Macaroni salad

1. Start by soaking the cashews.
2. Then boil the noodles in salted water according to their packaging.
3. Prep the vegetables while the cashews soak and the noodles cook. Keep an eye on the noodles to not overcook them.

Dressing

1. Add the soaked cashews and remaining ingredients to a high-speed blender or Nutri-bullet.
2. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy.

Assemble

1. In a very large mixing bowl, add the pasta, veggies, and dressing. Mix the ingredients together until they are well combined.
2. Taste the macaroni salad and add more lemon juice, salt, and/or relish if needed.
3. Cover the bowl and chill it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving. 
4. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.

ENJOY!

Notes

• For a savory macaroni salad replace the sweet relish with 6-8 Tablespoons dill relish.
• Slightly over measure the dressing seasonings for full flavor.
• Give the fully chilled salad a taste and adjust any flavorings if needed. Adding more relish will add flavor and moisture to the dish.

• Add 2 cups sweet corn, --frozen, fresh, or canned-- for a rainbow macaroni salad
• If you forget to salt the pasta water, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt to the dressing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 104Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 3g

**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**