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.
The pasta and fresh crisp veggies covered in a creamy cashew dressing are always a hit at barbecues.
This cold salad is an excellent companion to vegan burgers, carrot hot dogs, grilled tofu, tofu chicken nuggets, and more.
Ingredients
These 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 veggies are:
- Carrots – Use a mandoline slicer to julienne-cut the carrots, or cut them into bite-sized pieces using a knife.
- Red onion – The red onion is on the sweeter side with a more mild taste. This makes it more enjoyable to eat raw.
- Bell pepper – I went with red bell pepper for the pop of color, but 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 salad ingredients together 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 a good stir and top it 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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Recipe
Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad
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.
Ingredients
Macaroni Salad
- 16oz macaroni pasta
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 and ½ cups)
- 1 cup carrot, julienned
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 4-6 Tablespoons sweet relish
- A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dressing*
- 1 and ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1 cup water
- 4 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 and ½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- pepper to taste
Instructions
Macaroni salad
- Start by soaking the cashews.
- Then boil the noodles in salted water according to their packaging.
- Prep the vegetables while the cashews soak and the noodles cook. Keep an eye on the noodles to not overcook them.
Dressing
- Add the soaked cashews and remaining ingredients to a high-speed blender or Nutri-bullet.
- Blend until everything is smooth and creamy.
Assemble
- In a very large mixing bowl, add the pasta, veggies, and dressing. Mix the ingredients together until they are well combined.
- Taste the macaroni salad and add more lemon juice, salt, and/or relish if needed.
- Cover the bowl and chill it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving.
- 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 ¼ teaspoon salt to the dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount 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.**
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