Vegan Macaroni Salad

4.39 from 18 votes

Summer is on the way, and what better way to greet it than with a classic vegan macaroni salad for your first BBQ! 15 minutes from start to finish, this vegan version of a classic macaroni salad will bring them back for more.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Ingredients

Vegan Macaroni Salad

4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni I used gluten-free noodles or whole grain elbow macaroni
1 red bell pepper diced
½ cup green onions diced
2 cups frozen peas cooked
1 cup diced celery
½ cup chopped parsley

Macaroni Salad Dressing

1 cup cashew mayo substitute silken tofu or white beans for a nut-free option
3 Tablespoons yellow mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Cooking the Macaroni/Peas

In a large pot, boil water with a teaspoon of salt.
Once water is boiling, add 4 cups of uncooked noodles.
Cook noodles according to the directions on the package (my gluten-free noodles were cooked for 8 minutes).
In the last 3 minutes, add the frozen peas to the pasta pan.
When noodles and peas are cooked, remove them from the stove, and drain them in a colander.
Then, immediately rinse in cold water, tossing the noodles and peas in the cold water to make sure all the noodles are cooled.
Then, transfer the cooled noodles and peas to a large bowl.

Add the Diced Vegetables

Then, add the red bell pepper, onion, celery, and parsley.

Macaroni Salad Dressing

Add cashew mayo, yellow mustard, seasonings, and parsley in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk together.
Pour over the pasta and vegetables.
Cover and place in a refrigerator until ready to serve.
Then, serve with your favorite BBQ meal.

Notes

Do not add the noodles to the pot until the water is boiling.
Add a teaspoon of salt to the water before cooking the pasta.
Stir the noodles into the boiling water so they don't stick together.
Using a vegetable chopper helps to cut the vegetables in similar sizes.
Be sure to add salt to the water you cook the pasta in, or you risk having bland macaroni salad.
Be sure the pasta has cooled before you add the mayonnaise. It will absorb less of it this way, and your pasta salad will stay creamy.
Substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews for a nut-free option.
Use gluten-free noodles for a gluten-free option.
The macaroni salad can be made ahead of time.
The dressing can also be made ahead of time.
For best results, dress the salad right before serving.
Vegan macaroni salad will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator

Nutrition