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This vegan macaroni salad is creamy, tangy, and great for a crowd!
With a creamy cashew dressing like the one on my vegan potato salad, this macaroni salad resembles a classic macaroni salad that everyone will love. It’s the perfect side dish to bring to a picnic or any group event.
Ingredients
Here is everything you will need to make this vegan macaroni salad:
*See the recipe card below for quantities.
- Elbow macaroni
- Red onion
- Red pepper
- Celery
- Sweet green relish
- Fresh dill
For the dressing, you will need:
- Cashews
- Water
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
How to make
Making this vegan macaroni salad is super easy!
Start by cooking your macaroni according to package instructions.
While it’s cooking, prep the remaining salad ingredients and add them to a large mixing bowl.
When the macaroni is cooked, drain then rinse with cold water. Add it to the mixing bowl.
Blend the dressing in a high-powered blender or food processor and pour it over the macaroni salad. Mix together and enjoy! Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes if you prefer it cold.
Tips for this vegan macaroni salad
- Once the salad ingredients are diced and the macaroni is cooked, get the dressing on the macaroni salad quickly to prevent the noodles from sticking. This way, those who avoid added oil don’t need to use oil to prevent sticking.
- Soak the cashews before making the dressing. This will ensure they blend into a smooth and creamy dressing, without any chunks. The fastest way is to soak your cashews in a covered bowl of boiled water for about 20 minutes.
- Dice the veggies in the macaroni salad in small pieces. This will allow the dressing to cover more of the ingredients and make it easier to eat a variety of ingredients with every bite.
- I strongly recommend using fresh dill instead of dried dill for this recipe. It gives a stronger flavor that is perfect for a classic vegan macaroni salad.
Storage
Store this macaroni salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More vegan sides
- Hummus Pasta Salad
- 5 Bean Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Quinoa Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Broccoli Salad
Vegan Macaroni Salad (No Mayo)
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 300 grams dry gluten-free elbow macaroni
- ⅓ cup red onion (finely diced)
- ½ cup red pepper (finely diced)
- ½ cup celery (finely diced)
- ½ cup sweet green relish
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cashews (soaked – see note below)
- ¾ cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
- Sprinkle salt and pepper
Instructions
- Soak your cashews to soften them. See note below.
- Next, cook your macaroni according to package directions. When it is cooked, drain the water then cool the macaroni down by rinsing it with cold water. Place the macaroni in a large mixing bowl.
- While your macaroni is cooking, prep your other salad ingredients. Make sure you chop them in quite small pieces. Add all salad ingredients to the mixing bowl.
- For the dressing, add all ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix everything together.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
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