The BEST Vegan Macaroni Salad is so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes. A classic side dish loaded with crunchy colorful veggies, covered in a rich and creamy dressing, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. The best cold pasta salad for a summer barbecue, cookout, and any gathering with family and friends.
I LOVE macaroni salad! And, growing up it was always one of my favorite potluck dishes. But, the original classic recipes are almost always filled with dairy and lots of mayo. Not to mention feeling like a big grease ball after every helping. Bye-bye bathing suit.
But, that was then and this is now. This is not just some crappy vegan version of classic macaroni salad. Personally, I think it’s the best macaroni salad you will ever make. It’s also oil-free, mayo-free, and healthy! The creamy sauce is made with my Cashew Mayo poured over delicious macaroni noodles and colorful crunchy vegetables. Super simple
This classic vegan macaroni salad is sure to be your new go-to side dish for any summer BBQ, cookout, or picnic. It’s the perfect side for veggie burgers and sure to be a winner at any gathering. And, no one will ever know it’s vegan or healthy.
Are you ready to make the perfect pasta salad? Let’s do this! Oh, I suggest you make a double batch. Trust me, you’re gonna need it.
Main Ingredients
You’ll be amazed at the simplicity and flavor of this easy macaroni salad. You can use whole-grain or gluten-free elbow macaroni in this recipe. Once cooked it’s combined it’s tossed with a decadent dressing with crunchy veggies. Perfection.
- Pasta: you can use gluten-free pasta noodles or whole-grain elbow macaroni.
- Onion: any onion will work in this recipe. But, I prefer chopped red onions.
- Celery: celery is a good way to add something green but also some amazing crunch.
- Bell Peppers: I like using both red bell pepper and green bell pepper.
- Frozen Peas: frozen are a great addition for flavor and just much simpler than fresh peas.
- Cashew Mayo: there’s a link to my recipe down below in the recipe card. This is the base of the dressing. It’s made with soaked cashews and simple whole foods ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Vinegar: feel free to use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar but don’t leave it out. It’s what adds that briny flavor you love in classic macaroni salad.
- Maple Syrup: the perfect healthy sweetener to keep this whole and healthy. It also offsets the bitterness and of the vinegar and mustard.
- Mustard: great for adding that tangy flavor we all have come to love. I prefer Dijon mustard but yellow mustard will work if that’s what you have. Don’t make a special trip local grocery store for mustard. We trying to keep things easy and accessible.
- Salt & Black Pepper: season to taste but don’t go overboard. It’s a good thing to taste as you go.
How To Make Vegan Macaroni Salad
This is sure to be one of your favorite pasta salad recipes. It’s is so simple to make and ready in less than 30 minutes following a few basic steps.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook pasta according to the package directions for al dente texture. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, drain, and rinse under cold water.
- Place the macaroni into a large bowl with the chopped veggies and toss until everything is mixed well.
- In a small bowl, combine the Cashew Mayo, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk until everything mixed together and it's smooth and creamy. Pour it into the onion, celery, green pepper, red pepper, and macaroni and toss until well combined.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. You can enjoy this immediately if you like, but it's best once it's had the chance to chill for a bit.
There you have it! The perfect side dish for all your summer gatherings and picnics. No animal products, olive oil, or anything else that shouldn’t be in your pasta salad.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Sprinkle with some fresh herbs like parsley or fresh dill
- Some great toppings to try are black olives, my vegan bacon bits, extra peas, or fresh spring onions
- Try adding some chopped dill pickles
- Let it sit overnight for maximum flavor
How Long Does This Keep
- You can store this vegan pasta salad in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.
What To Serve With Vegan Macaroni Salad
This dish pairs excellently with many of my other healthy recipes.
You are going to love this easy vegan macaroni salad recipe. It’s…
- whole food, plant-based
- creamy
- tangy and sweet
- healthy
- & SO delicious!
If you’re looking for more summer salad ideas be sure and check out my Vegan Potato Salad, Three Bean Salad, and Cucumber Tomato Salad.
Did you make this recipe or looking for some new recipes? Please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below and let me know your thoughts. Your feedback is helpful. If you're wanting to start a plant-based diet or just exploring be sure and check out my E-book, The 5 Day Plant-Based Kickstart!
It’s full of healthy recipes to get you going.
Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Total Time20 minutes
- Yield12 servings 1x
- DietVegan
The BEST Vegan Macaroni Salad is so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s loaded with crunchy veggies, a rich and creamy dressing, and is sure to please any crowd. The best cold pasta salad for summer picnics, cookouts, and gatherings.
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 box (16 ounces) of whole-grain elbow macaroni (roughly 4 cups uncooked)
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
For The Dressing
- 1 cup Cashew Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 ½ Tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
- ½ tsp. salt or to taste
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook pasta according to the package directions for al dente texture. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, drain, and rinse under cold water.
- Place the macaroni into a large bowl with the chopped veggies and toss until everything is mixed well.
- In a small bowl, combine the Cashew Mayo, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk until everything mixed together and it's smooth and creamy. Pour it into the onion, celery, green pepper, red pepper, and macaroni and toss until well combined.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. You can enjoy this immediately if you like, but it's best once it's had the chance to chill for a bit.
Notes
This is perfect as is, but feel free to add any on of these amazing toppings: Vegan Bacon Bits, fresh or dried dill, or smoked paprika.
If you’re into meal prepping this is an excellent recipe.
Store this vegan pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 217
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 176.2 mg
- Fat: 5.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 6.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 10 mins.
- Category: Salads & Dressings
- Cuisine: Vegan
I used edamame thought it would add more protein, it didn’t. I will stick to original recipe but maybe like Shane says add a few more peppers and celery. This is a KEEPER!
Love this recipe, although I will cut back a wee bit on the maple syrup, when I make it again today. Okay, call me weird, but this goes great on top of a veggie dog! I love it alone, on a sammie or with a bit of tofu thrown in. It’s a keeper.
Will a store bought mayo work for this salad as I can’t do nuts or tofu
Yes, it will work.
The best? YES, IT IS! Mixed it up, took a big bowl of it to a family 4th of July potluck picnic. Put it on the salads table and didn’t say a word (like, you know, shh…vegan, gluten free 🤫). It went faster than any other salad, including another mac salad that was loaded with eggs. I overheard someone say it was so good because it was obvious it was made with real mayo (i.e., Best Foods 🤭). BTW: I added a little shredded carrot. Thanks for another winner, Shane.
Wow, thank you!
I really like this recipe! Flavors balanced nicely. I cut it in half as there just two of us and there was still quite a lot.
I will definitely make it again.
Made this today, it’s delicious! I’ll be making this regularly, thank you!
Hey , Shane, have you tried adding grated carrots? I always like adding them but I don’t want to throw off perfection by doing so 🙂
Shane is right! This is the BEST macaroni salad! It was even good before it had a chance to chill. Be sure to use Shane’s recipe for vegan mayo. I think that really made the salad. It kept in the refrigerator for several days and was still good every time I ate it.
I had a several people to my house for a celebration recently and I served a very Shane-ish meal. I made this macaroni salad after making your cashew based mayonnaise and using it in the salad. Part of dessert was your banana bread. Everything was wonderful. Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Insanely delicious 🤌🤌🤌
Great macaroni salad recipe! I made this exactly how you have it posted with no changes. Great flavor! Easy to throw together. Thanks for sharing these awesome recipes Shane! Keep them coming. 😊
This is the very best macaroni salad I’ve ever made. I have people ask me for the recipe every time I make it. We’re talking nonvegans!
BEST MACARONI SALAD EVER!!!!!
Thank you!
Who would think macaroni salad would taste so fresh and not bog your body down with crap. Cashews have doubled in price where I live but this salad is worth the price for Shane’s gourmet macaroni salad. Thank you for sharing another healthy recipe Shane and the add in ideas are super. Pairing with your primo baked beans recipe ,is a hit with everyone.
Shane this is a 10++++ recipe! Fantastic! I made it exactly how you had it posted with no modifications and it is delicious! Going to make great work week lunches! Hope I don’t eat it all before Monday rolls around! 😊
Hi Shane, I have a quick question regarding your recipe. When I change the amount to either double or triple, the amount of pasta stays the same. I was wondering if that was correct. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Hi, Linda! I fixed the issue. But, you should an extra box per batches so if you double, use 2 boxes. The recipe card will now reflect that. Thanks for letting me know.
Shane!
I am speechless about this recipe! In my opinion, it deserves more than a 5 star review! My SAD husband gave it a huge thumbs up! I am taking it to a pot luck tomorrow and do not expect to bring any home! I added broccoli, cucumber and halved cherry tomatoes. Your flavor profile for the cashew mayo and dressing are spot on! Thanks for creating such a delicious dish!
Wow, that is awesome! Thank you so much!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 3x now. I like to put it over a bed of greens (like spinach) instead of salad dressing
Shane, why do you use maple syrup in everything you make? You put it in things that no one else would even think about putting a sweetener in. I can’t see sweetener in a macaroni salad or in many of your other recipes. Strange that you do this.
One, it’s not in “everything” I make which if you were to actually go and look at everything on my blog you would see it’s not in EVERYTHING. Second, most classic “picnic” recipe dressings contain sugar so I replace it with maple syrup. If you don’t like it, you can always leave it out, it’s not mandatory. Finally, I’m trying to help people enter into a plant-based diet so I try and mimic the unhealthy versions as best I can but still keeping wholesome.
I can assure you, any recipe I develop or adapt, is done with painstaking research and practice. Again, my recipes are just roadmaps and you are not required to make them as is, I actually encourage people to get creative and make it fit your taste.
YOU ROCK, SHANE! Love your recipes and i greatly appreciate all of the time, effort, and research (and love, too) you put into them!
Just made this recipe. It is amazing! I had a hard time putting in the fridge because it tasted so good that I was sampling it up. Lol
Thank you so much Shane. Your recipes are always wonderful 😊
Loved this salad and so did my non WFPB husband. Question…could I use this recipe but make it potato? If so, which kind and how many?
Ps….great interview with Chef AJ!
Thank you!!!
Thank you so much! You could, but you could just make this one: https://shaneandsimple.com/vegan-classic-potato-salad/
This recipe was fantastic!
Though I’ve been cooking (and occasionally baking) in a WFPB way for several years, I only found you and your web site a few months ago. What a find! Your recipes are great! I made this salad and it was absolutely delicious. I made your mayo and wow — yummy. My very carnivorous husband also loved the salad. What a compliment!
Just for the record, I added more veggies (yellow pepper, grape tomatoes, spring onions/scallions) and a few drops of tabasco, and reduced the amount of maple syrup. I didn’t put in peas since I didn’t have them. What a great salad!
We loved it. Looking forward to trying it out on our non-vegan friends/family.
Hi Shane. By whole grain pasta do you mean whole wheat pasta or is it something different?s
Whole-wheat mainly, but there are other healthy variations of pasta.
Shane, thanks for a delicious recipe. I am so glad I found your web site and its delicious recipes. I made this with your vegan mayo and a few drops of tabasco and it was a big success with my carnivore husband, my guests, and me, too.
We can’t so cashews. What would be a good substitute? Tofu? Sunflower seeds? Almonds? Can’t do any other nuts. Thanks.
Tofu is a good sub. If you type “mayo” in the search bar on the website it will come up. Sunflower seeds are also a good option.
Shane,
I love this Macaroni Salad. The only thing different I did is added a diced-up cucumber in it and so good. It is a winner for my Spring and Summer menu.
Thanks for all your great recipes.
Thank you so much, Gloria!
Made this today and I will say the HARDEST part of making this macaroni salad is WAITING 2-24 hours to eat it!!! I had a scoop before putting it in the fridge and it’s seriously so freaking delicious…that I can’t imagine how amazing it will taste tomorrow! We are pairing this with your BBQ chickpea sweet potato burgers…YUM!
I love macaroni salad but haven’t found a WFPB option that I really like. Until now!!! This is sooo good and really hits that macaroni salad nail on the head. I used half the amount of onion (dude, that’s a LOT of onion in there!) and only about 1/3 of the maple syrup in the dressing as the mayo also has maple syrup in it, and it was fantastic. So, so good! Anyone, vegan or not, who like macaroni salad will live this one. Brilliant! Thanks Shane!!
Hi Shane,
I love your recipes…I know it’s hard work to create recipes, and truly appreciate you sharing these recipes. I love the macaroni salad and make it regularly.
Hi Shane! I made this recipe yesterday, along with your Cashew Mayo, of course! I love both and will definitely be making them again. I do need a better blender though.
I used the mustard in the Mayo recipe but did not add more when I made the dressing for the salad. That is all that I changed, and that is only because I am not a huge mustard person. Tastes amazing, and I am glad to have this favorite back in my life; I did not want to use the processed jarred Vegan mayonnaise that the grocery store has. I am glad they exist as an alternative to animal products though, and they do taste good. I am just trying to eat more whole foods instead of processed foods for weight loss at the moment. 🙂 Thank you for all of these amazing recipes; I love your blog. Also planning to make the chickpea curry and the lemon courgette pasta this week! I hope you have a great week!
Delicious! Made this with your oven baked beans for Easter and they were both a huge hit. Thanks for the great recipes.
Wow, that’s awesome Nicole! They’re two of my favorite combinations as well:) Blessings.
Excellent, thanks so much!
OMGosh…..another Shane recipe to add to my fave list!!! This is so delish I can hardly stand it and it’s a good thing it makes A LOT!!! Used 100% whole wheat noodles; didn’t have peas so used fresh zucchini from the garden. I’ve never had much luck with dressings using cashews, but this is perfect and has just the right amount of sweetness from the maple syrup. Thank you again Shane!!!
That is so great!
Delicious! I really enjoyed this recipe. Will definitely make it again.
Shane, is this recipe sweet in your mind? I’ve found savory recipes using cashews for sauces are a little too sweet. I can eat them but my family tends not to like them.
Your recipe is on my 4th of July menu but just wanted to get your opinion first.
Ta!
Rich, creamy, full of crunch and colorful veggies and no mayo! Healthy and delicious.
Shane! You did it again!!! This is so good! I am going to take it to a grad party in two weeks!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know.