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    Home » Salads

    Vegan Macaroni Salad (The Best Ever!)

    Published: Aug 3, 2019 Updated: Jun 28, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Macaroni Salad

    Simple and delicious vegan macaroni salad with the most divine creamy dressing. Veggie packed and extremely flavorful. Ideal for picnics, potlucks and barbecues!

    Vegan macaroni salad in a wooden salad bowl.

    A macaroni salad is the perfect dish to take along to a barbecue or a picnic! It’s really easy to make and perfect to prepare in advance so you can easily make it the night before. 

    And it’s totally delicious. You have crunchy veggies tossed with macaroni and then covered in the most divine dressing. It’s a treat!

    As a side salad it’s pretty much my favorite thing, well this and some vegan potato salad! 

    Vegan macaroni salad in a wooden salad bowl.

    How to make Vegan Macaroni Salad

    A delicious macaroni salad is all about that dressing! We used cashews in the sauce and we soaked them first. 

    So before doing anything else, put your cashews into a bowl and pour over boiling hot water from the kettle, and then just leave them to soak for an hour. 

    Cook your macaroni according to your package instructions. Drain and set aside. 

    Chop up your veggies! We used red bell pepper, celery, spring onions, sundried tomatoes and fresh chopped basil. 

    When your cashews are soaked, you’re ready to make the dressing. Add the soaked cashews to the blender jug along with vegan mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, dijon mustard, dried dill, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper and some water. Blend until smooth.

    Add your macaroni to a salad bowl. Top with the chopped veggies and then pour over the sauce. Toss it all together until well mixed. 

    Then cover and place into the fridge for around an hour to chill and for the flavors to blend beautifully so they really pop. And then you’re ready to serve. 

    Step by step process photo collage of making vegan macaroni salad.

    How Long Can You Keep Vegan Macaroni Salad?

    It keeps perfectly (covered) in the fridge for around 5 days. 

    Can I make this Vegan Macaroni Salad in Advance?

    It’s the perfect salad to make in advance! It keeps beautifully in the fridge so if you make it the night before a picnic or pot luck or barbecue, then it will probably just be all the more delicious the next day!

    Vegan macaroni salad in a wooden salad bowl with a salad spoon.

    You will love this vegan macaroni salad! It is:

    • Creamy
    • Simple
    • Flavorful
    • Veggie Packed
    • Perfect for picnics or barbecues

    Store leftovers in the fridge (covered) for up to 5 days. It is not freezer friendly. 

    Vegan macaroni salad on a white plate with a fork.

    More Delicious Vegan Salad Recipes!

    1. Vegan Couscous Salad
    2. Vegan Quinoa Salad
    3. Vegan Kale Salad
    4. Vegan Sweet Potato Salad
    5. Vegan Caesar Salad
    6. Vegan Pasta Salad

    So let us know what you think of this vegan macaroni salad recipe in the comments! And please rate the recipe too, thanks!

    Sign up to our email list and we’ll send you a gorgeous (and free) recipe ebook containing 10 delicious vegan dinner recipes. You’ll also be the first to know when new recipes are posted to the blog. 

    A forkful of vegan macaroni salad

    Vegan macaroni salad on a white plate with a fork.

    Vegan Macaroni Salad

    Simple and delicious vegan macaroni salad with the most divine creamy dressing. Veggie packed and extremely flavorful. Ideal for picnics, potlucks and barbecues!
    4.96 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Savory, Side
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 409kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Salad:

    • 16 ounces Elbow Macaroni (450g) Dry Weight
    • 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper Chopped
    • 4 Stalks Celery Chopped
    • ½ cup Spring Onions Chopped
    • ½ cup Sundried Tomatoes Chopped
    • ½ cup Fresh Basil Chopped

    For the Dressing:

    • ⅔ cup Raw Cashews (100g) Soaked for 1 hour in hot water
    • 1 cup Vegan Mayonnaise (240g)
    • 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
    • 2 tsp Dried Dill
    • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
    • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
    • ¼ tsp Black Pepper
    • 2 Tbsp Water
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    Instructions

    • The cashews need to be soaked for the dressing. So place them into a bowl and pour over hot water from the kettle and then let them sit for an hour and then drain them before use.
    • Cook the macaroni according to your package instructions. Drain and set aside.
    • Chop and prepare your veggies.
    • When your cashews are soaked, you're ready to make the dressing. Add the soaked cashews to the blender jug along with vegan mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, dijon mustard, dried dill, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper and water. Blend until smooth.
    • Add the macaroni to a salad bowl. Top with the chopped veggies and then pour over the sauce. Toss it all together until well mixed.
    • Then cover the bowl and place it into the fridge for around an hour to chill and for the flavors to blend.

    Notes

    1. Spring onions are also called green onions or salad onions or scallions.
    2. Prep time is for hands on time and does not include the time spent soaking the cashews or the time for the macaroni salad to chill in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.5g | Protein: 9.2g | Fat: 20.1g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7.1g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anne says

      April 13, 2022 at 6:32 pm

      My go-to pasta salad. So good.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 14, 2022 at 12:45 pm

        Awesome, thanks so much Anne!

        Reply
    2. Jacquelyn Watson-Rodriguez says

      August 07, 2021 at 11:16 am

      I have made this a couple times now and it’s seriously amazing!! The first time I tried to increase the noodles without increasing the sauce.. that was a mistake. It was still tasty but I knew it could be better. The second time around I followed the instructions exactly as stated and a little extra salt and garlic powder and holy creamy! Best macaroni salad recipe out there!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 10, 2021 at 10:04 am

        Yay! Thank you so much Jacquelyn!

        Reply
    3. Sarah says

      June 10, 2021 at 2:10 am

      My daughters are very allergic to cashews. Any replacement that you think would work?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 10, 2021 at 8:51 am

        Hi Sarah, slivered or blanched almonds will also work!

        Reply
    4. Teresa says

      May 30, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      This is the best macaroni salad that I have made or tasted. It is a must to make!!!!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 30, 2021 at 7:47 pm

        Thanks so much Teresa!

        Reply
    5. Susan says

      May 20, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      Very good!!! A must to make5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 21, 2021 at 9:09 am

        Thanks Susan!

        Reply
    6. Natalie Brown says

      May 19, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      Wow oh Wow… I am a massive snob when it comes to salads and this is hands down the best macaroni salad that I have ever had!! I found this recipe in the heat of summer last year and have never looked back. Me and hubby are still both amazed at how delicious this is!! I add grated carrot and a handful of black and green olives but everything else remains the same. DELICIOUS.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 19, 2021 at 2:35 pm

        That is fantastic to hear Natalie! Thanks so much!

        Reply
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    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

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