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Vegan macaroni salad in a wooden salad bowl.
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4.98 from 34 votes

Vegan Macaroni Salad

The best vegan macaroni salad is veggie packed and flavorful with the most divine creamy dressing. Ideal for picnics, potlucks and barbecues.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 10
Calories: 400kcal

Ingredients

For the Salad:

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

For the Dressing:

Instructions

Preparation:

  • 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.

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.

Assembly:

  • 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. Green onions - are also called spring 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.
  3. Make ahead: 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 potluck or bbq, then it will just be all the more delicious the next day.
  4. Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge (covered) for up to 5 days. It is not freezer friendly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg