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Vegan Macaroni Salad – Healthy and Gluten Free

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This crazy delicious Vegan Macaroni Salad is loaded with crunchy veggies and it is so simple and easy to make. It is mixed with an amazing creamy vegan dressing that makes this pasta salad perfect for potlucks, picnics or a great addition to your meal prep! Plus, it is gluten free!

Mixed up vegan pasta salad in a white bowl with plates and more dressing behind it.

I love a good pasta salad and this Vegan Macaroni Salad is one of my absolute favorites! It is loaded with so many crunchy, fresh veggies and the creamy vegan dressing just ties it all together perfectly.

We are also obsessed with this healthy tuna pasta salad that my family loves and it’s easy to make it vegan too!

What makes this macaroni salad healthy?

This Vegan Macaroni Salad is actually a healthy pasta salad that you can feel good about eating. Here are some things that make it a little healthier.

  • Gluten free
  • Low fat
  • No cholesterol
  • Sugar free
  • Packed with fresh veggies

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Pasta – any kind will work, I used gluten free brown rice pasta
  • Bell pepper – any variety
  • Red onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Scallions
  • Pickles
  • Vegan mayo – you can also use avocado mayo or tahini (mixed with a few tablespoons of water)
  • Vinegar – I used apple cider vinegar
  • Capers
  • Seasoning – paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt and pepper
Ingredients for vegan macaroni salad with labels over each ingredient.

Other ingredients you can add in

I love this macaroni salad as is but it is also great to mix and match the ingredients based on what you like and have on hand. Here are some ideas for other items you can add in or substitute in this pasta salad.

  • Corn
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Chopped radish
  • Olives
  • Banana pepper or roasted red pepper
  • Chickpeas
  • Peas
  • Edamame

How to make Vegan Macaroni Salad

First things first…..the macaroni. To make this a little healthier and because I don’t eat a lot of white flour, I used this amazing brown rice pasta that my kids will actually eat. It tastes just like regular pasta but it is totally gluten free and only contains one ingredient, brown rice.

Here is how to make this incredible salad that everyone will go crazy for!

  1. Cook the pasta – I recommend cooking it to al dente since you don’t want it to get mushy when you mix it with the veggies and dressing.
  2. Chop the veggies – into small pieces so they are all the same size
  3. Mix up the dressing – just add all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl and mix until fully combined into a creamy delicious dressing.
  4. Combine – pour the dressing over the salad and toss it all together.
  5. Serve – serve this vegan macaroni salad cold or at room temperature.
Cooked pasta in a strainer on a blue surface
Chopped veggies on a large white bowl with organ dressing in a bowl behind it and a blue and white stripped towel in front of it.
Creamy orange dressing in a bowl with a whisk in it.
Chopped veggies and cooked pasta in a white serving bowl with creamy dressing drizzled on it with more dressing behind it.
Close up of creamy macaroni salad with chopped veggies in it with wooden serving spoons in the bowl.

How to store leftover macaroni salad

This vegan macaroni salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You will need to stir it up before eating it and maybe add a dash of red wine vinegar just to wake it up a bit but mostly it gets better as it sits. Macaroni salad is a great make-ahead recipe for the summer since it can just stay in the fridge, ready to go!

Ways to serve this pasta salad

This salad is so crunchy and creamy and it is a great main or healthy side dish. Here are a few ways to serve it!

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

Yes you can! To make this pasta salad ahead of time, cook the pasta, chop the veggies and mix up the dressing. You can assemble the salad and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and just stir it well before serving it. You can also prep all of the ingredients, store them separately and then just assemble and mix the salad when you are ready!

Other vegan side recipes

Pile of creamy pasta veggies salad.

Did you try this vegan macaroni salad recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear what you think and how it turned out for you!

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Mixed up vegan pasta salad in a white bowl with plates and more dressing behind it.

The Best Vegan Macaroni Salad

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 6 people 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This crazy delicious Vegan Macaroni Salad is loaded with crunchy veggies and it is so simple and easy to make. It is mixed with an amazing creamy dressing that makes this pasta salad perfect for potlucks, picnics or a great addition to your meal prep. Plus, it is gluten free!

Ingredients

Scale

For the macaroni salad

  • 4 cups cooked pasta – I used gluten free brown rice pasta
  • 1 red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 3 stalks of celery (diced)
  • 2 large carrots, diced or shredded
  • ½ red onion (diced)
  • ¼ cup bread and butter pickles (diced)
  • ¼ cup scallions (sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons capers – drained

For the dressing

  • 1 cup vegan mayo
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Add the cooked macaroni to a large mixing bowl. Add all of the veggies to the macaroni and toss.
  2. Add vegan mayo, vinegar, dijon mustard, parsely, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk well to combine into a creamy, smooth dressing.
  3. Pour the dressing onto the macaroni salad and toss well to coat all of the pasta and veggies in the dressing. Top with fresh chives and parsley, if desired. 

Notes

  1. This can be eaten right away or stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days!
  2. This is also a great recipe to take to pot-lucks, picnics, barbecue’s or just on the go!
  3. Veggie variations: Sub any of the veggies in the recipe for other veggies you may have on hand like: cherry tomatoes, cucumber, corn, peas or even asparagus.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Assembly
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Barb B

    Just made this on the recommendation of a FB page and it very tasty. It also makes a good size bowl of it! The dressing is lovely but did not add pickle as hubby not a pickle fan. Did add fresh parsley for a touch of green.
    As much as its a vegan recipe, I may add tuna when making it again to add a different texture.

    Reply

    • Amy Estes

      Hi Barb, I am so glad you liked it! Love the idea of adding tuna. I also have a healthy tuna salad recipe that is similar that you may also love.

      Reply

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