Love a good pasta salad? You need to try our Familiar Vegan Pasta Salad as well as our Ranch Pasta Salad and our Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad!

old-school vegan macaroni salad in a large bowl

Why this is the dependable vegan macaroni salad!

I wanted to cook this a quite familiar macaroni salad recipe so I kept it simple and only altered the recipe slightly so that it’s a fully vegan version, plant based, and savory! While macaroni pasta is familiar to this method, you could obviously use whatever pasta strikes your fancy including a chickpea pasta or any other gluten free variation.

Why You’ll Love This

Ready in only 25 minutes
Straightforward to make ahead so it’s great for parties and potlucks
Loaded with veggies for extra color and crunch
The creamy dressing is Worth the pot (and entirely dairy-free)
Easily customizable with whatever veggies you have on hand
Works with any pasta shape or gluten-free pasta

ingredients in a large bowl to make straightforward macaroni salad including frozen peas, chopped carrots, chopped red onion, chopped red bell pepper, chopped pickles, and chopped celery and parsley

Ingredients needed

The ingredients for this creamy vegan macaroni salad recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

Macaroni pasta. truly any pasta works well in this method but elbow macaroni noodles are the old-school base; swap for chickpea pasta or any gluten-free variety.
Red bell pepper. adds sweetness and color; orange or yellow work too.
Celery. brings essential crunch; no real swap needed, simply leave it out if you don’t have it.
Red onion. gives a sharp, savory bite; soak in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the flavor.
Sweet pickles. optional but add a nice tangy sweetness; dill pickles work if you prefer less sweet.
Fresh parsley. brightens everything up; fresh is go-to here, but you can skip if needed.
Carrots. add color and crunch; pre-shredded carrots save time.
Green peas. these are optional but A regular here the bit of sweetness that they add to the salad. I usually thaw frozen peas and use those but canned also works.
Vegan mayo. the creamy base of the dressing; any store-bought vegan mayo works great. For a high protein version, I’ve also made this with silken tofu by blending it up with a splash of water and then using that in place of the mayo. It’s a little less tangy but still worth the pot!
Apple cider vinegar. adds tang to balance the richness of the mayo. Red wine vinegar would also work well.
Maple syrup. a touch of sweetness to round out the dressing; agave works too.
Dijon mustard. adds depth and a little zip to the dressing.
Garlic powder. a subtle savory note throughout.
Salt and pepper. season to taste; don’t skip tasting and adjusting before serving!
Optional add ins. I’ve made this in the past with fresh dill and green onions in place of the red onion. Both are great additions!

How to Make It

Only a reminder that you can find the FULL straightforward vegan macaroni salad recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you:)

Cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. I don’t mind my pasta salad at room temperature or even a little warm but if you prefer it cold, run the noodles under cold water to cool them down a bit. Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl.

Make the creamy sauce by combining all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup: vegan mayonnaise, vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

dressing being poured on top of macaroni and veggies to make a macaroni salad

To the bowl with the pasta, add in the chopped veggies. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine. You can enjoy it right away or let it cool in the fridge for a bit. Store leftovers in an airtight container!

Recipe Tips

Cook your pasta al dente. It will continue to absorb the dressing as it sits, so slightly undercooked is better than mushy.
Let the pasta cool before tossing. Warm pasta will soak up the dressing too fast and make for a dry salad.
Make it ahead. This salad is dependable after chilling for at least 30 minutes — the flavors genuinely come together.
Add more dressing before serving. If it looks dry after sitting in the fridge, stir in a spoonful of mayo and a splash of vinegar.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Cold dulls flavors, so always taste again right before serving and add salt as needed.