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This dairy free macaroni salad recipe is a creamy delicious side dish to serve at a BBQ, cookout, or potluck. Classic deli-style flavor with lots of added vegetables for a bright and fresh crunch in each bite.

No dairy needed for this simple mac salad. It’s great to make ahead for your next gathering – and it’ll go quick!

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Table of Contents

The Midwesterner in me loves macaroni salad! I’ve made tons of versions of it, and this non dairy macaroni salad recipe is one of the best yet! It tastes exactly like the kind you’d get from the grocery deli, but much more cost effective (and plant-based)!

Dairy Free macaroni salad is so yummy served with anything coming off the grill. Its awesome with veggie burgers, hot dogs, fresh grilled corn, or any salad. This deli-style salad is actually loaded with tons of vegetables in it, so it has a nice refreshing crunch in eat bite.

This Dairy Free Macaroni Salad Recipe Is:

Creamy
Tangy
Savory
Loaded with Vegetables
Versatile: you can use any vegetables you have on hand, or swap in your favorites.
Vegan, Dairy Free & Egg Free – and you can make this gluten free too!

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What’s In This Dairy Free Macaroni Salad?

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Onion, Celery, Carrots, Bell Peppers

Macaroni Noodles
Vegan Mayonnaise: I like to use dairy free mayo to keep this recipe plant-based, but you can use whatever mayo that you would normally use in recipes. If you don’t normally like mayo, try my dairy free recipe... it’s creamy but still plant based.
Sweet Relish – to give this dish a little extra sweetness. I love this classic sweet relish which has a nice crunch and a sweet and tangy flavor.
Yellow Mustard – while I normally like cooking with whole grain or Dijon mustard, sometimes a good classic yellow mustard is exactly what you need!
Apple Cider Vinegar, which gives this dressing a little extra tang which is really fantastic! I love using this organic apple cider vinegar with the mother which has a great flavor. I think it gives a nice extra sweetness and depth.

Make Macaroni Salad Dairy Free for a Plant-Based Version

This dairy free mac salad is a fantastic take on the classic without all the dairy. I’m all about making recipes plant-based and dairy free when I can. Dairy-free cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. You can achieve total richness and creaminess with some simple swaps.

By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make better meals for you and your family. I made a list of my 125 favorite vegan pantry ingredients that we use on a weekly basis, and check out all my plant based recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy and tasty recipes are fantastic meatless and dairy free meals for your table.

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How Do I Make Macaroni Salad Without Dairy?

1. Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse in a colander under cool water.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the macaroni noodles, onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, vegan mayo, relish, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

3. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Make Ahead Macaroni Salad Option

This creamy vegan macaroni salad is great to make ahead for a BBQ, party, or potluck. Make it the day before, cover and let it rest overnight, and it’s ready to go the following day! Like traditional pasta salad or coleslaw, this macaroni salad tastes better if made a day or two before.

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Dietary Modifications

This recipe is vegan, dairy free, & egg free – and contains no meat in the macaroni salad.
To make gluten free, use gluten free macaroni pasta noodles or any bottled ingredients (like relish, mayo, etc.)
To make this refined sugar free, just substitute a natural sweetener for the sugar in this recipe, and make sure there is no added sugar in the relish.

More Dairy Free Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love!

Non Dairy Ranch Dressing Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce Recipe (Vegan Potluck)

Spicy Rigatoni Arrabbiata Recipe (Vegetarian)

Tomato Basil Hummus

Dairy Free Brownie Recipe (No Butter or Milk)

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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

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This was a fabulous salad. It had all the ingredients I had on hand and my family raves about its great flavor. It was a hit