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The Midwesterner in me loves macaroni salad! I’ve made tons of versions of it, and this vegan 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)!
Vegan 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 Vegan 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!
What’s In This Deli-Style Macaroni Salad?
- Onion, Celery, Carrots, Bell Peppers – I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
If you think organic produce is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a look!
- Ridged Macaroni Noodles – I love the light springy texture of macaroni noodles, they are so perfect for creamy vegetable salad like this! These macaroni noodles are slightly ridged, which helps the creamy dressing stick to the pasta, or any sauces. And for a gluten free version, these awesome GF macaroni pasta noodles work perfect in this recipe.
- Vegan Mayonnaise: I like to use this 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. It’s great in this salad (like a secret ingredient!) and also great to have on the table for burgers or hot dogs.
- Yellow Mustard – while I normally like cooking with whole grain or dijon mustard, sometimes a good classic yellow mustard is exactly what you need! I love that this organic yellow mustard gives this recipe a wonderful tangy flavor.
- 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 Vegan for a Healthy Version
This vegan macaroni salad recipe is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegan cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make healthier 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 vegan recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy and healthy recipes are fantastic meatless and dairy free meals for your table.
How Do I Make Macaroni Salad Vegan?
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.
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 Classic Vegan BBQ Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love!
Deviled Egg Salad (Keto, Vegetarian, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
White Fence Farm Coleslaw: Copy Cat Recipe (Vegan, GF)
Vegan Tzatziki Pasta Salad (Gluten Free, Summer Side Dish)
Coleslaw Pasta Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
The BEST Creamy Cucumber Salad (Vegetarian, Old Family Recipe)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Homemade Deli Mac Salad Recipe
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
If you think organic produce is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a look!
As always, if you make this vegan mac salad recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Ranch Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce box macaroni noodles use gluten free if desired
- 1/2 sweet onion finely diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
- 1.5 cups ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Himalayan Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse in a colander under cool water.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the macaroni noodles, onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, ranch dressing, relish, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. when you are about to serve, mix in another 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing to keep it creamy!
Notes
Save Money on Organic Produce!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Herbeevore and our beehives!
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