Like potato salad, macaroni salad is a summer staple in America and enjoyed year round really. Since I have a mayo adverse partner, I’m the only one who eats these kind of salads but that’s fine by me. I’ve made many macaroni salads over the years from various recipes but I never liked ones that had a vinegar edge or were too soupy. I like to keep it simple and this recipe ticks all the boxes.
What makes this recipe super easy is that the dressing is equal parts vegan mayo and your favorite vegan ranch dressing. Make my amazing vegan ranch here! Then, it’s just boiling some macaroni, chilling it down, then adding chopped peppers, onions and some fresh dill. You may need a little salt and pepper to taste but that’s it really. Super simple and crazy delicious.
Some call this type of macaroni salad “confetti” salad because of the colorful veggies and I can see that. I used a combo of green and yellow bell peppers, red onion and fresh bright green dill. Certainly looks like a party!
There are some tips for success here even though it’s an easy recipe. First, salt your pasta water! It should be as salty as the sea and call for more salt than you think. I normally use two tablespoons for a large pot of water. Next tip to cool down the pasta quickly is to add ice after cooking. Once you drain the pasta, add it back to the pot then add a bunch of ice to completely cover it. Stir then let it cool down completely for about 10-15 minutes. If the ice doesn’t all melt, add water back to the pot and the ice will rise to the top and you can skim it off then drain it again.
Chilling the salad will help meld the flavors together. It actually often tastes better the next day. I hope you like this simple and tasty salad that’s perfect for vegan barbecues, pot lucks and more!
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Just made it with the vegan dill dressing from trader Joe’s and it came out so good! It was very easy to make.
Love that dressing! Bet it was delish and may try that myself! Thanks for the kind review.
This was an amazing pasta salad! Every time I looked up my boyfriend was eating another bowlful! I will definitely keep this in my rotation!
Haha love it! Thanks so much for the awesome review.