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. My favorites are Follow Your Heart veganaise and Trader Joe’s creamy dill ranch style dressing (the refrigerated one). 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!
Easy Vegan Macaroni Salad
8
servings30
minutes10
minutesA great easy vegan macaroni salad perfect as a side or meal!
Ingredients
1 lb macaroni, cooked to package instructions (make sure to salt water well!)
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/2 cup vegan ranch dressing
1 green bell pepper, chopped small dice
1 yellow, orange or red pepper, chopped small dice
1/4 cup red, white or yellow onion, chopped small dice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions but make sure to salt the water well. It should be salty like the sea so I normally add two tablespoons to a pot of water. To cool the pasta quickly after draining return the pasta to the pot and cover with ice. Stir to make sure the ice is cooling it down and let it stand for about 10 minutes. If there are any cubes left, fill the pot with water again and they should rise to the top and be easily removed.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl and add all of the chopped vegetables and minced dill. Whisk the ranch dressing into the vegan mayo and pour over the salad then mix to combine thoroughly. Chill well before serving.
- If the salad isn’t as loose as you’d like, add a little more ranch then salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Use your favorite elbow macaroni or another pasta shape if preferred.
- Use your favorite vegan mayo and ranch. I used Follow Your Heart veganaise and Trader Joe’s refrigerated creamy dill ranch style dressing. Hidden Valley, Follow Your Heart and other brands make vegan ranch as well.
- If you don’t like dill, you could add fresh parsley instead.
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