Classic Vegan Macaroni Salad

bowl of vegan macaroni salad with carrots, green pepper, and celery in the background with a spoon taking a portion

Course: party food, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic macaroni salad, vegan macaroni salad

Prep Time: 30

cooling time in the refrigerator: 2

Total Time: 2 30

Servings:

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Cindy Rainey

This vegan macaroni salad recipe is everything a classic macaroni salad should be with diced onion, celery, and bell pepper along with shredded carrots and chopped pimento peppers. Only it's made vegan with vegan-friendly ingredients like vegan mayo and black salt. (See notes about the black salt below.)

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Ingredients

16 ounce elbow macaroni pasta
1 cup vegan mayo
¼ cup white vinegar
½-⅔ cups granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons yellow mustard
½ Tablespoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛-¼ teaspoon optional black salt (kala namak) see notes
1 cup red onion finely diced
1 cup celery diced
1 bell pepper diced
½ cup grated carrot
2 Tablespoons pimento chopped

Instructions

Prepare the macaroni according to package directions. Drain when finished cooking and run cold water over it to begin the cool-down process. Set aside.
While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, you can chop and dice the vegetables and make the dressing.
Use a large bowl. This is the bowl you will mix everything in. Whisk together the vegan mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper, and black salt together if you are using it. See notes about the amount of sugar used.
As you dice the vegetables, add them to the bowl with the mixed dressing. Dice the onions, bell pepper, celery, and pimento. Peel and shred the carrot if you didin't buy it pre-shredded. Add all to the bowl.
Once the pasta has been drained and rinsed, I pat it dry a littte bit. Add it to the bowl with the diced vegetables and dressing. Toss all together.
Cover and refrigerate. It will take up to two hours to be cooled enough to serve. Store extras in an airtight container in the frige for up to five days.

Notes

Black salt - or Kala Namak is actually gray/pink in color and has a sulfur-like eggy taste. It is totally optional to use this Mid-Eastern seasoning to boost an egg-like flavor in vegan dishes that use vegan mayo. You might find it at an Indian market, or high-end grocery store, or on Amazon. Not everyone likes the eggy taste. If you don't then don't use it. If you don't want to buy it, then don't worry about it. This macaroni salad will still be delicious.

The ingredients show 1/2 - 2/3 cup of granulated sugar. The original recipe calls for 2/3 cups. The reason for the range in measurement is that not all vegan mayo is made the same. Some is sweeter than others. I play it safe and start with one-half cup and then do a taste test. You can always add a little bit more. Keep in mind that the difference in tablespoons between one-half and two-thirds cups is about 2 1/2 tablespoons. So start with one-half cup of sugar and add a teaspoon at a time but no more than seven or eight teaspoons.

I like my vegetables - especially the onions - to be diced small.

Nutrition