Vegan Macaroni Salad

Whether you're hosting a summer potluck or BBQ, classic macaroni salad is the crowd-favorite side dish that never fails to tie the entire meal together. It's packed with veggies and tossed in a creamy mayo mixture, making it the ideal light-and-refreshing side dish to go along with countless mains. This must-have side is something that no one should miss out on at the summer function, which led me to create this vegan version. Full of seasonal summer veggies and a creamy-yet-bright vegan mayo mixture, this macaroni salad is perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike. Seriously, even the most devout of carnivores will be going back for seconds.

What makes this macaroni salad vegan?
While our classic macaroni salad relies on regular mayonnaise, this vegan swap uses vegan mayonnaise, which, I promise, is indistinguishable from classic mayo. The difference is that vegan mayonnaise doesn’t use eggs. Instead, many recipes swap in aquafaba—which is a great dupe nearly anytime you need to substitute eggs—to maintain the creamy quality of mayonnaise without losing any texture. I’m also adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to make things really pop.

The mix-ins:
I decided to throw in some extra vegetables here, like bell peppers and black olives, but feel free to get creative with your favorite veggies! Add in your must-have mac salad mix-ins, or model this after our Hawaiian macaroni salad instead.

Storage:
This recipe can be made the day ahead of serving, and it lasts for 3 to 5 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. I always recommend dressing your salads as close to serving as possible for best results. The macaroni will keep absorbing liquid the longer it sits, so if you dress it too early, the dressing will be absorbed and you’ll end up with a dry mac salad. Ew!

Did you try making this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments down below!