Just as much as it’s not summer without pool days, it’s not summer without a good pasta salad.
Usually the things are laden with heavy dairy products, but not this one! It’s completely dairy-free and loaded with the perfect combo of crispy veg. Pasta heaven in a bowl.
Plus, it comes with a VIDEO!
If you enjoyed this video, be sure to check out my first one for Vegan Chai Ice Cream. I’m getting really into the video/editing process and having a blast doing it. So stay tuned for more in the near future!
So, back to the salad.
It’s simple, requiring just 30 minutes start to finish and just over 10 ingredients (depending on what spices you go with). The result is a light, fresh pasta salad with a tofu-based dressing that no one would ever guess was dairy-free. And the veggies? Perfectly crisp and uber colorful. Classic macaroni salad made vegan – ’nuff said.
Where might you take this pasta salad? A barbecue, a summer shindig, a lake day, a picnic, in yo lunch, camping… You get the idea. Make this salad and take it with you everywhere this summer. Cheers!
Vegan Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups elbow macaroni shells (GF for gluten-free eaters)
- 1/2 medium red pepper (diced)
- 1 cup celery (diced)
- 1/4 cup red or green onion (diced)
- 1 cup silken firm tofu (make sure it’s silken or it won’t blend right)
- 2-3 Tbsp dried dill*
- 2-4 Tbsp agave nectar or cane sugar (or honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, black pepper & garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp vinegar (white wine is best)
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 Tbsp spicy mustard (for tang)
- Water (to thin)
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Chop veggies and set aside.
- Prepare dressing by adding silken tofu, dill, salt, pepper, garlic powder, agave nectar (or sugar), vinegar, oil, and spicy mustard to a blender and blending until well combined. Scrape down sides as needed. If having trouble blending add water in Tablespoon amounts until it has enough liquid to churn properly.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added more dill, mustard, salt and agave.
- Toss drained noodles and veggies with the dressing in a large serving bowl. Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving. The flavors will meld and the salad will thicken up the longer it chills.
- Serves 8 (as original recipe is written). Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a few days.
Video
Notes
* Inspiration from Pioneer Woman
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Deb Karabin says
I made some tweaks and it was quite delicious! Doubled the garlic, salt and vinegar. I decreased the macaroni to 3 cups uncooked, it soaked up the sauce as it was. 4 cups would have been too dry.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Deb. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Steph says
Super yummy again ❤️. I have made 2 versions. A spicy one for the adults and a sweeter one for the kids. The pasta I used was buckwheat 😋. They loved it.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Steph! xo
Kelly says
Yum, perfection! I did not use gluten free pasta and I had no issues with it drying out the next day like others have reported, it was delicious left over. I didn’t need any water when blending but ended up using less pasta than called for perhaps as a result of that. I used green onion and fresh dill which i chopped and adding with a spoon to the sauce instead of blending. Will definitely make again in the future. Great vegan side to bring to a BBQ party.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kelly. Thank you for sharing! xo
Ruth says
Delish! Followed some suggestions and reduced the amount of sugar to 1 tablespoon, and added additional seasoning to taste. Will be go to from now on!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Ruth! xo
Trey says
OK, this was actually very satisfying. I’m just happy that after reading the other comments, that I cut the number of spoons of agave syrup to just one – anything more would have made it too sweet. My one problem with this recipe is that it Does Not last 2-3 days. It has to be eaten the day you make it, because even slightly later, and the macaroni salad is completely dry, rubbery, and somehow completely lacking in flavor. I need a vegan macaroni salad that is creamy and fresh-seeming for more than one day, as is the case with the non-vegan version.
Thank you for the feedback, Trey! We’ll revisit and see if we can troubleshoot those issues.
Kelsey says
Hi!
Is there anyway to substitute the tofu to make it soy free?
Thanks!
Kelsey
Hi Kelsey, we think it could work to blend cashews and water, similar to this recipe. Hope that helps!
Brittany says
For added protein those who want a soy free and nut free alternative, you could try hemp seeds and nondairy milk for the dressing! Also, chickpea elbow macaroni could be used for added protein.
Thanks for sharing Brittany!
Barbara says
Delicious and easy! It’s amazing what silken tofu can do. Thanks for the great recipe that will now be part of my summer repertoire!
Whoop! Yes, such a magical ingredient! Thank you for sharing, Barbara!
Bre says
Hi! Any recommendation for a substitute for the tofu? My daughter is allergic to soy. Thanks!
Hi Bre, we think it could work to blend cashews and water, similar to this recipe. Hope that helps!
Jennifer says
This looks great, but what does 4 Cups of macaroni mean? Is that dry macaroni? How many ounces is that? Did you use 2 different shapes of pasta in the recipe—-it looks like that in the photo, if so, how much of each different shape? Two different shapes would need to be cooked separately due to timing, wouldn’t they?
Love your recipes! They are always a ‘go to’ for me. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer! 4 cups of dry noodles is the measurement we got in combination with the sauce and other flavors in this macaroni salad, but one normal size box of macaroni (~16 oz dry) should work great! We’d suggest just using one kind. Thanks for the kind compliments, we’re glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Sarah says
I’m sorry for my confusion, but 16oz of dry macaroni is two cups, correct? Or am I hopelessly lost?
Hi Sarah, it’s not. 16 oz is two cups for liquid measurement, but it varies for other items due to varying weights of ingredients.
Kendall S. says
WOW!! i can’t express how delicious this is!!! i used soaked cashews (boiled raw cashews for 10 mins) instead of tofu and it came out perfectly! *chef’s kiss* this is perfect as a side dish or a main meal! would highly highly recommend!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed, Kendall! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications. xo
Vicky says
This tasted like a legit macaroni salad with mayo! the only difference I’d say was that it became a bit dry next day, but still good!
Thanks for sharing, Vicky! If using GF macaroni, some brands are more prone to drying out than others. If that’s the case, perhaps try another brand to see if that helps.
Faustina says
I just made this salad and it was great! The only substitution I made was that I used sweet yellow onions instead of red or green. I used fresh dill as suggested. The dressing was super easy to make.
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review, Faustina! xo
Donna says
I loved how simple this recipe was. My advice to anyone making this is to remember you can always add, but you can’t take away; I used 2 tbsp of agave nectar and the result was so sweet that I needed to up all of the seasonings to counterbalance it. I’m glad I didn’t add 3 or even 4! I found it needed nearer to 1 tsp of salt, not 1/4 tsp, and a good bit more than 1/4 tsp of pepper and garlic powder too. Not every recipe is exactly to everyone’s tastes, but this one is a great basis for you to tweak the amounts on and create a salad that’s just right for you.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Donna! xo
Susan says
So good! And even more delicious the next day! The dressing could be used for so many other things. Potato salad? Thank you for sharing.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Al says
Hi, just wondering if you could recommend a substitute for dill? I love it, but my partner won’t go near it!
Thanks in advance! 😊
Perhaps parsley? Let us know if you try it!
Natalie says
Can you use a vegan mayo instead of silken tofu?
That should work! Let us know if you try it!
ryan says
Simple to make and delicious. My guests didn’t even know it was vegan!
Whoop! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Ryan!
Diana Leone says
I loved this recipe I even added black olives which gave it another depth in flavor.
Love that addition! Thanks for sharing, Diana!
Kate Briquelet says
This recipe was pretty good, but if you blend the mixture in your Vitamix too long, the sauce turns green. Just a warning for everyone out there. Next time, I will add the dill at the end. Also, maybe make sure you cook the noodles al dente. Mine turned out a bit soft.
Oh no! Thanks for the tip, Kate!
Anna says
Wow. I was craving macaroni salad and decided to make some this weekend. I thought I was going to have to use vegan mayo which I try not to consume too much of. Then I stumbled across this recipe. So glad I did! It was so stinkin’ good. The silken tofu instead of mayo base was delicious. My whole Texan meat loving family loved it.
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Anna!
Sandy Lynn Stevens says
I bought silken tofu – and opened it- by mistake. I tooled around on the internet for a recipe that wasn’t a dessert (no sweet tooth) and found this. Even though I didn’t have red pepper, I had most of the other ingredients (only about 1/2 cup diced celery and used umi vinegar. Boy oh boy, was I surprised how good this is! I did add between 2 – 3 Tb spicy mustard and might even increase it next time too. I will be buying silken tofu on purpose to make this again. Thank you minimalist baker – your recipes are fabulous!
Aw, thanks so much for the lovely review, Sandy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Summer Morgan says
I love this recipe!
Gm says
I have not made this yet however I would love to know why it is soooooo many people (not just here) Say they made your recipe but also state they Added this, subtracted that, modified this and that, etc.? I noticed only one comment from someone who said Correctly that they used your recipe as a “base“ and added additional items to it. I mean come on if you take a recipe and you make multiple changes Or even one single change you’re no longer making that recipe. ?
Kelly says
Have you ever made the dressing the day before and then combined it with the macaroni/veggies just before serving? (looking for a way to save time day of a big family meal)
We haven’t, but that should work well! Let us know how it goes!
Kelly says
I made the dressing and cooked the pasta the day before and then combined them an hour before serving and it was great!
Yay! Thanks for the update!
Brooke B says
If I didn’t want to use silken tofu, could I use vegan mayo?
That should work!
Aamna Rashid says
i cant believe how good this tasted! i made this for some friends coming over as well as my family, and everyone loved it. i will definitely be making this again – especially since its so easy and quick to make. thank you!
So glad to hear it, Aamna! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Gene says
Dana, Thank you for this recipe! I made this recipe this afternoon. Used 12 oz silken tofu and adjusted other Ingredients accordingly. I saved water from draining pasta and used that to thin the dressing. Also added sliced olives because I like them. It was delicious! Perfect for a hot summer supper. Thanks again!
Smart! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kristen says
I was craving macaroni salad for the first time in years and found this — and lo and behold, just yesterday my coworker had brought in bags of fresh dill, so I had fresh dill on hand. :) I love the dill flavor, and the tanginess from the mustard and vinegar! I’ve never used silken tofu before except in vegan desserts so I was surprised to find that I, too, could make it into a tasty dressing. ;D
Though the four cups macaroni was a LOT and I had to dredge out the giant Tupperware to hold it all, and I would have honestly made a little more dressing (maybe half again as much?) to get the dressing to coat everything just a tiny bit more cream-ily, because after sitting in the fridge, it lost a lot of that “macaroni salad” texture. But the flavor of the dressing was outstanding and my omnivore friends and family enjoyed the end product, so it’s a win. I would DEFINITELY recommend using the fresh dill if you can find it!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kristen!
Nicole says
This was yummy, very classic. It’s magical that there’s sneaky hidden tofu, I love it. I used a whole red pepper and saw a lot of comments regarding sweetness so only used 1.5 tbs maple syrup. Will add more mustard next time to give it more tang/flavor. Didn’t have garlic powder so blended in a clove. Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle says
Great recipe! Thanks!
Kara T. says
This was a solid base, but it really didn’t come together until we added a few tbs of sweet relish, 1 tsp of dried parsley, 1/4 c soy free vegenaise, and 1/4 tsp paprika. NOW it’s phenomenal and I love that there’s protein!