Nothing goes better with warm weather and sunshine like a bright, creamy and crunchy macaroni salad. But since we try to keep indulgent foods to a minimum, it’s rare that we enjoy this fun spring and summer side dish. But not now! Whip up a batch of my protein packed vegan primavera pasta salad recipe and enjoy a bowl in the sun!
Macaroni Salad:
- 8 oz. (a full box) protein pasta of choice
- 1 cup celery
- 1 red bell pepper diced small
- 1/4 cup green onion (full stem – whites and greens) diced small
- 1/2 cup pickles, diced small (you can also use relish)
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 1/4 cup vegan plain greek yogurt (for even more protein, use 1/2 cup yogurt and only 1/4 mayo)
- 2 Tbsp pickle juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water, then add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Then rinse with cold water and drain well.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the diced celery, peppers, onion and pickles to the bowl. Add the pasta and the dressing and toss well to evenly coat. Taste and add more salt, pepper, pickle juice, etc to taste.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Best if refrigerated for 24 hours.
