Vegan Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
This macaroni salad recipe really nails that classic potluck fave. And it's vegan! Creamy and crunchy, it's made with crumbled tofu and a touch of kala namak for that old-school eggy flavour.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni pasta 340g
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt for pasta water, 18g
- 7 ounces firm tofu very finely chopped or crumbled, 200g
- 1/2 teaspoon kala namak 2g
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise 240g
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 15g
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4g
- 1 teaspoon onion powder 3g
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste, 3g
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1g
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped, 100g
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped, 150g
- 4 green onions white and green parts finely chopped, 40g
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika for garnish, 1g
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt, then cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until just tender.Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Let it drain very well so the salad does not become watery.
- Prepare the tofu "egg" mixture. In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped or crumbled tofu with the kala namak. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes so the tofu absorbs the "egg flavour".
- Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vegan mayonnaise, yellow mustard, sugar, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the salad. Add the cooled macaroni, tofu mixture, celery, red bell pepper, and green onions to the bowl with the dressing.Mix well until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This helps the flavours meld together and gives the salad its classic old-fashioned texture and flavour.
- Garnish and serve. Stir the salad once more before serving. Sprinkle paprika over the top just before serving.
Notes
- Keep that kala namak. It's what gives this dish its signature eggy flavour without the eggs. You can find it in most Indian and/or South Asian markets.
- Cool completely. Let the pasta cool all the way, otherwise your dressing will separate.
- Be patient. Let the mac salad chill for at least 1 hour (overnight if possible) so the pasta soaks up as much of the flavour from the dressing as possible.
- Texture check. If the salad is too thick when you pull it out of the fridge, stir in a tablespoon (14g) of vegan mayo to loosen it up.
- Storage. Seal any leftover salad in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. I wouldn't freeze this maz salad. It won't thaw well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1heaping scoop | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 1827mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg