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Vegan Pimento Macaroni Salad
5 from 51 votes

Vegan Pimento Macaroni Salad

Vegan Pimento Macaroni Salad blends cooked elbow macaroni with a creamy plant-based sauce made from soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and roasted red peppers, along with lemon juice, rice vinegar, hot sauce, and spices. The salad incorporates crisp celery, bell peppers, red onion, and chopped pimentos for texture and flavor. Chilling the combined salad allows the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
26 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 285 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the sauce:
  • 1 ½ cups cashews raw (sub 1 ¼ cups raw sunflower seeds for nut-free
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 4 ounces red peppers roasted, drained
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons hot sauce I used Crystal brand.
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 ½ teaspoons salt I know this seems like a lot, but remember it's for an entire package of pasta!, fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the salad:
  • 16 ounces macaroni dry elbows (use whole-grain or gluten-free, if needed
  • 1 cup celery chopped (about 5 large stalks
  • 1 cup bell pepper chopped yellow or orange (about 1 large pepper
  • ¾ cup red onion diced (about 1 small onion
  • 4 ounce Pimentos jar, drained very well and chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. *If using a standard blender, first soak cashews in hot water for 1 to 2 hours (or soak seeds for 1 hour). Then, drain and follow recipe. In a high-speed blender combine all sauce ingredients. Gradually increase speed, then blend on high until completely smooth. Set sauce aside.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Immediately drain in a colander and thoroughly rinse with cold running water, tossing/stirring pasta until it's cool. Drain well.
  3. Pour about half of the sauce into the pasta pot. Add the macaroni and stir to combine. Add more sauce, and continue to stir making sure all of the macaroni is completely coated. It will seem very saucy at this point but will thicken as it sits and after adding the veggies.
  4. Reserve a tablespoon or two of each of the veggies for garnish, if desired. Add remaining celery, bell pepper, onion, and pimentos to the pot. Stir to combine.
  5. Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle reserved veggies/pimentos on top. Refrigerate for one hour (or longer) before serving.

Notes

  • Macaroni salad improves in flavor after chilling overnight, making it ideal for make-ahead meals.
  • Serve this salad cool, and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days to maintain freshness.

Nutrition Information

Calories 285kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 11g (22%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 575mg (24%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 369IU (7%) Vitamin C 41mg (46%) Calcium 32mg (3%) Iron 3.4mg (19%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 285

% Daily Value*

Calories 285kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 11g 22%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 575mg 24%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 369IU 7%
Vitamin C 41mg 46%
Calcium 32mg 3%
Iron 3.4mg 19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.