Is there anything more American than macaroni salad? Oh sure, macaroni and cheese is up there as are burgers, potato salad and of course, apple pie. But what about macaroni salad? Does it deserve a seat at the All-American Summer Dinner Table?

According to my husband, yes. Yes it does. But only if it has tons of mayonnaise and makes that disgusting, “creamy” sound when the spoon dives in for a scoop. (You know what I mean. Don’t pretend like you don’t.) Anyway, I absolutely loathe mayonnaise. I was “that kid” who never ate sandwiches because the mere thought of mayonnaise made me vomit. But, you can’t make macaroni salad without it … alas, there’s a new sheriff in town and it’s readily available in the Piggly Wiggly, not just in the specialized grocery stores which until now, were the only places I could find a vegan mayonnaise. So hallelujah!

And yes, I made macaroni salad and it was so damn good I even ate some—which surprised my husband so much I thought, for just a movement, he might have thought some aliens had abducted the real me and replaced “me” with “her.” LOL. Anyway, you MUST go to the grocery, get a jar of Best Foods Vegan Mayonnaise and make this salad … then you can use it to make tuna fish, spread on sandwiches, etc. So good. So very very good!

“Best Foods Vegan is our plant-based alternative to the traditional Best Foods mayonnaise – we’ve removed the eggs, not what you love about mayo. Best Foods Vegan is a delicious condiment that is perfect for sandwiches, salads, and veggie burgers​. Free from eggs and gluten, Best Foods vegan spread is plant-based and offers the same creamy taste. Use it to lift and transform your favorite sandwiches and salads and feel good about serving it to your family.” SOURCE: Bestfoods.com

Vegan Macaroni Salad

PREP TIME: 30 minutes | COOK TIME: none, but best when chilled for 1-2 hours

• 1 box uncooked macaroni
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 to 1 ½ cups Best Foods vegan mayo
• ½ to 1 cup vegan cheese of your choice, cut into small cubes
• 2 TBS sweet relish
• 1 TBS dill relish
• 2 TBS onion powder
• 1 TBS garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni as directed, drain, rinse and set aside to cool. Once cooled, combine with all the other ingredients, mix well and chill for 1-2 hours. And there you go—Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Our recipes are just that, ours. Some are modified versions of dishes we’ve had elsewhere or old-favorites that contained animal proteins that we replaced with plant-based options, while others are a concentrated effort of trial and error. But all are intended to be altered by you and made to suit your tastes. So if you want more garlic or none at all, go for it. You do you ; ) Now for the serious part … periodically this site does offer health, nutrition and exercise information. The information provided is not intended as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice given by a licensed physician or other health-care professional. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, consult your physician and never delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have read on this site. The use of any information provided on this site is solely at your own risk.