Ready in less than 30 minutes, this creamy Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad is so easy to throw together! Perfect for meal prep, the hardest part is chopping the vegetables. Make a double batch to share with friends at your next potluck!
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The dressing has so much flavor! It's garlicky, peppery, creamy, and tangy.
- So easy to make - boil the pasta, prepare the vegetables, whip up the salad dressing, and toss it all together.
- You can make it ahead. This gluten-free macaroni salad lasts for up to 10 days in the fridge. TEN!!
- This is the perfect salad for a snack, side dish, lunch, or dinner.
- It goes with anything! Add a protein or some extra veggies on the side to make it a meal.
- Naturally vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, and can easily be made vegan and egg free as well.
🗒️ Ingredient Notes
Pasta: I love macaroni noodles. The pasta salad dressing gets into all the nooks and crannies, and it just tastes amazing! I used gluten-free elbow noodles, however, regular macaroni noodles will work just as well if you're not on a gluten-free diet. Other pasta shapes that I enjoy in this side dish are fussili (rotini), farfalle, and spirali.
Condiments: Mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. You can use vegan mayonnaise or make your own classic mayo at home if you fancy a change from store-bought. For the vinegar, any vinegar will be perfect! It cuts the richness of the mayonnaise beautifully and adds a delicious tanginess to this Macaroni Pasta Salad.
Seasoning: Celery seed, ground black pepper, and garlic powder bring all of the flavor. This is a great combination! I also added sea salt and sugar. Feel free to adjust it to your taste.
Vegetables: I threw in some cucumbers, bell pepper, and Vidalia onion. Use any color of bell pepper you prefer, and any sweet onion like a red onion is a great choice for this recipe.
🥣 How to make Gluten-Free Pasta Salad
- Boil the noodles in a large pot according to package directions. You can taste the pasta to make sure it is cooked to your liking. Rinse with cold water, drain in a colander, and set aside.
- Make the dairy-free dressing: In a small bowl, combine the mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, celery seed, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk until smooth.
- Place the noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion in a large bowl. Stir together well.
4. Pour the sauce into the mixing bowl, then toss all to coat well.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Keep covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!
🍽 What does Pasta Salad go with?
This Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad is great for sharing at potlucks or have it for lunch or dinner with protein or extra vegetables. Here are my favorite dishes to serve with it:
- Air Fryer Halloumi
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh
- Pizza
- Pesto Pizza Rolls
- Grilled Cheese
- The Best Veggie Burger
- BBQ Walnut Chickpea Burgers
🥡 How to Store
Store these gluten free noodles in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Mix well before serving.
💭 Top Tips
Make a double batch to keep on hand for an easy side dish anytime!
Try different pasta shapes. There are so many good ones to choose from!
Make it vegan by using vegan mayonnaise instead of regular.
Need this to be dairy-free? Double-check your mayonnaise doesn't have any sneaky dairy products in it.
Sprinkle some parsley and feta or vegan feta to add another layer or two of flavor.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This Gluten-Free Macaroni Pasta Salad is best served cold. I recommend refrigerating it for an hour before eating.
For moisture, I add a combination of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and dijon mustard to this pasta salad. I also make sure that the pasta is cooked properly, and is al dente, or slightly softer.
It's a great idea to rinse gluten-free pasta after it's finished cooking, especially for pasta salad. This cools the noodles down and stops the cooking process. It's also a good idea because some gluten-free pasta can leave a residue after cooking, so it's best to rinse that off before eating it.
🍝More Easy Gluten-Free Pasta Recipes
Spicy Chimichurri Chickpea Pasta Bowl
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gluten-free elbow noodles if not gluten-free, use conventional macaroni noodles
- ½ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayo
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or any vinegar of choice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar of choice
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cucumbers diced
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- ½ vidalia or other sweet onion diced
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse with cool water, drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, celery seed, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk until smooth.
- Place the noodles, cucumber, bell pepper and onion in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Pour the sauce into the mixing bowl, then toss all to coat well.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Keep covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make a double batch to keep on hand for an easy side dish anytime!
- Try different pasta shapes. There are so many good ones to choose from!
- Make it vegan by using vegan mayonnaise instead of regular.
- Need this to be dairy-free? Double check your mayonnaise doesn't have any sneaky dairy products in it.
- Sprinkle some parsley and feta or vegan feta to add another layer or two of flavor.
Nutrition
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Jess says
Such a great idea to bring to my next potluck!
Anjali says
Love that this macaroni salad is gluten free!! Can't wait to make it for our 4th of July BBQ this weekend!
Chef Mireille says
Made this for a picnic and everyone loved it! It comes together easily and makes the leftovers make for a delicious side for BBq. Thanks
Emily says
This was so tasty and quick to put together for a picnic! Thank you for the recipe!