Quick Macaroni Salad (No Mayo)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jul 8, 2015 (last updated Apr 21, 2026) 
This no-mayo macaroni salad skips the creamy dressing entirely and uses a quick homemade Italian vinaigrette instead. Elbow pasta, cherry tomatoes, and fresh veggies come together in 15-minutes for a lighter pasta salad that holds up well in the fridge for days!
5 star review
“I’ve made this recipe several times over the last couple of years, and it never disappoints! This pasta salad is always a hit at every potluck, and I love that it holds up well in the fridge for leftovers. I always sub bowtie pasta for the macaroni (because bowtie pasta is so cute).”
– Emilia
No-Mayo Macaroni Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
My family has been making macaroni salad for years, and most versions I grew up with were loaded with mayo. So for my version I wanted the same nostalgic comfort but with a lighter dressing that wouldn’t weigh everything down. The solution comes in the form of a quick homemade Italian vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. It has all the tangy, herby flavor you want in a classic pasta salad without any of the heaviness, and it comes together in about 60 seconds.
The trick I recommend to everyone making this for the first time: whisk the dressing directly in the serving bowl before you add the pasta! This way every last drop coats the noodles evenly and you’re not chasing dressing around the sides of a separate container. Add the pasta while it’s still slightly warm so it absorbs the vinaigrette as it cools, then fold in the chopped vegetables. By the time everything comes together the flavors have already started to meld. So good!
This is also one of those rare pasta salads that genuinely tastes better the next day. The vinaigrette soaks into the pasta overnight and the vegetables stay crisp rather than getting soggy the way they do in a mayo-based salad. I make a full batch on the weekend and it holds up well through the entire week (or for potlucks and picnics), which makes it one of my most-used meal prep recipes in the summer.
And for another no-mayo pasta salad that works just as well for meal prep, my corn pasta salad uses a similar approach and comes together in about the same amount of time. Or for a pasta salad that’s a bit more substantial, my tortellini pasta salad can also be made ahead and is a good option when you want something heartier to bring to a gathering!
Testing Tips for No-Mayo Pasta Salad
- Cooked pasta: I used cooked and cooled elbow macaroni pasta because I wanted to create a healthy twist on the classic macaroni salad, but you can use any pasta shape you like.
- Carrots: Fresh carrots work best for this recipe. I look for whole carrots with the tops on for the best & sweetest flavor rather than baby carrots.
- Cherry tomatoes: I used halved cherry tomatoes for this recipe since they don’t require much prep (I appreciate that they’re quick and easy to halve & eat with a fork). Just be sure the tomatoes are ripe and full of flavor!
- Celery: Fresh celery works best for this recipe and provides delightful, refreshing crunchy texture to this garden pasta salad.
- Red onion: I love the subtle bite that raw red onion adds to homemade salads. You could also use shallots in their place. If you don’t like or can’t have onions, feel free to omit them.
- Flat-leaf parsley: The flavor of fresh parsley pairs well with the other ingredients in this pasta salad. Fresh basil is also lovely.
Quick Macaroni Salad (No Mayo)
Ingredients
For the Homemade Italian Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
- 1 pound cooked elbow pasta (drained, but not rinsed)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced into halves
- 6 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup, any color)
- 4-5 stalks celery, diced
- ¼ small red onion, diced (about ¼ cup)
- 6 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Instructions
Make the Italian Dressing
- In a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid place the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and vinegar. Whisk or shake until well combined.
- Add the olive oil and whisk or shake again until well combined. The dressing will naturally settle as it sits, so give it a good whisk or shake before serving.
Make the Macaroni Salad
- In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper, celery, red onion, and parsley.
- Pour over the dressing and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately or allow to sit at least 30 minutes for the dressing to absorb and the flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- For gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free pasta.
Eeek! I cannot make this pasta salad fast enough! I love pasta salad, but some reason I never make it. Which is dumb, because yours looks fantastic. Cannot wait to make this beautiful, colorful bowl of pasta!
Meg, I hope you will make it! Can’t wait to hear what you think. 🙂
This is a keeper! I made some substitutions to use what I already had. I used broccoli instead of celery, green instead of yellow pepper, and basil instead of parley. I also omitted the salt(dietary restriction), added pepper, and doubled the yummy dressing!
Stacey, I love your substitutions! I think I’ll use broccoli next time instead of celery, and doubling the dressing is always a good idea. Glad you enjoyed!
so simple, but so good! This is a great way to use up the CSA box. I had leftover broccoli, onion, tomato, carrots and celery and I get a new box tomorrow – so I cleared the vegetable drawer, and now have lunches for a few days. Thanks!
Kathie, sometimes the most simple recipes are the best, aren’t they? I love the idea of using this as a base recipe to use up whatever is left in the CSA boxes, and it’s always fantastic to have a few lunches for the week. Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Can I make this the night before?
April, make the salad, hold the dressing aside, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When ready to serve bring to room temperature and toss with the dressing.
Wish you would include the recipe nutritional information with your recipes, like the calories or fat grams, etc. Would be extremely helpful!
Hi Alisa, I actually don’t count calories or fat grams. Instead I simply focus on eating real, whole foods. If tracking calories and fat grams is helpful to you, please feel free to enter the ingredients for your favorite recipes into the many online calculators out there.
This is a delicious side dish, makes it easy to get in your veggies. It is a little time consuming to chop the vegetables, but that can be done ahead of time. Will be making again throughout the summer months. Great for potlucks!
Yay, glad you enjoyed this one–even with that extra chopping. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I’ve made this recipe several times over the last couple of years, and it never disappoints! This pasta salad is always a hit at every potluck, and I love that it holds up well in the fridge for leftovers. I always sub bowtie pasta for the macaroni (because bowtie pasta is so cute).
Emilia, ohhhh I love the idea of using bowtie macaroni, so smart! Thanks for sharing the tip and for leaving a reivew!