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A bowl of macaroni pasta salad with chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, red onion, and parsley, with serving utensils on top.

Quick Macaroni Salad (No Mayo)

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A no-mayo macaroni salad with a homemade Italian dressing, fresh veggies, and herbs. Ready in 15 minutes, great for potlucks, picnics, and meal prep.
Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword easy, healthy macaroni salad, healthy pasta salad, pasta salad, quick, zesty
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 378
Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

  • Large Bowl

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

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.
    • You can also make the dressing by whisking together the dressing in the bottom of the large bowl you will make the salad in.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 8) | Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 324mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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