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- Makes 8 cups
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With a hint of sweetness from diced apple, this dill-infused dish strikes the perfect balance between a potato salad and pasta salad. Hearty whole wheat macaroni is dressed in a tangy, creamy sauce that gets an extra boost of plant-based goodness from blended cannellini beans. Celery and red onion add tasty crunch while chopped kale offers a nutrient-dense dose of leafy greens. And don’t forget to add extra dill pickles to really punch up the lip-smacking flavor! Perfect for stashing into your kid’s lunchbox or enjoying as a healthy lunch at the office, this creamy dill pickle macaroni salad is scrumptiously satisfying (plus, the leftovers taste even better the second day).
Tip: If you like, substitute Great Northern beans or chickpeas for the cannellini beans.
For more vegan pasta salads, check out these tasty ideas:
By Rachael J. Brown,
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry whole wheat macaroni, cooked, drained, and cooled
- 2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups), aquafaba reserved
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups packed chopped kale leaves
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 medium Gala apple, cored and finely chopped (1 cup)
- ¾ cup thinly sliced baby dill pickles
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside to cool.
- For dressing, in a blender combine drained beans, ¼ cup of the aquafaba, and the next five ingredients (through pepper). Cover and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more aquafaba, pickle juice, and/or lemon juice if needed to reach desired flavor and consistency.
- In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour dressing over top and stir to combine. Add pasta and stir until well coated. If you like, top with additional fresh dill.
Comments (6)
(5 from 1 vote)Can you leave out the tahini or substitute something? Sesame allergies here.
Try substituting sunflower seed butter (sun butter) or a nut butter. A good unflavored plant-based yogurt would work as well.
No, it says you get 3 cups of beans. You only need 1/4 cup of aquafaba.
Oh I see now, my mistake, thank you for clarifying
You get 3 cups of liquid from two cans of cannellini beans?
Looks tasty!