Low Sodium Macaroni Salad Recipe (No Salt Added)
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Jump to RecipeThis Low Sodium Macaroni Salad is made with bright & fresh vegetables, spices, and a creamy salt-free dressing. A healthy & flavorful alternative to store bought macaroni salad, that tastes amazing with simple herbs and spices.
This creamy, tasty mac salad is perfect for a healthy side dish. Great for serving alongside lunch, BBQ fare, or just as a side with dinner.
Want more great low sodium sides? Try our low sodium three bean salad, classic low sodium potato salad, and our favorite low sodium pesto pasta salad!
Macaroni salad has always been a favorite of mine – I love it in the summertime with a burger, hotdog, or anything coming off the grill. What I don’t love about regular macaroni salad is the amount of sodium, so I wanted to make a healthier salt free & preservative free version!
This macaroni salad gets is amazing flavor from homemade mayonnaise (made without salt!), fresh chopped vegetables, and herbs and spices. It’s a great recipe to bring to your next BBQ, potluck, or cookout – and guess will love it!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s bright, creamy, and fresh!
- Delicious vegetables give this mac salad crunch in each bite.
- It’s loaded with veggies and fresh herbs, all tossed with springy macaroni noodles.
- A great side dish for summer BBQs, potlucks, or any time of year.
- The salt-free dressing is made with vinegar, sugar, low sodium mayo, and tasty spices!
Low Sodium Side Dishes for a Healthier Meal
This low sodium macaroni salad recipe is a fantastic condiment to make without the salt. Low sodium cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right.
By building meals around fresh ingredients and bright flavorful spices you can make healthier meals for you and your family. Check out all my low sodium side dish recipes here that are on LowSoRecipes. These easy and healthy recipes are fantastic sides for everyone at your table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Onion, Celery, Carrots, Bell Peppers
- Macaroni Noodles – I love the light springy texture of macaroni noodles, they are so perfect for creamy vegetable salad like this! If you don’t have macaroni noodles you can use another short pasta like ditalini, orzo, or small shells.
- Low Sodium Mayonnaise: If you have 5 minutes, you can make this easy low sodium mayonnaise recipe in your blender or food processor! If you’re looking for a store-bought option, this mayo has only 50mg per serving, which is about half the sodium of traditional brands.
- Low Sodium Mustard – my easy mustard recipe is sodium & salt free, which makes it the perfect addition to this recipe.
- White Wine Vinegar: not to be confused with normal white vinegar, this white wine vinegar gives this recipe a really nice flavor.
- Granulated Sugar
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
Additions and Substitutions
- I linked my low sodium homemade mayonnaise recipe, but if you can find a store-bought version that fits your sodium needs, go for it! I have been able to find lower sodium mayo at my local stores, which is great in a pinch.
- If you don’t like fresh onion (or bell pepper) you can omit it from the salad! Or substitute 1 teaspoon of onion powder instead.
- You could also add in a chopped hardboiled egg for extra protein.
A Great Make-Ahead Salt Free Side Dish for Entertaining
This low sodium mac salad recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time for a party, potluck, or gathering. Making this recipe in advance allows you to skip any cooking or prep on the day-of.
This is a great recipe to entertain with, or bring to an event. A crowd-pleaser that everyone is sure to love! Check out my other make ahead meals too.
How Do I Make Macaroni Salad without Salt?
Step 1: Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and add the noodles to a large bowl.
Step 2: To the cooled macaroni, add the chopped carrots, celery, bell pepper, and onion.
Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, add the low sodium mayo, low sodium mustard, vinegar, sweet relish, garlic powder, sugar, and pepper.
Step 4: Mix the dressing well to combine, and pour it over the macaroni and vegetables.
Step 5: Stir well to combine the dressing, making sure it coats all of the macaroni and vegetables.
Step 6: Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more pepper if desired. Stir in the fresh parsley and chill before serving.
Recipe FAQs
This easy low sodium mac salad has cooked macaroni noodles, fresh chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and bell pepper, and has a sweet and tangy dressing made with low sodium mayonnaise and mustard.
This low sodium macaroni salad has 80mg sodium per 3/4 cup serving of this macaroni salad, as it uses low sodium mayonnaise and salt-free spices in the dressing. Prepared or store-bought macaroni salads may have more sodium or salt in the dressing, so be sure to check nutrition labels before enjoying.
If you have leftover low sodium macaroni salad, you can store it in an airtight container (or a bowl with plastic wrap) and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 days of making, and make sure to stir the pasta well before serving.
More Healthy Low Sodium Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love!
- Low Sodium Pesto Pasta Salad
- Salt-Free Pico De Gallo Salsa
- Low Sodium Mozzarella Cheese and Tomato Caprese Salad
- Low Sodium Loaded Nachos
- The best Low Sodium Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating & comment below. Your feedback helps other people who are making this recipe.
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Low Sodium Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 ounces macaroni noodles
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- ¼ cup sweet onion chopped
- ⅓ bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup low sodium mayonnaise click for recipe
- 1 tablespoon low sodium mustard click for recipe
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse in a colander under cool water.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked and cooled macaroni noodles, onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, parsley, low sodium mayo, low sodium mustard, white wine vinegar, sugar, garlic and onion powder, and lemon pepper. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Taste and add an additional teaspoon of vinegar if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
Serving Size
The nutritional information above is for 1/8 of the recipe, or about 3/4 cup of macaroni salad. Additions and Substitutions- I linked my low sodium homemade mayonnaise recipe, but if you can find a store-bought version that fits your sodium needs, go for it! I have been able to find lower sodium mayo at my local stores, which is great in a pinch.
- If you don’t like fresh onion (or bell pepper) you can omit it from the salad! Or substitute 1 teaspoon of onion powder instead.
- You could also add in a chopped hardboiled egg for extra protein.
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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I usually buy this in the store. It gets very expensive. This tastes way better and better for me
what is the service size on these recipies its nice you include the nutritional info but whats the service size 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup , 1 cup , 2 oz 5 oz etc?? this is important to some of us that are on say a low sodium diet and i see its 8 mg of sodium but for how much?
Hello Christopher – noted, thank you for the feedback, I just edited the recipe to make the serving size more clear! And will continue to state it on the recipes moving forward.
For the macaroni salad, at the top of the recipe card it says how many servings, which are 8 – so about 3/4 cup of macaroni salad.
Hope that helps! – Kelly
A fabulous taste
Tastier and more economical than at the deli counter