Gluten-Free Soy-Free Vegan Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad with gluten free macaroni is a challenge. Rice noodles tend to continue to soak up any sauce you put them in which makes any pasta salad that needs to be chilled overnight rather dry. So the question I had was, could I make macaroni salad that did not require a four hour chilling period, but could instead go from concept to table in under an hour and without absorbing all of the dressing?

The following is such a macaroni salad. Now, like most gluten-free pasta, it does keep soaking up the sauce so if you refrigerate it overnight it will still taste good, but the dressing will appear to have vanished. As a make ahead dish, this is only so-so. Served fresh it is hard to believe it is gluten-free. Served a day later..yeah, its good, but it tastes gluten-free.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan soy free mindful mayo (this brand is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and egg-free
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
1 tablespoon pickle water (from probiotic pickles)
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced onion
1 small minced kosher dill pickle (about 1/2 cup minced)
1 carrot shredded or 1/2 cup pre-shredded
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt
pinch fresh ground pepper
Ice cubes

Equipment
Colander
Pot for cooking pasta
Paring knife and cutting board
grater for shredding carrot

Instructions
Fill pot with water and set on burner to boil
While water is heating up mince onions, celery and pickles
Shred carrots
Make sauce by combining all remaining ingredients in a bowl
Add vegetables to sauce and chill sauce
Put pasta into boiling water and cook according to package directions…do not overcook
When pasta is done, drain in colander.
Immediately add ice to macaroni in colander and mix until the ice is melted..allow the melted ice to drain
Repeat with more ice until the pasta is cold
Toss cold macaroni with the sauce and veggies mixture
Serve immediately or at least very soon (before the sauce gets absorbed.