Macaroni: Traditionally, macaroni salad is made with elbow macaroni, so for a more traditional look, make sure you use elbow pasta. Of course, you can also use other types of macaroni pasta. I used gluten-free macaroni pasta to keep this recipe gluten-free, however, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular elbow pasta instead.

Veggies: I used a red bell pepper, but you can also use green bell pepper, orange bell pepper or yellow bell pepper instead. I used white onion, but yellow onion or red onion will work just as well.

Sour Cream: I used dairy-free sour cream to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular sour cream instead.

Mayonnaise: If you would like to keep this recipe vegan, go ahead and use vegan mayonnaise instead.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar (ACV) adds a bit of tanginess to the salad. If you don’t have ACV, you may use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or lemon juice instead.

Mustard: Feel free to use whichever mustard you prefer (Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, etc).

Sugar: I use white sugar, but cane sugar or light brown sugar will also work. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute with zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Dried Herbs: Feel free to use any type of dried herbs that you like (dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried parsley, etc.)

Ground Black Pepper: A bit of ground black pepper adds a little spice. Feel free to add more or less depending on how much spice you can take.