How to make a Mason Jar Salad

Sharing some tips about tips on how to make an ideal mason jar salad + a few of my favourite combos and mason jar salad recipes!

Hello hello, mates! How are you? I hope you’re having a beautiful morning thus far! I’ve a lot occurring! I’ll report again with all the enjoyable I’ve been having on my journeys by sharing some stories on IG! I’ve simply been having the very best time currently.

Anyway, for at this time’s put up, I wished to share a meal prep staple that I completely love, particularly when you have a busy schedule and routine: the mason jar salad! Significantly good!

These are a easy but handy solution to pack in a nutrient-dense and satisfying meal they usually’re nice for wholesome packed lunches. One in every of my favourite issues about them is which you can put together them days upfront, in order that they’re a tremendous meal prep choice. I’m dedicating this put up to share sensible suggestions to assist ya put together mason jar salads which can be scrumptious (and never soggy!).

How To Make A Mason Jar Salad

Why Put Salad In A Mason Jar?

• It’s a single-serve lunch choice
• You’ll be able to customise these salads to fit your preferences
• You can begin with the identical base after which add taste variations, so that you’re not consuming the very same factor all week
• It’s a handy solution to get in vitamins, veggies, protein, and wholesome fat
• You can also make them a full-sized lunch or a aspect salad
• You’ll be able to have a ready-to-eat meal everytime you please

How To Layer A Mason Jar Salad

Step 1

The very first step is to organize your whole substances. I wish to have a mixture of recent greens (rotate varieties to get completely different vitamins and advantages), roasted veggies, protein (hen, tuna, tempeh, lentils, leftover steak or salmon, hardboiled eggs, something you want), a wholesome starch (cooked rice, beans, quinoa, candy potato or any squash, and many others), wholesome fat (nuts/seeds work properly in these) and any extras (like dried fruit, cheese, olives, pickles or pickled veggies, and many others.) Then you’ll be able to add these substances everytime you please since you merely have them readily available.

Step 2

Now you can begin to layer! The important thing to mason jar salads is to layer every ingredient, beginning with the very best water content material and most dense choices and ending with the greens. I might do beans first, pickled veggies, roasted veggies, protein, starches, and greens on prime. Something that provides further taste or crunch (like nuts/seeds, croutons), I might carry on the aspect in a bit reusable bag or container in order that they don’t get soggy within the combine.

Step 3

Preserve your dressing on the aspect. You should use a do-it-yourself dressing or your favourite store-bought choice. I like Primal Kitchen, which we order from Thrive Market. I’ve some suggestions under relating to salad dressings.

How To Eat Mason Jar Salad

In case you’re at residence, I like so as to add my mason jar salad to a bowl, prime with dressing, after which use a pizza cutter to cut it up. From right here, I can add any extra seasonings or herbs on prime and luxuriate in!

In case you’re consuming your salad on-to-go, simply be sure to have wide-mouth jars. Add your dressing and toppings to the jar, add the lid, shake it up, after which take away the lid and eat!

What Dimension Mason Jar For A Salad

I often use jars which can be 32 oz and have a large mouth for a pleasant, hefty salad. I additionally love utilizing glass jars as a substitute of plastic for meal prep, so that you don’t have to fret about plastic chemical substances in touch together with your meals because it’s sitting. You additionally wish to keep away from having plenty of further house within the jar, as a result of further oxygen could cause meals to spoil extra rapidly.

How Lengthy Does Salad Final In A Mason Jar?

Relying on the substances you employ, salad in a mason jar can last as long as 5 fives. You can also make certain the salad stays recent by making certain your salad greens are fully dry earlier than you add them to the jar.

Mason Jar Salad Concepts

I like that mason jar salads help you layer recent substances, which helps maintain the whole lot crisp and recent once you retailer within the fridge till you’re able to eat. Whether or not you’re getting ready a fast lunch, a hearty dinner, or a picnic dish, listed below are some mason jar salad concepts to encourage your subsequent creation! Hope you’re not hungry, as a result of these are certain to make your abdomen growl in starvation.

Mediterranean Salad in a Jar

Layer the next substances: chickpeas, feta, hen, pepperoncini, feta, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, and chopped romaine. Prime with purple wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano earlier than shaking and having fun with! Serve with pita bread on the aspect. That is my secret favourite salad-in-a-jar recipe.

Cobb Salad in a Jar

Layer the next substances: cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, chopped hard-boiled egg, feta, chopped turkey bacon, hen, and romaine. Add Ranch dressing earlier than serving.

Buffalo Hen Salad

Here is the recipe! Add the hen and feta first after which prime with salad greens and cilantro. Add your dressing earlier than shaking and serving.

Mexican Chopped Salad

Layer the next substances: cooked black beans, cheese, salsa, rice, hen, bell pepper, cilantro, purple onion, and greens. Earlier than serving, add cilantro-lime French dressing (store-bought or try this recipe) and chopped tortilla chips.

Tuna Salad

We love tuna and hen salad in our home. Here’s my go-to tuna salad recipe! Add some to the underside of the jar, and prime with celery, olives, and salad greens. Add dressing and chopped avocado earlier than serving. I’d have this with a bit of recent sourdough.

Beet, Goat Cheese, and Basil Salad

Layer the next substances: cooked beets, crumbled goat cheese, protein of selection, recent basil, and salad greens. Prime together with your favourite balsamic French dressing earlier than having fun with.

Curry Chickpea Salad

This is my go-to recipe! I might add this to the underside of a jar and salad greens on prime. I’d serve it with Primal Kitchen dressing and Easy Mills crackers.

Mason Jar Salad Dressing Suggestions

Ahh, no good salad is full with out the best dressing. Mason jar salad dressings are an excellent superior and sensible solution to put together recent, flavorful dressings upfront. The mason jar not solely serves as a solution to shake and blend your substances, but it surely additionally makes storing and pouring straightforward with minimal mess. Plus, the compact dimension makes it very straightforward so that you can make small batches that can be utilized all through the week. Whether or not you’re making a basic French dressing or a creamy dressing, the following tips will make it easier to benefit from your mason jar dressings.

Layer substances in the best order.

When making your dressing in a mason jar, begin by including the thicker substances, like mustard, honey, or garlic, on the backside. Then you’ll be able to layer your oils, vinegars, and seasonings on prime. This may make it simpler to shake and mix the dressing collectively.

Shake, shake, shake!

After including your whole substances into the jar collectively, seal it tightly and provides it a great ol’ shake. Shaking ensures that the oil and vinegar (or every other liquids) emulsify and mix right into a clean, scrumptious dressing. For greatest outcomes, attempt to shake for not less than 20-30 seconds!

Let it sit earlier than utilizing it.

Letting the salad dressing sit for about 10-Quarter-hour earlier than you employ it helps the flavors to return collectively and develop a extra balanced style. This resting time additionally helps any strong substances like herbs or garlic to infuse the liquids.

Make some further and retailer for later.

So inform me, mates: how typically do you meal prep? Do you want mason jar salads? In case you’re a fan, please share your favourite combo! I’m at all times in search of scrumptious new salads and dressings so as to add to my armory of recipes!

xo

Gina