make a Mason Jar Salad

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

Hello hello, buddies! How are you? I hope you’re having a beautiful morning up to now! I’ve a lot happening! I’ll report again with all the enjoyable I’ve been having on my journeys by sharing some tales on IG! I’ve simply been having the very best time currently.

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

These are a easy but handy option to pack in a nutrient-dense and satisfying meal and so they’re nice for wholesome packed lunches. One among my favourite issues about them is that you would be able to put together them days upfront, so that they’re an incredible meal prep choice. I’m dedicating this put up to share sensible suggestions to assist ya put together mason jar salads which are 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 option to get in vitamins, veggies, protein, and wholesome fat
• You can also make them a full-sized lunch or a facet 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 arrange your whole elements. 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 so forth), wholesome fat (nuts/seeds work effectively in these) and any extras (like dried fruit, cheese, olives, pickles or pickled veggies, and so forth.) Then you’ll be able to add these elements 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 facet in a bit of reusable bag or container so that they don’t get soggy within the combine.

Step 3

Hold your dressing on the facet. You should utilize a selfmade dressing or your favourite store-bought choice. I like Primal Kitchen, which we order from Thrive Market. I’ve some suggestions under concerning salad dressings.

How To Eat Mason Jar Salad

Should you’re at house, 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 further seasonings or herbs on prime and luxuriate in!

Should you’re consuming your salad on-to-go, simply ensure you 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 are 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 compounds 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 may cause meals to spoil extra shortly.

How Lengthy Does Salad Final In A Mason Jar?

Relying on the elements 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 utterly dry earlier than you add them to the jar.

Mason Jar Salad Concepts

I like that mason jar salads can help you layer recent elements, which helps maintain every part crisp and recent if 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 elements: 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 facet. That is my secret favourite salad-in-a-jar recipe.

Cobb Salad in a Jar

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

Buffalo Rooster Salad

Right 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 elements: 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 do that recipe) and chopped tortilla chips.

Tuna Salad

We love tuna and hen salad in our home. Right 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 chunk of recent sourdough.

Beet, Goat Cheese, and Basil Salad

Layer the next elements: 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

That 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 option to put together recent, flavorful dressings upfront. The mason jar not solely serves as a option to shake and blend your elements, however it additionally makes storing and pouring simple with minimal mess. Plus, the compact measurement makes it very simple 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 show you how to profit from your mason jar dressings.

Layer elements in the best order.

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

Shake, shake, shake!

After including your whole elements into the jar collectively, seal it tightly and provides it ol’ shake. Shaking ensures that the oil and vinegar (or every other liquids) emulsify and mix right into a easy, scrumptious dressing. For finest outcomes, attempt to shake for no 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 stable elements like herbs or garlic to infuse the liquids.

Make some further and retailer for later.

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

xo

Gina