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Life gets busy and mason Jar Salads are an easy way to simplify meals. This is the ultimate jar salads guide with 6 amazing recipes, 100+ mix-and-match ingredients, plus all the tips and ideas for make-ahead salads. Prep salad ingredients in bulk, layer into jars, and eat salads all week long!
🥗 These portable salads are perfect for busy lifestyles. Prepare multiple salads on Sunday and grab one each morning for lunch. The mason jar format makes them incredibly convenient for work, school, travel, or just a busy mom life!
Table of Contents
The Best Things About Jar Salads
A salad in a jar is the best way to have a healthy meal or side ready in a snap. Prep a bunch of jars on the weekend complete with customized homemade salad dressings and you’ll be eating well all week long.
And a few other reasons to embrace salads in a jar:
- They can be made in advance making them a super easy healthy meal.
- Your whole family will be more likely to eat salad because they are ready to go.
- By layering ingredients in a specific order, the salads can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days to a week.
- Great option to bring a healthy meal to work or eating on-the-go.
🩷 Melissa
They have endless possibilities for customization with a variety of ingredients, dressings, and flavors.
All you have to do is unscrew the lid, find a fork, and give it a little stir. There’s no reason not to be eating more salad!
And while you’re prepping a few of the salads in a jar, you could also make a few fruit on the bottom yogurt cups and put together some snacks in a jar so you a little extra prepared for the week.
Mix & Match Jar Salad Ingredients Guide
Sturdy Vegetables
- Carrots (julienned, diced, or shredded)
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green)
- Radishes (sliced or diced)
- Celery (diced)
- Red onion (thinly sliced)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grape tomatoes
- Cucumber (diced)
- Snap peas
- Sugar snap peas
- Broccoli florets (blanched)
- Cauliflower florets (raw or roasted)
- Corn kernels
- Edamame (shelled)
- Jicama (julienned)
- Beets (roasted and diced)
Animal Proteins
- Grilled chicken breast (diced)
- Rotisserie chicken (shredded)
- Hard-boiled eggs (halved or chopped)
- Grilled salmon (flaked)
- Canned tuna (drained)
- Grilled shrimp
- Turkey (diced)
- Ham (diced)
- Bacon bits (cooked)
- Smoked salmon
Plant-Based Proteins
- Chickpeas (roasted or canned)
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- White beans (cannellini)
- Pinto beans
- Lentils (cooked)
- Quinoa (cooked and cooled)
- Tofu (cubed and baked)
- Tempeh (crumbled)
- Hemp hearts
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Nuts & Seeds
- Almonds (sliced or chopped)
- Walnuts (chopped)
- Pecans (chopped)
- Pine nuts
- Cashews (chopped)
- Pistachios (shelled)
- Hazelnuts (chopped)
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Hemp hearts
Cheese & Dairy
- Feta cheese (crumbled)
- Goat cheese (crumbled)
- Mozzarella (fresh, diced)
- Cheddar (diced)
- Parmesan (shaved or grated)
- Blue cheese (crumbled)
- Cottage cheese
- Greek yogurt (as dressing base
Grains & Starches
- Quinoa (cooked)
- Brown rice (cooked)
- Wild rice (cooked)
- Farro (cooked)
- Bulgur wheat (cooked)
- Pasta (cooked – penne, orzo, rotini)
- Couscous (cooked)
- Barley (cooked)
- Sweet potato (roasted and diced)
Sturdy Fruits
- Apple (diced, tossed with lemon)
- Pear (diced, tossed with lemon)
- Grapes (halved)
- Dried cranberries
- Dried cherries
- Raisins
- Pomegranate seeds
Delicate Fruits
- Strawberries (sliced)
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Mandarin oranges
- Avocado (add day of eating)
Leafy Greens
- Baby spinach
- Arugula
- Mixed spring greens
- Romaine lettuce (chopped)
- Butter lettuce
- Kale (massaged)
- Swiss chard (chopped)
- Watercress
Fresh Herbs
- Basil (torn)
- Cilantro (chopped)
- Parsley (chopped)
- Mint (chopped)
- Dill (chopped)
- Chives (chopped)
Flavor Boosters & Extras
- Olives (Kalamata, green, black)
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Roasted red peppers
- Capers
- Pickled onions
- Jalapeños (pickled or fresh)
- Banana peppers
- Fresh garlic (minced)
- Ginger (grated)
- Lemon zest
- Lime zest
Dressings
Oil-Based:
- Olive oil and vinegar
- Balsamic vinaigrette
- Lemon vinaigrette
- Italian dressing
- Greek dressing
Creamy:
- Ranch dressing
- Caesar dressing
- Tahini dressing
- Avocado lime dressing
- Greek yogurt-based dressings
Mix & Match Formula
Start at the bottom and think of it as an upside down salad!
Bottom: The dressing is always on the bottom since it is the salad’s moisture.
Middle: Sturdy vegetables & fruits and everything that doesn’t need to go on the bottom or the top!
Top: Leafy greens and fresh herbs can go on top and can be squished down to get a bunch in there! Delicate fruits need to be added the day the salad will be eaten or at the last minute when you sit down to eat.
How To Make A Mason Jar Salad
Step 1: Add your ingredients to a mason jar in the order below for the perfect layering technique.
- Dressing (2-3 tablespoons)
- Sturdy vegetables (1/2 cup)
- Protein (3-4 oz or 1/2 cup plant-based)
- Grains & beans (1/4 cup)
- Cheese & nuts (2 tablespoons)
- Flavor boosters (1-2 tablespoons)
- Leafy greens (2-3 cups, packed on top)
Step 2: Leaving a bit of air at the top, seal the jar tightly. If you’re worried about condensation or moisture getting into the jar, you can put a folded up paper towel on top. (Use this as your napkin if putting your salad into a bowl when eating it!)
Step 3: I highly recommend labeling the jars with info such as who it’s for, type of salad, anything that needs added the day of eating, and even the day of the week it’s planned to be eaten. Anything that makes it easy to keep them moving before they go to waste!
When Ready to Eat: Shake the jar to get everything coated with dressing, open the jar, and mix it up a bit with your fork. You can also dump it out into a bowl or onto a plate — use a butter knife, spoon, or spatula to scrape out all the dressing!
6 Jar Salad Recipes For Meal Prep
Salad FAQs
Put the salad dressing in first. Then add your protein, add your “fixins,” and then add your greens last. No matter the recipe, placing your ingredients in the jar in this order is best.
When properly layered with dressing on the bottom and delicate greens on top, jar salads stay fresh for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. The key is keeping wet ingredients away from leafy greens until you’re ready to eat.
Wide-mouth quart-size (32 oz) mason jars are ideal for salads. They provide enough space for all ingredients while making it easy to add and remove items. The wide opening also makes eating directly from the jar more convenient.
Best Storage Ideas
Use wide-mouth quart (32 oz) mason jars. These are easier to fill, you can eat directly from them, and they’re easier to clean!
Use a pint jar for a lunch or single serving.
To keep the dressing completely separate, use a small container or a reused small yogurt or diced fruit container to hold the dressing and sit it down into the jar after adding all other ingredients (in the order listed above). Any small container that will fit into the mouth of the jar will work and doesn’t need a lid since your jar has its own lid.
Gently press down ingredients as you layer to minimize air pockets. This helps prevent oxidation and keeps ingredients fresher longer. Just be firm but delicate with the fragilel stuff!
Expert Tips
- Moisture Barrier: When layering your ingredients be sure to keep the moisture of the dressing away from the lettuce. This is easily done by putting the dressing on the bottom, greens on top, and lots of sturdy goodies in between.
- Packing Fragile Ingredients: Add things like eggs, cucumbers, and avocado when you’re ready to use the salad jar because these things tend to get old the fastest.
- Make Dressing Ahead: Make homemade salad dressing ahead during your meal prep session. It’s really easy and tastes way better than store-bought!
- Prep Proteins in Advance: Cook proteins like chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or roasted chickpeas in batches during meal prep. Having these ready-to-use ingredients makes assembling multiple jar salads quick and efficient.
More Salad Recipes to Consider
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
I eat the Berry Chicken Salad with Feta all the time at work. It’s a perfect Mason Jar Salad. <3
Ohh great idea Mattie! Thank you!
Thank you so much
Thank you for the recipes! What size jars are these? I didn’t see it mentioned but may have missed it.
Thanks!
These are 1/2 pint (1 cup) wide mouth jars, I LOVE this size and use it all the time for little recipes, leftovers, putting it in the lunchboxes…
Great idea, I love salad but hate preparing them all the time. This gives me a break from smoothies. Started gym workouts so this really helps.
They make eating those veggies a little easier, that’s for sure!
I want to fill my fridge with these colorful jars ~ great tips and a fabulous post!
I want to fill my fridge with these colorful jars ~ great tips and a fabulous post!
I go through cycles of not doing them too and I’m always happy when I come back to it! These were some really tasty ones. ENJOY friend!