Looking for a quick and portable lunch? Here’s our roundup of the best mason jar salad recipes for the summer.
Mason jar salads are one of our favorite portable lunches, but that’s not all the convenient containers can be used for. Mason jars are one of the most diverse kitchen items. Plus, they’re super cheap and can be used for a ton of different things.
We personally use mason jars for drinking water (the 24 ounce options are great for measuring your water intake), as Tupperware, vases, dry goods storage, and for making chia pudding and overnight oats.
They’re also great for canning and preserving if you like to make your own jams and pickles, and random household decor items like lamps, utensil holders, change jars, and the list goes on!
When it comes to meals, mason jars can be used as portable containers for packed salads. They’re especially useful for greens because you don’t need extra containers to pack your dressing. Not to mention they are plastic-free, eco-friendly, and are really pretty to look at.
How to Make a Mason Jar Salad
The key to putting together a mason jar salad is layering your ingredients correctly. Following these steps will help avoid any soggy salads.
First, start by putting your salad dressing at the bottom of the mason jar.
The second layer should be any additional veggies or fruit, but not leafy greens.
Next, add your grains, beans, meats, eggs and/or cheese.
Then any small crunchy ingredients like nuts or seeds.
Top everything with your greens, and when your ready to eat, keep the lid on and give the mason jar a good shake. You can eat your salad straight out of the jar or transport it to a bowl.
Here’s a list of a few simple mix and match ingredients from each category that you can combine for different flavor combinations.
Dressings
- Balsamic vinaigrette
- Lemon tahini dressing
- Creamy avocado dressing
- Soy ginger dressing
- Cilantro lime vinaigrette
- Sesame dressing
- Basil cumin vinaigrette
- Red wine vinaigrette
- Apple cider vinaigrette
Veggies and Fruit
- Bell peppers
- Snow peas
- Sugar snap peas
- Avocado slices
- Mandarin oranges
- zucchini noodles
- Artichoke hearts
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Peaches
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Corn
- Red onions
Grains, Legumes, Eggs, Cheese & Meats
- Black beans
- Farro
- Chickpeas
- Barley
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Brown rice
- Hard boiled eggs
- Feta
- Goat’s Cheese
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Cheddar chunks
Crunch
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Dried cranberries
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Cashews
- Raisins
Leafy Greens
- Herb lettuce blend
- Butter lettuce
- Red oak lettuce
- Mache
- Radicchio
- Baby spinach
- Arugula
- Kale
- Romaine
Top 12 Mason Jar Salad Recipes for the Summer
VEGETARIAN MASON JAR SALAD RECIPES
1 Coconut-Lime-Avocado Zucchini Noodle Salad with Quinoa, Peas and Feta
2 Black Bean and Lime Cilantro Mason Jar Salad
3 Raw Brussels Sprouts and Chick Pea Salad in a Jar with Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Asiago
PALEO MASON JAR SALAD RECIPES
5 Moroccan Chicken & Avocado with Lime & Chili Dressing
6 Asian chicken and sesame mason jar salad
VEGAN MASON JAR SALAD RECIPE
7 Asian chopped salad with peanut sauce
GLUTEN FREE MASON JAR SALAD RECIPES
10 Healthy taco mason jar salad
11 Mediterranean mason jar salad
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