The right way to make a Mason Jar Salad

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

Hello hello, pals! How are you? I hope you’re having an exquisite morning thus far! I’ve a lot happening! I’ll report again with the entire enjoyable I’ve been having on my journeys by sharing some tales on IG! I’ve simply been having the very best time these days.

Anyway, for immediately’s publish, I needed to share a meal prep staple that I completely love, particularly when you’ve got a busy schedule and routine: the mason jar salad! Critically good!

These are a easy but handy approach to pack in a nutrient-dense and satisfying meal and so they’re nice for wholesome packed lunches. One in all my favourite issues about them is that you may put together them days upfront, so that they’re a tremendous meal prep choice. I’m dedicating this publish 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 approach 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 arrange all your elements. I prefer 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 nicely in these) and any extras (like dried fruit, cheese, olives, pickles or pickled veggies, and many others.) Then you possibly can 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 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 high. Something that provides further taste or crunch (like nuts/seeds, croutons), I might carry on the aspect in a bit reusable bag or container so that they don’t get soggy within the combine.

Step 3

Preserve your dressing on the aspect. You need to 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 beneath relating to salad dressings.

How To Eat Mason Jar Salad

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

When 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 Measurement Mason Jar For A Salad

I normally 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 substances involved together with your meals because it’s sitting. You additionally need to keep away from having numerous further area 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 utilize, 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 permit you to layer recent elements, which helps hold all the things 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. High with crimson 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 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 high 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, crimson 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 high 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 alternative, recent basil, and salad greens. High 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 high. 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 suitable dressing. Mason jar salad dressings are a brilliant superior and sensible approach to put together recent, flavorful dressings upfront. The mason jar not solely serves as a approach to shake and blend your elements, nevertheless 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 traditional French dressing or a creamy dressing, the following tips will make it easier to profit from your mason jar dressings.

Layer elements in the suitable 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 possibly can layer your oils, vinegars, and seasonings on high. It will make it simpler to shake and mix the dressing collectively.

Shake, shake, shake!

After including all your elements into the jar collectively, seal it tightly and provides it a very good ol’ shake. Shaking ensures that the oil and vinegar (or some other liquids) emulsify and mix right into a easy, scrumptious dressing. For greatest outcomes, attempt to shake for at the very least 20-30 seconds!

Let it sit earlier than utilizing it.

Letting the salad dressing sit for about 10-Quarter-hour earlier than you utilize 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, pals: how typically do you meal prep? Do you want mason jar salads? When 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