Sharing some recommendations on find out 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 to this point! I’ve a lot happening! I’ll report again with the entire enjoyable I’ve been having on my journeys by sharing some stories on IG! I’ve simply been having the very best time recently.
Anyway, for at present’s submit, 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! Severely 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 among my favourite issues about them is that you may put together them days upfront, in order that they’re a tremendous meal prep possibility. I’m dedicating this submit 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 possibility
- You possibly can 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 may make them a full-sized lunch or a facet salad
- You possibly can 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 entire components. I wish to have a mixture of recent greens (rotate sorts 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 on), wholesome fat (nuts/seeds work properly in these) and any extras (like dried fruit, cheese, olives, pickles or pickled veggies, and so on.) Then you possibly can add these components everytime you please since you merely have them 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 prime. Something that provides additional taste or crunch (like nuts/seeds, croutons), I might carry on the facet 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 facet. You need to use a do-it-yourself dressing or your favourite store-bought possibility. I like Primal Kitchen, which we order from Thrive Market. I’ve some suggestions beneath concerning 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 further seasonings or herbs on prime and revel in!
In case 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 Measurement Mason Jar For A Salad
I normally 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 involved together with your meals because it’s sitting. You additionally wish to keep away from having numerous additional area within the jar, as a result of additional oxygen could cause meals to spoil extra rapidly.
How Lengthy Does Salad Final In A Mason Jar?
Relying on the components you utilize, salad in a mason jar can last as long as 5 fives. You may make certain the salad stays recent by guaranteeing 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 components, which helps maintain all the pieces crisp and recent once you retailer within the fridge till you’re able to eat. Whether or not you’re making 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 components: chickpeas, feta, hen, pepperoncini, feta, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, and chopped romaine. Prime with pink 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 components: cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, chopped hard-boiled egg, feta, chopped turkey bacon, hen, and romaine. Add Ranch dressing earlier than serving.
Buffalo Rooster 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 components: cooked black beans, cheese, salsa, rice, hen, bell pepper, cilantro, pink 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 components: cooked beets, crumbled goat cheese, protein of alternative, 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 Ideas
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 components, 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 pointers will allow you to profit from your mason jar dressings.
Layer components in the suitable order.
When making your dressing in a mason jar, begin by including the thicker components, like mustard, honey, or garlic, on the backside. Then you possibly can 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 entire components into the jar collectively, seal it tightly and provides it a great ol’ shake. Shaking ensures that the oil and vinegar (or some other liquids) emulsify and mix right into a easy, scrumptious dressing. For finest 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 come back collectively and develop a extra balanced style. This resting time additionally helps any stable components like herbs or garlic to infuse the liquids.
Make some additional and retailer for later.
One of many nice advantages of utilizing a mason jar is the flexibility to retailer your dressing few days within the fridge! Merely pour any leftover dressing again into the jar, seal it, and be happy to retailer it for later. Shake once more earlier than every use to make sure all the pieces stays combined and recent. Once you’re working out of time to eat good meals, prepping them forward of time can critically make your life simpler.
So inform me, mates: how usually do you meal prep? Do you want mason jar salads? In case you’re a fan, please share your favourite combo! I’m all the time on the lookout for scrumptious new salads and dressings so as to add to my armory of recipes!
xo
Gina