Salads in a jar are one of our favorite ways to pack a meal on the go. We love them for so, so many reasons. Not only are they convenient and simple, but there’s so many ways to make them healthy and delicious. They’re a great tool when balancing a hectic work life.
Wash, prep, and assemble your salads for the week, pop the lid on, and save for grabbing quickly in the mornings. When ready to eat, add onto a plate and enjoy with your favorite dressing!
The true key to mastering salads in a jar is proper layering. When layering, there is method to the madness. Start with your salad dressing. You’ll want this at the bottom of the jar or in a separate container, which is what we did. It’s all a matter of preference. If you have greens that wilt easily (think: baby spinach, lettuce), you want to keep those at the top, away from moist ingredients like dressings, tomatoes, and cooked grains. If you have hardier greens (ie kale, collards), we prefer having those closer to those wet ingredients, so they can soften up and become easier to chow down. Also aim for a balance of carbs (quinoa), protein (chickpeas), vegetables (kale, tomatoes, onions, peppers) and fat (our tahini dressing).
I went to the farmers market last week, and picked up tons of colorful summer produce, which is what inspired this recipe. There’s so much variety in produce during summers in New York, so I took that as an opportunity to throw a bunch of beautiful colors into the jar. I prepared it the night before, and had a huge salad waiting for me in the morning.
Let’s get started on how you’ll be preparing this ultimate summer salad. In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with the turmeric and a pinch of salt. Set aside. Grab your jar, and let’s start layering. You can add your dressing to the bottom of the jar OR have it on the side, like we did. Start with 1/2 of the kale and add it to the bottom of your jar. Then add the seasoned chickpeas. Next add the tomatoes and onions. Then the cooked quinoa (you can salt this, to taste, as well). Top with the yellow bell peppers, and the remainder of the kale. That’s it!
Make sure to tightly seal it and enjoy for the week! What are your favorite salad in a jar renditions? Let us know in the comments below! xo
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 1/2 cups kale, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- Salt, to taste
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In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with the turmeric and a pinch of salt. Set aside
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Grab your jar, and let's start layering
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You can add your dressing to the bottom of the jar OR have it on the side, like we did (see the post for dressing ideas)
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Start with 1/2 of the kale and add it to the bottom of your jar
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Then add the seasoned chickpeas
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Next add the tomatoes and onions
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Then the cooked quinoa (you can salt this, to taste, as well)
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Top with the yellow bell peppers, and the remainder of the kale
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That's it! Enjoy by pouring onto a plate or bowl and top with your favorite dressing.
hi,, thanks for sharing the blog
Looks like a fantastic salad! Okay, but I do have to say–I tried eating in a Mason jar once, and I spilled EVERYTHING! LOL! Salads are definitely something I need to eat in a large bowl!
LOL yes the trick for me is having a jar with a not-so-narrow opening, and leaving some space to mix the salad together. I have definitely just poured it into a plate too though
hi,,thanks for sharing the blog!!