It’s shocking to me that these are my first salad jar recipes on the blog. Salad jars are convenient and fun ways to enjoy your salad. The key to a salad that will keep you satiated is to include protein and fats. Each of these salad jars contain hearty servings of protein, fiber and fat. For example, in the vegan Thai Tofu salad jar the protein and fats come the tofu, edamame and peanut butter.
I used these 32 Oz Mason jars that can be found on Amazon. You can also use air tight containers like these.
Ingredient Layer Order
The order in which you layer the ingredients matters. The dressing should be placed at the bottom followed by an ingredient that will not absorb too much of the dressing or get soggy left sitting in the dressing. I stuffed the greens at the top away from the dressing; the greens create an extra air barrier. In the beets and lentil salad, I placed the goat cheese on top the spinach so it won’t get saturated from the moisture of the other ingredients. Similarly, if you were to add nuts they should be added on top of the greens. Here’s the general formula I followed for these salad jars.
My Salad Jar Layer Formula (bottom to top)
Dressing
Beans
Colorful Veggies
Protein
Whole Grain
Greens
Nuts (optional)
Try these recipes and let me know what you think.
THAI TOFU SALAD JAR (VEGAN)
Prep Time: 15 minutes . Yield: Serves 4
4 32-Oz Mason Jars or containers
2 Cup Quinoa
1/2 Lbs Spinach
2 Cups Edamame, shelled
8 Oz Purple Cabbage, shredded
8 Oz Carrots, shredded or julienned
1 Cup Cilantro, chopped
14 Oz Firm Tofu
1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Dressing
1/4 Cup Natural Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Sriracha (optional)
1 Tbsp Agave (optional)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Ginger, grated
Water
1. If time permits, press tofu for 20 minutes to remove excess liquid. Cut tofu into cubes and marinate in soy sauce for 30 minutes. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-heat. Add tofu and cook until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Add some water to get desired thickness.
3. Equally divide dressing into the 4 mason jars.
4. Layer salad ingredients in jars in the following order: red cabbage, edamame, carrots, cilantro, tofu, quinoa and spinach.
5. Seal jars/containers and refrigerate up to 4 days.
6. To eat salad, simply pour contents of jar into a bowl or plate.
Dressing Nutrition Info (~2Tbsp): 103 Cal, 8g Fat, 6g Carbs, 1g Dietary Fiber, 4g Protein
Salad Nutrition (no dressing): Salad Nutrition Info (no dressing): 388 Cals, 13g Fat, 57g Carbs, 13g Dietary Fiber, 24g Protein
SOUTHWEST TURKEY SALAD JAR
Prep Time: 15 minutes . Yield: Serves 4
4 32-Oz Mason Jars or containers
2 Cup Quinoa, cooked
1/2 Lb Spinach
1 14-Oz Can Black Beans
2 Cups Whole Corn Kernels
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Lbs Ground Turkey, 93/7
Poultry Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking spray or Olive Oil
Dressing
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 to 4 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Agave
1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Cumin
2 Stalks Green Onions, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
Salt to taste
1. Use cooking spray or a little oil to grease a skillet. Heat skillet over medium-heat; add turkey and cook until brown. Season with poultry seasoning and black pepper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined.
3. Equally divide dressing into the 4 mason jars.
4. Layer salad ingredients in jars in the following order: black beans, corn, tomatoes, turkey, quinoa and spinach.
5. Seal jars/containers and refrigerate up to 4 days.
6. To eat salad, simply pour contents of jar into a bowl or plate.
Salad Nutrition Info (no dressing):475 Cals, 11g Fat, 57g Carbs, 12g Dietary Fiber, 37g Protein
Dressing Nutrition Info (~2 Tbsp): 137 Cals, 14g Fat, 4g Carbs, 0g Dietary Fiber, 0g Protein
BEET & LENTIL SALAD JAR
Prep Time: 15 minutes . Yield: Serves 4
4 32-Oz Mason Jars or containers
2 Cup Quinoa, cooked
1/2 Lb Spinach
1 15 Oz Can Black Lentils
4 Medium Beets, cooked & diced
2 Yellow Bell Peppers, diced
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4 Goat Cheese, crumbled
Dressing
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tbsp Agave (optional)
1/2 Tsp Black pepper
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Sprigs Thyme
1. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined.
2. Equally divide dressing into the 4 mason jars.
3. Layer salad ingredients in jars in the following order: lentils, beets, bell peppers, quinoa, spinach and goat cheese.
4. Seal jars/containers and refrigerate up to 4 days.
5. To eat salad, simply pour contents of jar into a bowl or plate.
