If you're looking for a few mason jar salad recipes that are quick, fresh, and perfect for meal prep, this one checks all the boxes. Simply layer your favorite ingredients-crisp veggies, hearty grains, lean protein, and flavorful dressing into a mason jar for a meal prep-ready, grab-and-go lunch. These mason jar salads are completely customizable too, so you can mix and match flavors so you never get bored.
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Table of Contents
What is a mason jar salad?
Mason jar salads are individually packed salads layered in jars to keep ingredients fresh, crisp, and ready to grab on the go. The key is layering: start with the dressing on the bottom, add sturdy veggies and grains next, then proteins, and finish with leafy greens and toppings. When ready to eat, just give it a shake in the jar or pour everything into a bowl and toss.
Why you'll love it
- Quick and easy: No cooking required, except for cooked protein items. Everything comes together and layers up in just 10 minutes.
- Meal prep friendly: These jars store beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days-just prep a batch and grab one whenever you're ready.
- Flavorful and balanced: Each jar is packed with fiber, protein, and colorful produce for a satisfying, filling, feel-good lunch.
Is this mason jar salad healthy?
As a registered dietitian, I'm all about easy meals that pack in protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. This mason jar salad delivers all of that and more.
- Lean proteins like chicken, tuna, tofu, or beans help you stay full and support muscle recovery.
- Fiber-rich veggies and fruits promote good digestion and help your immune system stay strong.
- Healthy fats from avocado, nuts, or seeds keep you satisfied and support brain health. One recent study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that including avocado in meals can improve overall nutrient absorption and cardiometabolic health.
What ingredients do you need?
Here's a quick breakdown of what you'll layer into your mason jar salad.
- Dressing or sauce: Start with a flavor-packed base like balsamic vinaigrette, tahini, hummus, or salsa.
- Veggies or fruit: Add crunch and color with options like cucumbers, bell peppers, or berries.
- Cooked grains (optional): Quinoa, couscous, or brown rice add extra fiber and staying power.
- Protein: Use store-bought or pre-cooked options like chicken, tofu, tuna, or beans to keep it easy.
Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, romaine, or mixed greens-whatever you have on hand.
Toppings (optional): Finish with cheese, seeds, olives, or avocado for texture and flavor.
How to make smoothie mason jar salads
These jars are super pretty because of all the layers! Follow this order for the best texture when storing.
1. Dressing first
Pour directly into the bottom of the jar.
2. Fruits and veggies
Hearty ones like cucumbers and bell peppers act as a barrier between dressing and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Optional grains
Cooked and cooled.
4. Protein
Add your chosen source here.
5. Leafy greens
Keep them dry for max crispness.
6. Toppings
Nuts, seeds, cheese, and more go right on top.
Screw on the lid and refrigerate upright. When you're ready to eat, just shake it up or pour into a bowl and toss.
Customize it your way
Like all of my recipes, this Mason Jar Salad is completely customizable. Choose what dressing, veggies, grains, protein, greens, and toppings you want to use.
- Dressing of your choice: This is the flavor foundation. Use salsa + lime juice for a Southwest vibe, balsamic vinaigrette for something classic, or hummus thinned with lemon juice for a creamy, Mediterranean-style twist. Other great options include tahini lemon, sesame ginger, pesto, or green goddess.
- Vegetables or fruit of your choice: Add color and crunch with chopped cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, or radishes. Or go sweet and juicy with strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mango, or apples. This is a great place to get creative!
- Cooked grains of your choice (optional): For extra fiber and staying power, try cooked quinoa, brown rice, farro, barley, couscous, or even whole wheat pasta. Make sure grains are fully cooled before layering into the jar.
- Protein of your choice: Pack in some power with grilled chicken, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, tuna, salmon, tofu, tempeh, hard-boiled eggs, steak, or chopped turkey. This turns your salad into a complete meal.
Leafy greens of your choice: These should always be layered on top to stay crisp. Try chopped romaine, baby spinach, arugula, mixed greens, kale, or butter lettuce. If you're prepping ahead, heartier greens like kale or cabbage hold up best. - Toppings of your choice (optional): Finish it off with a little flair-think diced avocado, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, sliced olives, crumbled goat cheese, shredded cheddar, or shaved Parmesan. Keep toppings like nuts or seeds in a separate container if you want to maintain max crunch.
Mason jar salad flavor combos
Need inspiration? Here are a few go-to mason jar salad combos we keep coming back to.
Balsamic Berry Goat Cheese
- Balsamic vinaigrette, strawberries, cucumber, farro, grilled chicken, mixed greens, goat cheese, walnuts.
Asian-Inspired Edamame
- Sesame ginger dressing, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, brown rice, edamame, spinach, peanuts, cilantro.
Southwest Quinoa
- Salsa + lime juice, corn, bell pepper, quinoa, black beans, romaine, shredded cheese, avocado.
Mediterranean Chickpea
- Olive oil + red wine vinegar, cucumber, onion, chickpeas, feta, olives, romaine.
Storage and meal prep tips
Store mason jar salads upright and sealed in the fridge for up to 5 days to keep everything fresh and crisp. For the best results, wait to shake or toss until just before eating. You can enjoy this straight out of the jar or dump into a bowl.
Need more help with recipes for your busy schedule?
In my coaching + cooking program, I help busy people with beginner cooking knowledge become confident in the kitchen so that they can enjoy nourishing foods they love and stress less about mealtime. Click here to learn more about this virtual program led by a dietitian.
Mason Jar Salad Recipes - 3 Easy, Customizable Ideas
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 tablespoons dressing or sauce of your choice, (balsamic vinaigrette, tahini lemon, sesame ginger, Greek yogurt ranch, red wine vinaigrette, honey mustard, avocado lime, green goddess, hummus, lime juice, salsa, or pesto)
- ½ to 1 cup chopped vegetables or fruit of your choice, (cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, shredded cabbage, radishes, red onion, corn, avocado, roasted sweet potato, apples, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, or mango)
- Optional: ½ cup cooked grains of your choice, (quinoa, brown rice, farro, couscous, barley, wild rice, bulgur, orzo, whole wheat pasta, or sorghum)
- ½ cup protein of your choice, (grilled chicken, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, tuna, salmon, tofu, tempeh, hard-boiled eggs, steak, chopped turkey, or edamame)
- 1 to 2 cups leafy greens of your choice, packed (chopped romaine, baby spinach, arugula, mixed greens, kale, butter lettuce, spring mix, little gem, baby Swiss chard, or shredded cabbage)
- Optional: 2 to 4 tablespoons toppings of your choice, (diced avocado, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, sliced olives, crumbled feta, crumbled goat cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, shaved Parmesan, etc.)
Instructions
- In a 24 to 32-ounce mason jar, layer the ingredients in the following order: - Dressing - Vegetables or fruit - Optional grains - Protein - Leafy greens - Optional toppings
- When ready to eat, shake the jar to distribute the dressing or pour everything into a bowl and toss. Enjoy!
Notes
- Balsamic Berry Goat Cheese Salad Ingredients: 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette + ¼ cup sliced cucumber + ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion + ½ cup fresh strawberries or blueberries + ½ cup cooked farro + ½ cup grilled chicken pieces + 1 to 2 cups mixed greens + 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese + 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- Asian-Inspired Edamame Salad Ingredients: 3 tablespoons sesame ginger dressing + ½ cup chopped cucumber + ¼ cup diced red bell pepper + ¼ cup shredded carrots + ½ cup cooked brown rice + ½ cup shelled edamame + 1 to 2 cups baby spinach + 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts + 1 tablespoon sliced green onions + 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- Southwest Quinoa Salad Yield: 3 tablespoons salsa mixed with 1 tablespoon lime juice + ½ cup diced bell peppers + ½ cup corn + ½ cup cooked quinoa + ½ cup black beans + 1 to 2 cups chopped romaine + 2 tablespoons shredded Mexican blend cheese + ¼ diced avocado
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Yield: 3 tablespoons red wine vinaigrette + ½ cup diced cucumber + ¼ cup diced red onion + ½ cup canned chickpeas + ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese + ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives + 1 to 2 cups chopped romaine or baby spinach
Nutrition
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