Mason Jar Salad
on Jan 11, 2022, Updated Jan 25, 2024
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I love packing fresh salads to-go, but it’s always a hassle to keep them from getting soggy. Insert – Mason Jar Salad 🥗. My Spinach & Strawberry Salad was a huge hit, and I had a lot of requests around making this salad portable. So, I found a way to transform this salad into a Mason Jar Salad, stacking the ingredients strategically so that once it’s time to eat, it will taste like it’s freshly made!
Why You’ll Love Mason Jar Salad
Say goodbye to soggy salads or the hassle of carrying a million little containers 🫙. This Mason Jar Salad allows you to meal-prep your salad for up to three days and ensures every ingredient is separated perfectly so that nothing gets soggy 🙅♀️. Moreover, everything is layered in one jar, so all you’ll need to do is empty the contents into a bowl, and you’ll be left with a crisp, fresh salad ready to be enjoyed!
Most importantly, you can apply this Mason Jar Salad technique to any salad. Just ensure you’re following the same stacking order, and your salad will come out perfect each 👏 and 👏 every 👏 time 👏.
How to Prepare
🥬 Chop all vegetables as small as possible.
🥒 Cut cucumber in half, make thin slices, and chop across.
✨ Finely dice chives and thinly slice a bundle of spinach.
🍓 Slice and dice strawberries; if adding them, toast the walnuts or pecans.
🌀 Mix dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake.
🫙 Assemble in mason jars in this order: dressing, cucumber, strawberries, walnuts, chives, and spinach.
🧊 Store in the fridge for up to three days. Prep multiple jars for convenience. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🍓
Feel free to add chickpeas or chopped chicken for extra protein. You can add the chicken or chickpeas after or before the cucumber, as both ways will work.
Variations and Substitutions for Mason Jar Salad
- Swap 🥬 spinach with arugula or mixed greens.
- Use blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries instead of strawberries.
- Instead of walnuts or pecans, use toasted almonds, cashews, or pine nuts.
- For a nut-free option, consider seeds such as 🌻 sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Add some 🌿 herbs such as fresh mint, basil, or cilantro.
- For a more protein-packed salad, include a protein source such as grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu or chickpeas.
- You could also toss in some feta or goat cheese for a more creamy texture.
Similar Recipes
Strawberry Spinach Salad
15 mins
Jennifer Aniston Salad
25 mins
Big Mac Salad
20 mins
Kale Pomegranate Salad
15 mins
Best Served With
- Some grilled 🐔 chicken or roasted chickpeas for added protein
- A crusty bread like my No Knead Peasant Bread
Common Questions
I use Redmond Real Salt. Please note that depending on the salt you use, your dish may be less or more salty. Salt is to taste, so please always taste and adjust as you cook.
Feel free to add chickpeas or chopped chicken for extra protein. Add the chicken or chickpeas after or before the cucumber, as both ways will work.
Ideally, this salad is best to eat within the first 3 days.
Mason Jar Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
The Salad
- ½ English Cucumber, finely diced
- ¼ cup chives, finely diced
- 3-4 cups baby spinach, finely sliced
- 1 cup strawberries, finely diced
- 6-7 walnuts, optional
The Dressing
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by chopping all of the vegetables as small as you possibly can.
- Finely chop the cucumber and chives, thinly slice spinach, and dice the strawberries. Optionally, toast some walnuts or pecans on the stove for a few minutes.
- Add all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake well.
- You can now layer the following ingredients in your mason jar in this order: dressing, cucumber, strawberries, walnuts, chives, and spinach.
- Store the mason jar salad in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also make three servings and prepare them ahead of time. Enjoy!
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love making these for road trips and busy days when we have early mornings! Such a smart way to eat healthy and stay hydrated while on the go!
Love this salad! I love that it is so portable for my work lunches as well! 10/10!