Mason jars are the best way to prep fresh salads for your lunches all week long, and these healthy mason jar salad recipes are loaded with protein, fiber, and flavor to keep you full for hours! Plus, they’re way cheaper than drive-thru or takeout, so you’ll be sticking to your budget and health goals at the same time. Win-win!
Table of Contents
Mason Jar Salads for Meal Prep
There are so many reasons to love mason jar salads, but the main benefit is that you never have to eat soggy salads again or fuss with little jars of dressing in your lunch box.
Everything is placed in a wide mouth jar with the dressing on the bottom, so you can just give it a good shake, dump into a bowl or container and serve! Plus, they’re easy to store in the fridge for several days and fit great into lunch bags, too. What’s not to love?
Why We Love Mason Jar Salads
- Endlessly customizable – any salad can be stored in a mason jar!
- Easy to store in the fridge for days at a time
- No need to mess with dressing packets or bottles
- Shake and eat out of the jar or dump the salad onto a plate for easy serving
- These meal-sized salads are filling enough on their own
- Quick to meal prep even with a busy schedule
- Packed with protein and fiber to keep you full for hours
- Perfectly portioned to support a healthy weight
Expert Tips For Mason Jar Salad Prep
- The perfect mason jar salad is all about adding the ingredients in the correct order. It’s a simple formula. Wet or saucy ingredients, such as softer veggies like tomatoes and canned beans, should be added at the bottom of the jar. Dry ingredients, like shredded cheese or red onion, go in the middle, and tender lettuce or salad greens go at the top. This will keep the greens from becoming soggy, and it also makes it easy to pour the salad, as the lettuce will come out first.
- If you want to eat the salad straight out of the jar, it can help to leave a little extra room for shaking. I often like to shake as much as I can, then eat the salad out of a salad bowl or plate.
Best Mason Jar Salad Recipes
1. Greek Salad in a Jar
I love Greek salads with their tangy herb dressing and fresh summer veggies! This particular recipe contains lentils and quinoas for two types of plant-based protein and lot of fiber to keep you full until dinnertime.
Greek Salad Jar
Makes 1 serving
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- Pinch of each salt and pepper
For the salad
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup canned or cooked lentils
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons sliced olives
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup baby spinach or arugula
Instructions
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Cucumbers, lentils, tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta cheese, quinoa and spinach.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: For extra protein, feel free to add leftover rotisserie chicken.
2. Tex Mex Salad in a Jar
This savory taco salad tastes like takeout but is much healthier and cheaper! I love the combination of the spicy lime vinaigrette with the corn, black beans, onion, and chicken.
Tex Mex Salad Jar
Makes 1 salad
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ tablespoon water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch each salt and pepper
For the salad
- ½ cup black beans
- ½ cup diced cooked chicken (can also replace with leftover taco meat)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup chopped lettuce
Instructions
- Mix the dressing ingredients in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Black beans, chicken, cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, cheddar cheese and lettuce.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: If you want to switch up the protein source, use leftover taco meat instead of chicken. Try this mason jar taco salad!
3. Asian Chicken Salad in a Jar
If you love fresh, savory flavors and lots of crunch, you’ll love this mason-jar salad recipe. The crunchy cabbage is layered directly on top of the honey-sweetened soy vinaigrette, so it absorbs all those flavors. It’s also so colorful, thanks to the carrots, peppers, oranges, and green onion!
Asian Chicken Salad Jar
Makes 1 salad
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the salad
- 1 ½ cups shredded cabbage (regular or napa cabbage)
- ½ cup cooked diced or shredded chicken
- ¼ cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
- ¼ cup mandarin orange slices (thinly sliced mango would also work)
Instructions
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Cabbage, chicken, carrots, red pepper, green onion, and oranges.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: You can also add in a tablespoon of chopped cashews or peanuts for extra crunch!
4. Tuna Avocado Salad in a Jar
Tuna salad is a fantastic way to increase your protein intake and keep you full for hours! This recipe is a little different than other tuna salads, as I use a vinaigrette instead of a creamy mayo-based sauce. It has such a light, fresh flavor and tastes great with the onion, avocado, and sliced bell pepper.
Tuna Avocado Salad Jar
Makes 1 serving
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the salad
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 1 can tuna, packed in water
- ¼ cup diced red pepper
- ¼ avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: celery, tuna, red pepper, avocado, red onion, and baby spinach.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: This salad would also be good with ½ cup cooked whole grain elbow noodles, rotini or fusilli pasta.
FAQs
I typically like to use 32 ounce wide-mouth quart ball jars for mason jar salads. If you prefer smaller side salads, 16 ounce or 24 ounce wide mouth jars would be a better option. The recipes provided are based on using 32 ounce jars.
Mason jar salads have been popular for years now, and I don’t see the trend going away. Not only are the jars compact and easy to store, but they keep the leafy greens separated from the dressing and any wet ingredients that may cause them to wilt.
This means your homemade salad will stay fresher for longer, making them ideal for meal prepping. Plus, you can either shake and serve the salad in the jar or dump it out onto a plate or bowl to eat like normal. Super easy!
If you’ve ever finished a large salad only to find yourself still hungry, you likely need to add more protein and fiber. There are lots of tasty protein options to add to your salads, including grilled or roasted chicken breast, crumbled bacon, hard boiled egg, and cheese.
For plant-based options, consider adding cooked quinoa, lentils, black beans, or even roasted chickpeas. The healthy mason jar salads included in this post all contain plenty of protein and fiber, so they’re satisfying without any modifications!
Just like any other homemade salad, it’s best to eat mason jar salads within 3-5 days. Some people will say that they stay fresh longer in the jar, but the USDA recommends eating all cooked foods within 3-4 days to avoid food-borne illnesses.
More Meal Prep Recipes
- Freezer Crockpot Dump Meals
- Healthy Chicken Marinades
- Vanilla Protein Powder Overnight Oats
- Healthy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
- Easy Steak Marinade Recipes
Did you try any of these salads in a jar? Leave a rating and review in the comment section below!
Mason Jar Salad Recipes
Ingredients
Greek Salad Jar
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup canned or cooked lentils
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons sliced olives
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup baby spinach or arugula
Tex Mex in a Jar
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken (can also use leftover taco meat)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup chopped lettuce
Asian Chicken Salad Jar
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage (regular of Napa cabbage)
- 1/2 cup cooked diced or shredded chicken
- 1/4 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
- 1/4 cup mandarin orange slices (thinly sliced mango would also work)
Tuna Avocado Salad Jar
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 1/4 cup diced celery
- 1 can tuna, packed in water
- 1/4 cup diced red pepper
- 1/4 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
Greek Salad Jar
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Cucumbers, lentils, tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta cheese, quinoa and spinach. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tex Mex Salad in a Jar
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Black beans, chicken, cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, cheddar cheese and lettuce. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Asian Chicken Salad Jar
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: Cabbage, chicken, carrots, red pepper, green onion, and oranges. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tuna Avocado Salad Jar
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the jar.
- Layer salad into the jar in the order listed: celery, tuna, red pepper, avocado, red onion, and baby spinach. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- If you want to eat the salad straight out of the jar, it can help to leave a little extra room for shaking. I often like to shake as much as I can, then eat the salad out of a salad bowl or plate.
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