These protein-packed Mediterranean Mason Jar Salads are layered with fresh veggies, quinoa, and chickpeas and finished with a bright lemon garlic dressing. Ideal for meal prep and simple to assemble.
Meal prep becomes effortless with these Mediterranean mason jar salads. They’re easy to assemble the night before, store well in the refrigerator, and are ready to grab-and-go the next morning. These salads are fresh, flavorful, and hold up well for several days when layered properly.
This recipe is a riff on a classic tomato, cucumber, and chickpea salad, with quinoa added for extra protein and fiber and arugula for peppery greens. You can easily customize the jars by adding shredded chicken, different vegetables, or an alternate dressing. When you’re ready to eat, either pour the jar onto a plate or shake and enjoy straight from the jar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Arugula (or other leafy greens)
- Cooked quinoa
- Chickpeas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
Below is a simple lemon garlic dressing that pairs beautifully with these ingredients. Any dressing works—just be sure to place the dressing in the bottom of the jar so the greens stay crisp.
How to Assemble Mason Jar Salads
To keep the salad fresh, layer the jars with the dressing at the bottom and the greens at the top. This prevents wilting and keeps everything crisp. A suggested layering order:
- Dressing (bottom)
- Chickpeas and red onion (these will marinate in the dressing)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Cooked quinoa
- Arugula or other greens (top)
Use wide-mouth jars to make layering and eating easier. When you’re ready to eat, either tip the jar into a bowl or shake the jar and enjoy directly from it.
Recipe: Mediterranean Mason Jar Salads
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups arugula or other leafy greens
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups cucumber, diced
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Lemon Garlic Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, cumin, and black pepper until combined.
- Distribute the dressing evenly among 4 mason jars so the dressing sits at the bottom of each jar.
- Add chickpeas, diced red onion, and chopped parsley to each jar and give a little mix so they begin to marinate in the dressing.
- Layer the tomatoes, cucumber, and cooked quinoa on top of the chickpeas.
- Finish each jar with arugula or your choice of leafy greens at the top.
- Store the jars in the refrigerator until ready to eat. To serve, either dump the contents into a bowl or shake the jar and eat directly from it.
Notes
*Prepared this way, the salads will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.