These Hearty Rainbow Mason Jar Salads are perfect to prep for the week: packed with protein (quinoa, chickpeas, and edamame), crunchy veggies (radishes, orange peppers, and celery), juicy flavors (lemon, feta, and tomato), and some greens (check out this purple spinach!).
Let’s get ready to emerge from winter and move into spring with big grins on our faces and lunch salads packed with colorful nutrition. I hope I’m not jumping the gun one month shy of the spring equinox.
I didn’t get on board with lunch salads until I realized they could be filling. By using larger jars (one and a half pint jar size) and packing it with goodies beyond lettuce, I now look forward to flipping a jar upside down onto my plate at work.
- ½ cup dry red quinoa
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 1 cup mini grape tomatoes
- 1 orange pepper
- 4 radishes
- 1 cup yellow chickpeas
- 4 cups purple spinach
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 cup diced celery
- Cook ½ cup dry quinoa per package instructions and let it cool. Toss the quinoa with the juice of one lemon, a tablespoon of olive oil, and crumbled feta. Set aside.
- Prep your salad ingredients by slicing the grape tomatoes, dicing the pepper and radishes, measuring out chickpeas and edamame, and dicing your celery.
- Assemble 4 mason jar salads with equal parts of the quinoa mixture on the bottom, followed by sliced grape tomatoes, diced orange pepper, diced radish, ¼ cup chickpeas, ¼ cup edamame, ¼ cup celery, and 1 cup of spinach.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days in sealed containers. When serving, flip jar upside down above a plate or bowl to enjoy.
I can’t help but mention how gorgeous these look – so I’m tempted to grab them from the fridge on the way out the door to work, instead of the leftover Chinese noodles that I really don’t need to eat.
Just make sure you have your name on them: your coworkers will have salad envy!
Have you packed your lunch in a mason jar? I love the eco-friendly container, and since there is an airtight seal, I don’t worry about sliding it straight into my work bag! Looking for another creative use of mason jars? Try my Lentil and Barley Soup Mix!
Marisa
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
My roomie makes salads in a jar every week for work lunches! She’s gonne ADORE these babies!
Marisa says
She’s got her stuff together! I need to do it more often because it makes mornings so much easier – grab and go!
Venice says
Let’s make some for the work week together!
Marisa says
You know I’m always up for meal prep/food prep 😀
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
I have yet to make a mason jar salad but I think that needs to change! These look amazing!! Love the combo of flavors and textures!
Marisa says
Yes, change that now! Go find yourself a big jar and fill it up with tasty salad toppings!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
These are so colorful and pretty! I have yet to try a Mason jar salad but I think the idea is brilliant. I would be excited to sit down with one for lunch too!
Marisa says
I think you would enjoy it! You just need a big enough jar 🙂
Jamie says
I did one in a quart jar, but forgot the plate/bowl at work – it was a little annoying to dig out of the jar with a standard fork. But my salad wasn’t this pretty so I definitely need to try again!
Marisa says
Yes, I find that the plate is key if its a small mouth jar – and I love to make sure mine are nice and mixed up! Let me know if you try this one out!
Margo says
These salads are delicious !!!!
Marisa says
So excited to hear that, Margo! I’m glad you’re enjoying them!
Jen says
So I made this for the week, doubling the dressing amount as it seemed scant.
I like the mix of veggies….it’s very hearty. I’m not loving the dressing, it comes across as fairly bland and overpowered by the salad ingredients. I will make this again with a homemade creamy greek dressing.
Marisa says
Hi Jen! Glad to hear you liked the inspiration. I am not big on dressings so most of the recipes on my site are very lightly dressed. Feel free to make it your own with that dressing idea, sounds great!
Margaret Airlie says
This is absolutely delicious. Easy to make and a delight to eat.
Marisa says
I’m so glad to hear it, Margaret!