Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

A perfect make ahead meal which is vegan, gluten-free and so very nutritious!


Some days we are so rushed in the morning that we head out for work without packing a lunch, and that really sucks. Can you relate? Every best intention to head to the cafeteria or nearby restaurant to buy something healthy is usurped by the sights and smells of tempting options – like French fries and mayonnaise loaded sandwiches. We try to be strong, but sometimes we’re weak and we give in to greasy temptations.

One solution is to have ready-made, grab-and-go lunches ready and waiting. There is no morning that is so busy that you can’t open the fridge and pull out an already packed lunch to take along with you. And when you make a few of these pre-packed meals at a time, you’re winning at life!

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

One of our favourite things to have for lunch is salad, and when we’re home we’ll often enjoy our Greek-style Cobb salad, our maniatiki salad or our potato salad. And although all of these salads can certainly make for a delicious work-day lunch, our mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas is another great option!

Mason jar salads are so easy to make and once you get the hang of a few basic principles, the options are limitless. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to make your own mason jar salad creations.

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

Tips and tricks to making the perfect mason jar salad.

  • Size does matter. We’ve found that the 750 ml mason jar is the perfect size for an individual serving of salad.
  • First in is always the dressing.
  • The order in which you layer your ingredients is very important. Heartier ingredients go in first because they will be in contact with your dressing and they won’t get soggy.
  • The general rule of thumb is that grains, protein and firm vegetables go in first while greens, lettuces and any sprouts go in last. Top those with any seeds or nuts that you may be using.
  • Although you prepare and store the salad in the mason jar you will be serving it in a bowl, so be sure to have one available.

Pin this recipe if you like it!

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

Looking for more delicious salad recipes? Be sure to check these out:

Horiatiki salad (Greek village salad)

Maroulosalata

Fennel salad

We love hearing from you!  If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!,  please leave a comment below!

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas
Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas
Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas
Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

A perfect make ahead meal which is vegan, gluten-free and so very nutritious!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Light meal, Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 407kcal
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

  • 4 X 750 mL Mason Jars (24 ounce)

Ingredients

For the salad dressing

  • 5 tbsp Olive oil
  • 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Honey or maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 red or orange pepper, cubed
  • 2 cups (500 mL) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 radishes, sliced thinly into rounds
  • 1 medium cucumber, cubed
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Instructions

  • Cook the quinoa according to package directions and set aside to cool.
    1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
  • Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and divide the dressing equally among the 4 jars.
    5 tbsp Olive oil, 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Honey or maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste
  • Next divide the salad ingredients into quarters. Place a quarter of all of the ingredients into each of four mason jars, in the order they are listed in the ingredient list. So, the first thing you will add to the mason jar (after the salad dressing) will be the cooked quinoa and the last thing you will add will be the spinach, followed by the pumpkin seeds.
    1 red or orange pepper, cubed, 2 cups (500 mL) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 4 radishes, sliced thinly into rounds, 1 medium cucumber, cubed, 4 cups baby spinach, 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • Mason jar salads will keep in the refrigerator for several days. To serve, empty the contents of the salad into a bowl and toss well to coat.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

The dressing mades a total 2/3 cup.  Each jar should have approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons of dressing.  
Once cooked, the quinoa is about 1 1/4 cups.  Per serving is  a little over 1/4 cup 

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3978IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4mg

Thanks for sharing!

2 Comments

  1. a little Swiss, a little Canadian says:

    Great idea and looks so yummy!😋

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thanks so much!! They are so handy to have in the fridge for a grab and go lunch! xoxo Helen & Billie

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