Mediterranean and Asian-inspired 5-Day Jar Salads

TWO MAKE-AHEAD JAR SALADS

Healthy • Vegan • Gluten-Free • Student-Friendly

When university days get busy, it is awfully tempting to grab whatever food is quickest. These make-ahead salads offer another option: prepare five jars at once, keep them refrigerated, and you have a nourishing lunch ready to grab and go.

The secret to keeping jar salads fresh-tasting is how you layer them. The dressing goes on the bottom, followed by sturdy ingredients that can sit in the dressing without becoming soggy. Tender greens go right at the top.

Makes: 5 salads in 1-quart (1-L) jars

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MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA & QUINOA JARS

Mediterranean, Chickpea, and  Quinoa Jars

Fresh, colourful and satisfying, this salad combines chickpeas, quinoa and crisp vegetables with a bright lemon-garlic dressing. It makes a particularly good packed lunch because the sturdy ingredients hold up well in the refrigerator.

FOR THE SALAD

• 1 cup (250 mL) cooked quinoa, cooled

• 1 can (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 large cucumber, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) Kalamata olives, sliced — optional

• 1 cup (250 mL) fresh parsley, chopped

• 5 cups (1.25 L) baby spinach or chopped romaine

LEMON-GARLIC DRESSING

• 1/2 cup (120 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lemon juice

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt

• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) black pepper, optional

MAKE THE DRESSING

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, or put them into a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well.

ASSEMBLE THE FIVE JARS

Divide the ingredients among five clean 1-quart (1-L) jars in this order:

1. Dressing
Put about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) dressing into the bottom of each jar.

2. Chickpeas
Divide the chickpeas among the five jars.

3. Quinoa
Add the cooled cooked quinoa.

4. Vegetables
Add cucumber, red bell pepper and cherry tomatoes.

5. Onion and olives
Add the red onion and olives, if using.

6. Parsley
Sprinkle chopped parsley over the vegetables.

7. Greens
Fill the remaining space with baby spinach or chopped romaine.

Do not pack the greens down tightly. Leave a little room so the salad can be shaken or tipped into a bowl.

TO STORE

Put the lids on tightly and refrigerate at 1–4°C (34–40°F).

For the best texture and freshness, enjoy within 4–5 days.

When ready to eat, shake the jar gently to distribute the dressing, or turn the contents into a bowl and toss.

STUDENT TIP

Cook a batch of quinoa while you are doing something else in the kitchen. Once it has cooled, it can be divided among the jars in just a few minutes.

For extra protein, you can add a little more chickpea, edamame or cubed baked tofu.

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ASIAN-INSPIRED CRUNCH JARS

Asian-inspired Crunch Jars

This colourful salad is full of crunchy vegetables, plant protein and fibre. Cabbage, carrots and broccoli are especially good choices for make-ahead salads because they remain crisp in the refrigerator.

The ginger-lime dressing gives the salad a fresh, slightly sweet-and-tangy flavour.

FOR THE SALAD

• 1 cup (250 mL) cooked brown rice or quinoa, cooled

• 1 can (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  OR 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) shelled edamame

• 2 cups (500 mL) shredded carrots

• 2 cups (500 mL) finely shredded red cabbage

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 2 cups (500 mL) small broccoli florets

• 4 green onions, chopped

• 5 cups (1.25 L) baby spinach or finely shredded cabbage

GINGER-LIME DRESSING

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) sesame oil

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh ginger, finely grated

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt

• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) black pepper, optional

MAKE THE DRESSING

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, or shake them together in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid.

ASSEMBLE THE FIVE JARS

Divide the ingredients among five clean 1-quart (1-L) jars in this order:

1. Dressing
Put about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) dressing into the bottom of each jar.

2. Chickpeas or edamame
Divide the chickpeas or edamame among the jars.

3. Carrots
Add the shredded carrots.

4. Red cabbage
Add the shredded cabbage.

5. Bell pepper and broccoli
Add the sliced red pepper and broccoli florets.

6. Green onions
Sprinkle the chopped green onions over the vegetables.

7. Brown rice or quinoa
Add the cooled cooked grain.

8. Greens
Finish with baby spinach or finely shredded cabbage.

TO STORE

Put the lids on tightly and refrigerate at 1–4°C (34–40°F).

For the best texture and freshness, enjoy within 4–5 days.

Shake gently before eating, or empty the jar into a bowl and toss.

STUDENT TIP

This salad is very forgiving. You can substitute vegetables you already have in the refrigerator—snow peas, cucumber, radishes, snap peas or finely chopped broccoli stems all work nicely.

If you like a little heat, a small amount of chili sauce can be added to the dressing.

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A SIMPLE 7-JAR-SALAD FORMULA

Once you understand the layering trick, you don't really need a special recipe every time.

BOTTOM: dressing
↓
PROTEIN: chickpeas, beans, lentils or edamame
↓
STURDY VEGETABLES: carrots, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, cucumber
↓
GRAIN: quinoa, brown rice, barley or another cooked grain
↓
TOPPINGS: herbs, seeds, olives, etc.
↓
GREENS: spinach, lettuce or other delicate greens

The basic rule is simple: keep the wettest and heaviest ingredients at the bottom and the tender greens at the top.

That little bit of planning can turn five minutes of lunch preparation into five ready-to-go university or work lunches.  

If you enjoyed these recipes you can apply your own favorite salads and/or salad ingredients using the same principes as above: layer the vegetables as shown, with the dressing on the bottom and the delicate greens dry on the top. Here are some salads that might be made into jar salads on Veggie School site (or maybe just eaten asa regular family salad 😈: 

Lemon-Poppy Seed Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing

Wild Blueberry-Walnut-Spinach Salad

Wild Blueberry-Cucumberr-Summer Bowl

Wild Blueberry-Carrot Slaw

Mediterrranean Chickpea-Olive Salad

Tropical Church Basement Fruit Salad

Fresh Pineapple Quinoa Salad with Lime-Mint Dressing

Millet-Tabouli Salad

Easy Meal Planning with A.I.

Potato and Chive Salad with Lemon Dressing

Saskatoon Berry Ensalata with Apples

Thai Quinoa Salad

The Haystack Salad

The Hawaiian Haystack Salad

Tabolleh with Chickn Crumbles

2 nice Tomato Dressing Recipes

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🥤 Recipe and photos © 2026 Cynthia Zirkwitz | Veggie School
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