Layers of salad ingredients — lettuce, nuts, peas, quinoa — in a tall glass canning jar.

Salad in a jar: Spring pea and strawberry salad with quinoa

This clever layering method for packing a salad in a jar keeps ingredients fresh and crisp throughout the day.

Layers of salad ingredients — lettuce, nuts, peas, quinoa — in a tall glass canning jar.
Salad in a jar: Spring pea and strawberry salad with quinoa

Packing a salad for lunch is a great way to get fruits and veggies in your diet. But it can be challenging to preserve the fresh flavors and delicate textures when packing them to go. Luckily, stacking the ingredients in a jar is a simple solution to prevent soggy salads. 

Stack the salad from bottom to top:

Layer 1: Dressing

Layer 2: Heavier cooked vegetables (such as roasted beets) or hard fresh vegetables (such as peas and carrots)

Layer 3: Grains

Layer 4: Fruits or delicate vegetables

Layer 5: Nuts and seeds

Layer 6: Leafy greens, sprouts, and herbs 

Feel free to experiment with ingredients you find at the farmers market or already have in your pantry.

Note: The ingredients and directions below will yield more than one jar’s worth of salad.

Servings: 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vinaigrette (see below)
  • 1/2 cup fresh or blanched spring peas, shelled
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/4 cup maple glazed walnuts (see below)
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
  • 1/2 cup salad greens

Vinaigrette (yields about 1/4 cup dressing)

  • 1 teaspoon spring onion, minced kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil

Maple glazed walnuts (yields 1/2 cup of maple glazed walnuts)

  • 1/2 cup of walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Directions

Fill jar with salad ingredients in the order listed. When you’re ready for lunch, shake all contents in the jar and serve on a plate or in a bowl.

Vinaigrette

  1. Add minced onions to small mixing bowl with a pinch of salt. 
  2. Macerate onions in sherry for about 2 minutes. 
  3. Then add Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and olive oil. S
  4. Stir to emulsify.

Maple glazed walnuts

  1. Toss walnuts in a small mixing bowl with maple syrup. 
  2. Bring pan to medium-low heat. 
  3. Add maple covered walnuts and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until maple syrup sticks to walnuts.

    Nutrition information (per serving)

  • Calories: 489
  • Total fat: 32 g
  • Saturated fat: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 180 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 42 g
  • Dietary fiber: 9 g
  • Total sugars: 11 g
  • Protein: 13 g