Meal Prep Greek Mason Jar Salad
This Greek Mason Jar Salad recipe is the perfect meal prep option for busy weeks! Featuring fresh veggies, fluffy quinoa, creamy feta, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing, it’s hearty, flavorful, and nutritious, too. Mix and match your favorite ingredients for a meal you’ll look forward to eating again and again.
Love salads? Try our pizza salad and cottage cheese cucumber salad, too!
This mason jar salad has been a staple in my home for years. It’s a lifesaver on crazy days and keeps me reaching for unhealthy options when I’m not sure what to eat. I can’t be the only one too lazy to actually make lunch, right?
Plus, it’s a great way to use up any extra produce or protein I have on hand from meal prep! Just toss everything in a jar. Then, grab it and go when you’re ready to eat. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
What is a Mason Jar Salad?
Mason jar salads are exactly what they sound like – salads in jars, mason jars to be exact! They’re great for meal prep and make for easy grab-and-go lunches and dinners that you can enjoy for a week.
Most recipes feature greens, veggies, protein, grains, and a dressing, but there are endless variations. The true key is to layer the dressing at the bottom so you can flip the jars and dress the salad when serving.
Recipe Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Dressing – We use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette, but any homemade or store-bought salad dressing will work. Or, add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Veggies – Roma or cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and baby spinach keep the salad bright, nutritious, and full of nutrients.
- Olives – We use Kalamata olives for a salty, briny flavor and healthy fats. However, you can omit them if you aren’t a fan.
- Quinoa – Use pre-made quinoa. If you’re short on time, opt for microwave packages from the store!
- Basil – This adds a sweet, slightly spicy flavor that ties the whole dish together.
- Feta – We love the creamy texture and salty flavor this adds!
How to Make a Greek Mason Jar Salad
- Prepare the veggies. Chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. Then, slice the onion into thin strips, and use a sharp knife to julienne the basil into thin strips. Chop olives and set them aside.
2. Add the dressing. Pour balsamic vinaigrette into the bottom of each jar.
3. Layer. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, quinoa, olives, baby spinach, feta, and basil to each jar. Be sure to follow that order!
4. Store and serve. Secure the lids and store your salads in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, flip the salad onto a plate, let the dressing pour on top, and dig in!
Tips for Success
- Layer the ingredients properly. The order of ingredients is crucial when it comes to the best Greek mason jar salads. Always start with the dressing. Then, add the heaviest ingredients like protein, sturdy veggies, and grains. Finish with lighter veggies and garnishes. This prevents the salads from becoming soggy.
- Use large, wide-mouth mason jars. Wide-mouth jars make it easier to add ingredients and serve the salad. We love these large jars for a complete meal, but any size will work.
- Fill the jars. Stuff the mason jars right up to the top to keep the ingredients crisp and fresh.
- Mix and match ingredients. Feel free to experiment with different items! Swap the dressing, add cooked chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or shrimp, incorporate different veggies, or mix and match toppings. The options are truly endless!
- Invert the salads to serve. You can eat these salads right out of the jar, but it’s best to dump them into a bowl or onto a plate. This allows the dressing to coat all the ingredients for maximum flavor in every bite.
Common Questions
Make sure to layer the ingredients properly, keep your salad in an airtight container, and enjoy it before the veggies go bad!
Stored in the fridge, Greek mason jar salads will stay fresh for up to five days.
Traditional Greek salads feature cucumbers, tomatoes, green bell peppers, red onion, olives, and feta cheese. This recipe is a fun take on the original but every bit as tasty!
More Delicious Salad Recipes to Try
Greek Mason Jar Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups balsamic vinaigrette (or 14 ounce bottle)
- 4 roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 large cucumbers, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 9 ounce jar pitted Kalamata olives, halved (about 50 olives)
- 6 ounce bag baby spinach
- 5 large fresh basil leaves, julienned (thinly sliced)
- 5 ounce container crumbled feta cheese (about 10 Tablespoons)
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. Cut the onion in half and thinly slice (save the other half of the onion for another recipe.) With a sharp knife, julienne the basil into thin strips. Set the chopped veggies and herbs aside.4 roma tomatoes, diced, 2 large cucumbers, sliced into bite-sized pieces, 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, 5 large fresh basil leaves, julienned (thinly sliced)
- Chop 50 olives in half and set aside.9 ounce jar pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- Pour a ¼ cup (or less if you prefer salads with less dressing) balsamic vinaigrette in the bottom of each jar. (See our Prep Tips below before filling the jars!)1 1/4 cups balsamic vinaigrette
- Start layering the ingredients on top of the dressing in this order (see photos): ½ cup chopped tomatoes, 1 cup chopped cucumber, ¼ cup sliced red onion, ½ cup cooked quinoa, 20 Kalamata olive halves (10 olives total), 1-1½ cups baby spinach, 2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese and lastly 1 Tablespoon julienned basil or about 1 basil leaf.2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, 6 ounce bag baby spinach, 5 ounce container crumbled feta cheese
- Finish by securing the lid and storing all the Mason jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, shake the jar to allow the dressing to coat all the ingredients to eat from the jar OR pour the contents onto a plate.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I really like making these salad jars to have in the fridge for a quick lunch all week!