Next Post
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Mediterranean Chickpea and Egg Mason Jar Salads for your Monday lunch.
Hey, hi! Happy, happy Monday! I hope you all had a great Easter weekend!
So sorry for all the shouting, but I’m trying to wake myself up a bit here. Just a little on the tired side. Need coffee, definitely some concealer, and probably some greens too. Anyone else feeling the same?
Ahh, Mondays after a holiday weekend…
SO, my guess is that after yesterday’s Easter festivities a lot of you may have one too many hard-boiled eggs sitting in your fridge about now. You do, don’t you? Well in comes this salad to save the day. This healthy lunch will not only keep you energized, it’ll get those eggs out of your fridge. You are so welcome.
In all seriousness though, this mason jar salad recipe is perfect for today. It’s perfect for any day really, but especially today. Simply for the fact that a lot of you most likely have some hard boiled eggs and leftover vegetables on hand from Easter. It’s also perfect because this salad is not only easy to prepare, but it’s ideal for packing up and taking to work. Meaning, no sad looking desk salad today.
Nope. Can’t do that. Never.
I believe I’ve said this before, but I’m a big fan of cooking up a huge batch of quinoa on the weekends and using it for quick salads throughout the week. I often just eat quinoa with an avocado, lemon, and sea salt. It’s pretty much my version of meal prep, which to be honest I’m not the biggest fan of. The idea of meal prep is great, but let’s just be real, I really don’t want to spend six hours in the kitchen on Sunday. Like I just don’t. Do you?
I could go on and on about my feelings towards meal prep, but I am going to save that for another rambling session.
What I do want to say is that this here jar salad simplifies Sunday meal prep. It’s literally the most perfect salad to prepare on Sunday for easy work lunches. It’s healthy, pretty, and so flavorful. It can also be prepared in under thirty minutes and uses pantry staples and veggies you might already have on hand, or sitting in the fridge.
And yes, it uses up those hard boiled eggs too.
The only thing that needs cooking here is the quinoa and the eggs. Two very, very easy things to cook (I mean, you actually canย buy pre-cooked quinoa and eggs…just saying…not really advocating it though). Once you have those together, it’s truly just a matter of layering up your ingredients in a jar and then you’re DONE. Now, here’s the thing, the order in which you layer your ingredients is important. You want anything that might wilt at the top of your jars, and you want the heartier items at the bottom.
First, I start with the marinated artichokes and carrots. Both can withstand sitting in salad dressing and will actually get better and more flavorful as they sit. Same goes for the quinoa, which comes next, you could also use pasta. Then you have the chickpeas for some protein, which I also decided to toss in the vinaigrette…this is KEY. Tossing the chickpeas in the vinaigrette allows for the chickpeas to marinate and soak up all the delicious flavors of the vinaigrette. It. Is. So. Good.
Note to self: when working with canned, uncooked chickpeas, always marinate them in a vinaigrette. Game changer.
After the chickpeas comes all the more “delicate” vegetables. Cucumbers, then a generous amount of crumbled feta, then finish with a large handful of arugula or spinach and an egg…or two. Seal the lid on the jar, throw them in the fridge, and you have four delicious and healthy lunches just waiting to be eaten
YES. Hip, hip hooray! Give yourself a pat on the back. YOU MEAL PREPPED, and it was EASY.
These jars are so great and versatile, some of my other favorite additions include chicken, nuts, red onion, bell pepper, and romaine lettuce.
OK. OK. Now the question is, but how do I eat a salad out of a jar?
You don’t. It’s hard, and a mess, and not fun. So here’s what you do. When you’re ready to eat, dump everything out into a bowl, toss it around, add the avocado, a squeeze of lemon for freshness, and a sprinkle of salt. Now you eat.
Yum. YUM.
And with that, have I convinced you to make this salad for lunch today? I hope my dramatics have swayed you, because I have a good feeling you guys will love this recipe.
Watch the How To Video:
Mediterranean Chickpea and Egg Salad Jars
Servings: 4 salad jars
Calories Per Serving: 1138 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped + 1/3 cup oil reserved
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cans (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 1/2-2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cucumbers, sliced or chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- 4-6 hard boiled eggs
- 4 cups fresh arugula
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine the 1/3 cup of olive oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, honey, juice from 1 lemon, dill, basil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the chickpeas and toss to coat.ย 2. Using four (16 ounce) glass jars, to the bottom of each jar, evenly layer the artichokes, carrots, and quinoa. Spoon the chickpeas and any vinaigrette left in the bowl over the quinoa. Layer on the cucumbers, feta cheese, and seeds. Add an egg to each jar. Seal the jars and keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.ย 3. To serve, pour the contents of the jar out into a bowl. Add the arugula, avocado and squeeze the remaining lemon juice over top. Season with salt, if desired. Enjoy!
Jar salads for the win.
PS. Happy April!
Do you make more vinaigrette to put on the bottom. In the description you say that the artichokes can withstand sitting in the vinaigrette but it doesn’t say to put any on the bottom. Do you make more and put that in first? Looking forward to making this!
Hi Suzie! Yes, I would put the vinaigrette on the bottom so that it doesn’t get soggy! xT
Is this recipe really over 1100 calories per 1 serving??? Thatโs a lot of calories for 1 meal, would you not say?
Hi Anita,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. Itโs not something weโd prefer to be using. We are required to. Iโm sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
Hi there, this looks very fun. What size jar do you use? Thank you for the energy and effort you put into your posts.
Hey Kat,
Here is the link for the jars that I used: https://rstyle.me/n/c2vjcmb9wzf
You want to use 16 ounce jars. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi.
No long do you think the salad will keep in the jar before eating. More than 24 hrs?
Thanks so much,
Denise
Hey Denise,
You can keep the jars in the fridge for 2-3 days. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Looks like you never fixed the recipe and told us when to add the 2nd lemon or the arugula
Mi Mary! The lemon and arugula are use for topping! Recipe all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This was really easy and yummy. I was looking for a new vegetarian lunch option, thanks!
Perfect! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Ashley! xTieghan
There is some major errors to this recipe if you READ it correctly… First, in the ingredients it calls for 2 lemons but instructions has you only using 1. Second, in the directions is states โ squeeze lime juice over topโ. Again, no mention of needing this item in the instructions. Finally, it calls for 4 cups of Argugla but never mentions in the directions when to add it. Common sense is you add it on top but should be listed in the instructions to complete the recipe.
Hi Missy! I am so sorry about the confusion! I will fix the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Made this, this week. really different, great, light and refreshing. love the flavors. & i like how the mason jars tuck in the fridge.
Please make more meal prep type recipes, mason jar & sheet pan.
Thank you.
Thank you so much Karen! I am so glad you liked this and it worked really well for you!
I rock these easily once every three weeks to work. They are so simple, keep well, and save me from spending money during the day! They also fill me up without feeling like i need a nap by 2pm. Would love some ways to change it up so i can make it a weekly thing!
Thank you Erika! I am so glad you have been loving these salad jars!
How do you eat a jar salad? They look gorgeous, but what next–do you stick in a fork and eat one element at a time until you get to the bottom? I ened up pouring them out on a plate or bowl and mixing them up. So the first day I took one to work and was stuck mining it with a fork while trying to keep things confined to the jar. The second day, I carried a bowl in addition and had even more stuff to cart home. The 3rd day, I just dumped all of it, except the vinaigrette which I packaged separately, into a plastic container and that’s been the way ever since. What looks spectacular in a photo, isn’t always the most efficient for toting and then eating at one’s desk
Hi Janet! I like the jar because it does not take up too much space and can almost fit anywhere. Many people prefer to put it in a bowl or on a plate while eating though!