Tired of sad salad lunches? Here are 8 vegetarian salad jar recipes perfect for GRAB & GO meals.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
- What is a Salad Jar?
- My Favourite Salad Jar Recipes
- Crispy Tofu Salad Recipe
What is a Salad Jar?
A salad jar is a cool and practical way of packing salad. With dressing at the bottom of the jar topped with layers of protein, veggies, and delicate greens at the topmost, the salad jar is the best hack for packing a salad for office lunch. It works exceptionally well for those who frequently work long hours at a desk or travel.
You can follow my detailed Salad in a Jar 101 Guide to understand the basic thumb rules, do’s and don’t to prepare and pack salad in a jar like a pro.
If you follow me on Instagram , you will learn about my viral salad jar recipe series. Each of those salad recipes is loved and saved by thousands of you.
Pro Tips for Mason Jar Salad Success:
- Wide-mouth jars are your friend: Easier to fill and eat from!
- Dry your greens thoroughly: Excess moisture is the enemy of freshness.
- Don’t overfill: Leave some room for shaking!
- Get creative! Mix and match your favourite proteins, veggies, grains, and dressings. Read my ultimate guide to build good salads !
My Favourite Salad Jar Recipes
Give these grab-and-go mason jar salads a try and revolutionize your lunch routine! Each one of these salad jar recipes is unique and full of flavours.
- Mixed Beans Salad Jar : Colorful, crunchy, wholesome, and healthy are the right words to define my Mexican Style Mixed Beans Salad!
- USP: Vegan, High Protein, Gluten Free
- Meal Prep Tip: Boil the beans over the weekend and store them in the refrigerator. You can use canned beans as well.
- Salad Dressing: ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Juice of 1 lime + 1 teaspoon crushed garlic + 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard + Salt & Pepper
- Brown Chana Salad Jar : You will surely fall in love with this vegetarian brown chickpea salad .
- USP: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Nut Free, High Protein
- Meal Prep Tip: Boil the brown chickpeas in advance and store them in the refrigerator.
- Dressing: ¼ Cup Mint Leaves + ¼ Cup Coriander Leaves + ½ Cup Greek Yogurt + 2 Garlic Cloves + ⅛ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Salt & Pepper
- Lentil Salad Jar is a wholesome, nutritious, fulfilling Mediterranean-style salad . Keep it simple, or make it sexy. Either way, you are going to love it.
- USP: Vegetarian, Nut Free, Gluten Free
- Meal Prep Tip: Boil and store lentils in the refrigerator. Canned lentils also work for this salad recipe.
- Salad Dressing: ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Juice of 1 lime + 1 teaspoon crushed garlic + 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard + ½ teaspoon Oregano + Salt & Pepper
- Pesto Pasta Salad Jar : This delicious vegetarian pasta salad recipe is packed with basil and walnut pesto flavour.
- USP: Vegetarian
- Meal Prep Tip: You can store boiled pasta in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
- Salad Dressing: Basil Walnut Pesto
- Macaroni Salad Jar has my favourite elbow pasta (macaroni), fresh summer veggies, cheese, and a creamy dressing that makes everything taste good.
- USP: Vegetarian, Nut Free
- Meal Prep Tip: You can store boiled macaroni in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
- Salad Dressing: 1 Cup mayonnaise + ½ Cup parmesan cheese + ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon wine vinegar + Juice of 1 lime + 2 garlic cloves + 1 teaspoon oregano + Salt & Pepper
- Crispy Tofu Salad Jar : With a truckload of colourful vegetables, this Asian-style salad is an edible rainbow.
- USP: Vegan, High Protein
- Meal Prep Tip: Marinate the tofu and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Salad Dressing: 4 tablespoon peanut butter + 1 tablespoon light soy sauce + 2 tablespoon sesame oil + 1 tablespoon red chili sauce + 1 tablespoon lime juice + 1 teaspoon crushed garlic + Salt
Ingredients
Ingredients For Crispy Tofu
- ▢ 200 gram firm tofu cut into cubes
- ▢ ¼ Cup light soy sauce
- ▢ 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon corn flour (corn starch)
Ingredients For Dressing:
- ▢ 4 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon light soya sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon red chili sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ▢ 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Other Salad Ingredients:
- ▢ ½ Cup finely shredded purple cabbage
- ▢ ½ Cup diced cucumber
- ▢ ½ Cup diced red bell pepper
- ▢ ½ Cup shredded carrot
- ▢ ½ Cup fine chopped spring onion greens
- ▢ ¼ Cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
Make Crispy Tofu
- Firmly press the tofu with a paper towel to drain all the moisture/water. Make sure tofu is completely dry. Then cut into cubes.
- Combine tofu cubes with soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes at least or at best overnight.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan. Fry marinated tofu till crisp and golden. Transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool down.
Prepare Dressing
- Add all the ingredients for dressing in a jar. Shake well to combine or use a wire whisk.
Assemble Salad
- Combine all the vegetables, crispy tofu, herbs, and pour dressing over the salad. Mix nicely. Sprinkle crushed peanuts and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Barley Salad Jar : This salad recipe is inspired by Mediterranean tabbouleh or Shirazi salad, where all the ingredients are finely chopped and tossed in a simple vinaigrette. The addition of pearl barley makes it wholesome and fulfilling.
- USP: Vegan, Nut Free
- Meal Prep Tip: Boil the barley, drain the liquid, allow it to cool, and store it in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days.
- Salad Dressing: ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Juice of 1 lime + 1 teaspoon crushed garlic + 1 teaspoon Italian herbs + Salt & Pepper
- Chickpea Quinoa Salad Jar : This wholesome, lemony Chickpea Quinoa Salad is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours. Healthy and power-packed, this salad is truly satisfying!
- USP: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Meal Prep Tip: Boil the barley and chickpeas separately, drain the liquid, allow to cool them and store in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Canned Chickpeas are good too.
- Salad Dressing: ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Juice of 1 lime + 1 teaspoon crushed garlic + 1 teaspoon Za’tar Spice Mix + Salt & Pepper
My ebook, 40 Healthy Salad Recipes , is here! Packed with vegetarian, wholesome recipes, videos, and useful tips for making the best salads.
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Crispy Tofu Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Stir Fry Pan
Ingredients
Ingredients For Crispy Tofu
- 200 gram firm tofu cut into cubes
- ¼ Cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon corn flour (corn starch)
Ingredients For Dressing:
- 4 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon light soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon red chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Other Salad Ingredients:
- ½ Cup finely shredded purple cabbage
- ½ Cup diced cucumber
- ½ Cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ Cup shredded carrot
- ½ Cup fine chopped spring onion greens
- ¼ Cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
Make Crispy Tofu
- Firmly press the tofu with a paper towel to drain all the moisture/water. Make sure tofu is completely dry. Then cut into cubes.
- Combine tofu cubes with soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes at least or at best overnight.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan. Fry marinated tofu till crisp and golden. Transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool down.
Prepare Dressing
- Add all the ingredients for dressing in a jar. Shake well to combine or use a wire whisk.
Assemble Salad
- Combine all the vegetables, crispy tofu, herbs, and pour dressing over the salad. Mix nicely. Sprinkle crushed peanuts and enjoy!
Nutrition
Who doesn’t love the satisfying crunch of a potato chip? Here is a gluten and guilt-free, air fryer potato chips recipe worth bookmarking.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- The Magic of Air Fryers
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Chips
- Serving Suggestion
- My Tried and True Tips
- Air Fryer Potato Chips Recipe
While the store-bought versions are convenient, there’s something extraordinary about homemade potato chips.
Homemade Potato Chips are:
- preservative free
- meal prep friendly
- budget friendly
- no added sugar
- gluten free
- dairy free
The Magic of Air Fryers
Air fryers have taken the culinary world by storm , and for good reason. These countertop appliances use hot air circulation to cook food, producing crispy results with significantly less oil than traditional frying methods.
With the rise in popularity of air fryers, creating your crispy potato chips at home has never been easier. Not only is it healthier than traditional deep-frying, but it also allows for endless flavour possibilities.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes peeled and thinly sliced. Try to use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for crispy chips. In India, try to use new potatoes with thin skin . At times, there is a specific variety of potatoes sold in the market for making chips, known as chips ka aloo.
- Oil: Since we are air frying the potato chips, there isn’t much oil required. For spraying the basket and potato slices I use cooking olive oil.
- Salt , Seasoning (Chilli Powder, Mint Powder, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder)
Equipment: You need two essential equipment for this potato chips recipe – Mandoline Slicer and Air Fryer . The Mandoline slicer makes very thin and perfectly consistent slices. If you have a very steady hand, you could try for thin slices with a sharp knife, but it will be time-consuming and require practice.
How To Make Chips
Prep Work
- Remove the skin of potatoes using a peeler.
- Using a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, thinly slice the potatoes into rounds. Aim for slices that are about ⅛ inch thick for optimal crispiness.
- Transfer the potato slices to a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. Let them sit in cold water for 10 – 15 minutes. This helps in removing excess starch from the potato slices.
- Arrange the potato slices on a clean, kitchen cloth in a single layer without overlapping each other. Cover them with another kitchen towel. Pat dry, making sure to remove all the water.
Seasoning
- Place the potato slices on a large sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss gently to coat each slice evenly.
- Season the potato slices with salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings of your choice. Get creative here – try experimenting with different flavours!
Air Frying
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Spray the basket with oil.
- Arrange the seasoned potato slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd them. You may need to cook the chips in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook the potato chips in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Keep a close eye on them towards the end to prevent burning.
Once the chips are done cooking, transfer them to a colander or a big bowl.
Allow the chips to cool slightly before serving or storing.
Serving Suggestion
Potato Chips and dips are made for each other. From spicy salsa , creamy mango dip to cheesy corn dip , you can serve potato chips with any dipping sauce you choose.
One combination that never goes wrong is chips and ketchup . You can serve potato chips with old-fashioned tomato ketchup also.
These potato chips are a fantastic side dish to accompany sandwiches, wraps, or to pack in a school lunchbox.
My Tried and True Tips
- Slice Evenly: Consistency is key when slicing the potatoes. Aim for uniform thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Overlapping potato slices can prevent proper air circulation, resulting in unevenly cooked chips. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Monitor Closely: Cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your potato slices, as well as the model of your air fryer. Keep an eye on the chips to prevent them from burning.
- Get Creative with Seasonings: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices to elevate the flavour of your potato chips. From classic sea salt to bold BBQ seasoning, the possibilities are endless!
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Crispy Chickpeas
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Malai Broccoli
- Air Fryer Banana Chips
- Air Fryer Karela Chips
- Air Fryer Pasta Chips
f ollow us on Youtube and Instagram for video recipes.
Ingredients
- ▢ 3 large size potatoes, peeled
- ▢ 2 tablespoon cooking olive oil
- ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- ▢ 4 cups ice cold water
Instructions
- Remove the skin of potatoes using a peeler. You can roughly scrub it with a kitchen towel if its thin instead of peeling.
- Using a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, thinly slice the potatoes into rounds. Aim for slices that are about ⅛ inch thick for optimal crispiness.
- Transfer the potato slices to a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. Let them sit in cold water for 10 – 15 minutes. This step helps in removing excess starch from the potato slices.
- Arrange the potato slices on a clean, kitchen cloth in a single layer without overlapping each other. Cover them with another kitchen towel. Pat dry, making sure to remove all the water. This takes approximately 20 minutes. You can place them covered under a fan also.
- Place the potato slices on a large sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss gently to coat each slice evenly. Season the potato slices with salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings of your choice.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Spray the basket with oil.
- Arrange the seasoned potato slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd them. You may need to cook the chips in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook the potato chips in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Keep a close eye on them towards the end to prevent burning.
- Once the chips are done cooking, transfer them to a colander or a big bowl. Allow the chips to cool slightly before serving or storing.
Recipe Notes:
- Each batch of chips took me exactly 10 minutes. Given the 6 QT size of my air fryer, it took me 30 minutes to make them in three batches.
- While air frying, do not leave the potato chips unattended and shake/flip them once or twice during the cooking time.
- For making 500 grams of chips I have used 3 large-size potatoes. The yield may vary depending on the size of the potatoes and how you slice them.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices to elevate the flavour of your potato chips. From classic sea salt to bold BBQ seasoning, the possibilities are endless!
Nutrition
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