Mason Jar Salads with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

3 mason jars full of salad ingredients like sweet potato, white beans, cabbage, and arugula.

Mason Jar Salads with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fall mason jar salad, Mason Jar Salad

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 637kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

These mason jar salads make eating veggies 100% easier. Each jar is strategically layered so that red onion marinates in the dressing overnight, while the leafy greens stay perfectly fresh without getting soggy. The variety of textures and flavors will keep you from getting bored, even if you eat this 3 days in a row!

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Ingredients

1 large sweet potato , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 cup dry quinoa (see notes; you'll have leftovers)
1 pound cabbage (or 3 cups shredded)
½ red onion , diced
1 (15 oz.) can white beans , rinsed and drained
3 cups arugula or spring mix

Maple Cider Vinaigrette

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

To roast the sweet potato, preheat the oven to 425ºF and toss the cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange the sweet potato in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let them cool when the timer goes off.
While the sweet potato roasts, rinse the dry quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer until you no longer see any foam or bubbles on top. Transfer the quinoa to a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of fresh water. Bring this to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan and lower the heat. Cook covered for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and keep the lid on for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool before adding to the salad jars.
While everything is cooking, finely shred the cabbage and dice the red onion, and then combine all of the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup with a spout, for easy pouring.
To assemble the salads, you'll need 3 quart-sized mason jars. Add ¼ cup of the dressing to the bottom, followed ~3 tablespoons of chopped red onion, 1 cup of shredded cabbage, ½ cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup of white beans, and then divide the cooled sweet potatoes between each jar. Fill the rest of the jar with arugula mixed greens. (It's okay to tightly pack the mixed greens at the top.)
Repeat the layers for each jar, and reserve any extra salad toppings in airtight containers in your fridge. (I usually have leftover cabbage and quinoa.) Seal the jars with a lid and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To serve, remove the lid and pour the jar's contents into a large bowl. Stir well to make sure all of the vegetables are dressed, and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 jar, assuming the ingredients are evenly distributed between 3 jars. You can make a lower-calorie salad by making 4 servings instead. This is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it's just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Quinoa Note: This recipe calls for almost double the quinoa you'll need, because I personally love having leftover quinoa in the fridge. You can use it to make quinoa fried rice for a fast dinner, or use it as the base for a stir-fry instead of rice. (Try it with Ground Beef & Broccoli or Kung Pao Chickpeas.)

Variation: If you have butternut squash on hand, you can roast that instead of sweet potato. Almost any winter squash would work here.

Nutrition