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With layers of Mediterranean flavors, like lemony marinated chickpeas, fresh, crunchy veggies, and quinoa, these mason jar salads are a delicious meal prep idea for easy lunches or dinners all week. They store well in the fridge for 5 days!
save this recipe!Ready for the easiest grab-and-go lunch that’s packed with healthy ingredients and Mediterranean flavor?
Meet your new favorite meal prep: the Mediterranean Mason Jar Salad. Layered with marinated chickpeas, fluffy quinoa, and a rainbow of fresh veggies, this quick and easy recipe is perfect for busy weekdays or a portable lunch for work!
Meal prep you won’t get bored of
- Healthy and Portable: These mason jar salads are perfect for on-the-go lunches or picnics.
- Customizable: Don’t love cucumbers? Swap them out! Add your favorite Mediterranean-inspired ingredients.
- Easy Meal Prep: Prep 4 jars in just 15 minutes, and lunch is ready for the entire week.
Reader rating
“My daughter and I have made this salad twice so far and it is AMAZINGLY GOOD. It’s one of those recipes where I am not in love with one ingredient, but the sum of them all together is magic.” —Tara
For the marinated chickpeas
This is just an overview; jump to the recipe card for full measurements!
- Chickpeas: The protein-packed base of the salad, chickpeas soak up the delicious marinade and keep you full.
- Italian parsley: Adds a fresh flavor. Be sure to use Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, which has more flavor than curly parsley.
- Oil & Vinegar: Extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar create the dressing for the chickpeas and the salad.
- Lemon: We’ll use lemon zest (for flavor) and juice (for acidity).
- Garlic: A must! You can adjust to taste if you’re a garlic lover.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the marinade and the chickpeas.
For the salad filling
- Quinoa: This gluten-free grain is light, fluffy, and adds a hearty base to the salad. Bonus: it holds up well in the fridge!
- Red onion: Adds a sharp, tangy bite and a burst of color to the layers.
- Feta cheese: Salty and creamy, feta is the quintessential Mediterranean cheese. Omit for a vegan version or substitute with plant-based feta.
- Pitted olives: Choose Kalamata or your favorite type for a briny, savory addition.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet, juicy tomatoes bring a pop of color and balance the tangy and salty flavors.
- Bell pepper: Use any color for crunch and mild sweetness.
- English cucumber: Cool, crisp, and refreshing.
- Romaine lettuce: Pack any remaining space in the jar with chopped romaine!
Ready in 15 minutes
This is an overview! Jump to the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse quinoa well, then cook it in water until fluffy. Let it cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Marinate the Chickpeas: Mix chickpeas with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and spices. Let them soak up the flavors while you chop the veggies.
- Assemble the Jars: Layer the ingredients from most to least dense, then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, dump the contents into a bowl and stir!
What about dressing?
The marinated chickpeas act as a built-in dressing, but feel free to drizzle on some tahini or Greek vinaigrette before serving.
Dietary Swaps
- Low-Carb Option: Skip the quinoa and add extra greens.
- Protein Boost: Add a hard-boiled egg or grilled tofu.
- Vegan-Friendly: Swap feta with a plant-based feta cheese.
More meal prep
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Mediterranean Mason Jar Salads
Ingredients
Marinated Chickpeas
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained, 425 g cans
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 30 mL
- 1 lemon, 1 tsp of the grated zest and 2 Tbsp of the juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp salt
Salad Fillings
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup cubed or crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup pitted olives
- 1 10-oz package cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, chopped, any color
- ½ medium English cucumber, chopped
- 3 to 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce, or enough to fill the jars
Instructions
- Quinoa: Rinse quinoa well In a mesh strainer, then add it to a medium pot with 3 cups of water. Cook according to package instructions until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Let it cool while you prepare everything else.
- Chickpeas: Stir together all Marinated Chickpea ingredients.
- Assemble: Spoon Marinated Chickpeas evenly into 4 large (32-oz) mason jars. Evenly divide ingredients into the jars in this order: chopped onion, feta, olives, cooled quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, chopped cucumber, lettuce. Close lids and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To serve, dump the contents of a jar into a bowl and stir!
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
This was delicious! We used a little less white wine vinegar and it was perfect! Would go great with smoked salmon! Great recipe
So happy to hear it was a hit! 😀
Absolutely easy abd delicious 😋
My daughter and I have made this salad twice so far and it is AMAZINGLY GOOD.
It’s one of those recipes where I am not in love with one ingredient, but the sum of them all together is magic.
This makes me SO happy to hear, Tara!! Enjoy! 🙂
So great! I adjusted for me (no olives, but more peppers – red, yellow, orange) and so fresh & delicious! I’ve found my cukes get soft faster than the rest, so I add them in separately just 1 or 2 days ahead. Has become a go-to for us as we try to eat better
So thrilled to hear you loved it, Ingrid! Happy eating! 🙂
How big is the jar?
These are 32-oz wide-mouth mason jars 🙂
What could be the replacement for white wine vinegar? From vinegars, I have used only apple cider vinegar. Just wondering how different the taste will be, and does it stay fresh the same amount of time as the original recipe? Thanks!
It’ll stay fresh the same amount of time! You can use anything you have (red wine vin preferred, but apple cider vin would work!)
It was a nice meal prep. For me it needed more flavor, so I added some of the olive and feta brine. I will do this again in summer. It’s very refreshing
Love that you added the olive and feta brine—that’s such a smart way to amp up the flavor!
What would you recommend for a replacement for the quinoa?
Really any grain will work well here! You could use bulgur, brown rice, farro, sorghum…anything you have in your pantry!
Thank you for sharing this recipe
I’m not familiar with Kcals. So when you say 510 Kcal how many regular calories is it?
Kcals is regular calories (it’s just the more scientific notation for it). For example, most nutrition labels assume a 2,000 kcal diet 🙂