Cucumber Chickpea Salad Jar

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This meal-prep cucumber-chickpea salad jar is simple, filling, and easy to make ahead. It’s made with fresh veggies, chickpeas, quinoa, and a simple lemon vinaigrette that keeps it light but still filling.

Two salad jars with chickpeas, cucumber, quinoa, herbs and tomatoes layered in mason jars.

This Chickpea, Cucumber, and Quinoa Salad Jar is the perfect solution for an easy, tasty, make-ahead lunch. Simply layer the dressing and then all of the fresh ingredients in a glass jar. The dressing always goes at the bottom, followed by heartier ingredients, and more fragile ingredients that might get soggy at the top.

Looking to try other salad-in-a-jar recipes? Try my Italian Kale Salad Jar or this amazing Italian Pasta Salad Jar next!

Ingredients needed

This chickpea salad jar recipe is filled with plant-based protein from quinoa and chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a simple, light Italian dressing. It’s also vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free! Here’s everything you’ll need:

ingredients for chickpea and cucumber salad jar.

For the dressing: The homemade Italian vinaigrette is made with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, and salt & pepper.
Chickpeas: Two cans of chickpeas add plant-based protein and lots of fiber.
Veggies: I used a mix of red onion, cherry tomatoes, and English cucumber. You can add any other veggie you like.
Quinoa: Four cups of cooked quinoa add a nutty flavor and even more plant-based protein to this salad.
Herbs: Use fresh cilantro or parsley for color and extra flavor.

How to cucumber chickpea meal prep salad jar

Preparing a salad jar is so easy! However, you must layer the ingredients so they don’t get soggy. The dressing goes in first, followed by the chickpeas, and sturdy, crunchy veggies like cucumbers and onions, then soft veggies, greens (if using), and grains, herbs, and nuts or seeds (if using) at the top. Here’s the simple process:

Prep: Prepare all ingredients so they can be easily divided into 4 servings. To make the mason jar salads, set up four 32-ounce mason jars.
Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Divide the dressing into the 4 mason jars.

process shot to make dressing for the salad jar.

Store: Cover the jars and place them in the fridge until ready to serve for up to 5 days.
Serve: To enjoy, invert the jars into a medium-sized bowl and empty them into the bowl. Toss the salad together, adjust the salt if needed, and enjoy.

Recipe Tips

Size of the jar: You can use either larger Weck jars or mason jars. I recommend using a wide-mouth jar, 29- to 32-ounce (or similar size).
Order of ingredients: The most important thing to remember when making salad jars is to place sturdier ingredients closer to the dressing and keep softer ingredients (that are more likely to wilt or become mushy) from touching the dressing. This will help prevent the salad from becoming soggy. For example, the tomatoes and herbs should be closer to the top of the jar, while the chickpeas and cucumber will hold up just fine in the dressing.
Dressing: I like to make my salad dressing from scratch because it is usually healthier, cheaper, and more flavorful, but feel free to use any store-bought dressing that you like.
Vegan option: Use maple syrup instead of honey to make this meal-prep chickpea salad vegan-friendly.

Common Questions

What is the point of salad in a jar?

Salad jars are a convenient way to have a fresh, healthy salad prepped and ready for lunch or dinner! They are also great because they’re easy to grab, totally portable, and customizable.

How long will salad in a jar last?

Salads stored in mason jars last for about 5 days in the fridge. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed before storing them in the refrigerator.

What is the best size mason jar for salads?

I like to use a wide-mouth jar, so it’s easy to layer all the ingredients. These jar salads also work best with larger Weck jars or mason jars. In all of the photos, I used 32-ounce mason jars. You can also use other storage containers; just make sure to store the dressing separately.

Storing and Serving

Store this salad in four wide-mouth 29-ounce Weck jars, 32-ounce mason jars, or meal prep containers for up to 5 days. If using a container other than a jar, I recommend storing the dressing separately and adding it right before serving. To serve, pour the salad out from the jar into a bowl to enjoy, or stir it together in your meal prep container.

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Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.