Mason Jar Pasta Salad
This easy mason jar pasta salad is a colourful make-ahead lunch with pasta, chickpeas, mozzarella and crunchy vegetables. It takes 17 minutes, makes four grab-and-go jars and is easy to adapt with extra protein.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 459kcal
Equipment
- 4 Mason jars
Ingredients
- 140 g of Farfalle pasta
- 8 tablespoons of Honey Mustard salad dressing
- 60 g of Chickpeas canned; drained weight
- 20 Olives chopped
- 8 Sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 0.5 Cucumber chopped
- 16 Cherry tomatoes quartered
- 125 g of Mozzarella drained weight
- 100 g of Rocket (arugula)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook 140 g of Farfalle pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain it, rinse briefly under cold water and allow it to cool completely while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Dressing: Divide 8 tablespoons of Honey Mustard salad dressing between four clean jars. Add a quarter of the cooked pasta to each jar.
- Layer: Add 60 g of Chickpeas, 20 Olives and 8 Sun-dried tomatoes next. These sturdier ingredients sit above the pasta and help keep the wetter vegetables away from the more delicate ingredients. Layer in 0.5 Cucumber and 16 Cherry tomatoes.
- Continue layering: Add 125 g of Mozzarella and any extra cooked protein you are using. Finish with 100 g of Rocket (arugula) at the very top, screw the lids on firmly and refrigerate.
- Serve: When you are ready to eat, give the jar a good shake to distribute the dressing. You can eat from a wide-mouth jar, but I usually tip everything into a bowl and toss it together so every piece gets coated.
Notes
- Cool the pasta completely. This is one of the most important steps. Warm ingredients create moisture inside the sealed jar and can make the salad wilt.
- Keep the greens last. Rocket, spinach or lettuce should be the final layer at the top of the jar.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Pasta that is already very soft when warm can become even softer after sitting with the other ingredients.
- Leave some room at the top. A little headspace means you can shake the jar properly before eating.
- Keep crunchy toppings separate. Nuts, seeds and croutons are best added just before serving.
- Use what you already have. The jar method matters more than following the vegetable list exactly, so this is a great recipe for using up small amounts of vegetables, cheese or cooked protein.
Nutrition
Serving: 1jar | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fibre: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1282IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 3mg
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