These Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jars with Peanut Miso Dressing are the work lunch you’ve been waiting for. Ditch the boring sandwich and try these crunchy, flavor-packed salads.
Sometimes I just crave a big bowl of fresh, crunchy, vibrant food. Post-holiday, vacation or what have you. THIS is your recipe when those times call, my friend.
I know the salad-in-a-jar trend is kind of a thing of the past but I’m still holding strong with this one! Use an assembly line to make a whole bunch of these at once. Your future self will thank you!
Ingredients
As most salads are, this one is super customizable. There’s a lot of ingredients in here so do not feel obligated to include something you feel lukewarm about. I was obsessed with squeezing in as many colors as possible in and it turned out really beautiful.
- Kale
- Cilantro + Green Onions
- Purple Cabbage
- Carrots
- Peanuts
- Red Bell Pepper
- Quinoa
- Shelled Edamame
Peanut Miso Dressing
Let’s be honest, the dressing is what we’re all really here for, right? This is similar to my spicy peanut sauce with the salty and funky addition of miso paste. And it is so delicious. I’ll bet you probably have most of these things in your pantry and you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.
How-to Build a Mason Jar Salad
This mis en place isn’t just for the photos. I recommend chopping everything while your quinoa is cooking, then creating an assembly line so you can divi up the ingredients evenly between jars. It goes fast and this way you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything. These are the jars I use here and love (affiliate) which also double as iced coffee glasses and sauce/dressing storage containers, I might add.
Per usual, dressing goes on the bottom followed by any “hard ingredients”. Greens and more delicate items (like the quinoa, herbs and green onions) go at the top so they don’t get soggy before serving.
I’ve also made this is one huge salad bowl and it works that way too! Just use the reserved dressing to drizzle on just before serving.
You might also like:
- Broccoli Crunch Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
- Easy Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Summer Farro Salad with Green Tahini
Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jars with Peanut Miso Dressing
These Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jars with Peanut Miso Dressing are the work lunch you’ve been waiting for! Ditch the boring sandwich and try these crunchy, flavor-packed salads.
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 salads 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed and sliced thin
- 1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup peanuts (unsalted)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1/2 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp green onions, sliced thin
- 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp miso
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sambal oelek (or sriracha)
- 1/4 cup hot water (note: you might not need all of it)
Instructions
- Cook quinoa per package directions.
- Meanwhile, prep the vegetables and set them up in an assembly line in order listed.
- To make dressing: add all ingredients except water to a large bowl and whisk or stir with a fork until well combined. Slowly stream in hot water while mixing until it reaches the consistency of your liking. Add about 1/3 of the dressing to the kale and massage with your hands until fully coated and broken down (about 1-2 minutes).
- Line up four 16-oz, wide-mouth mason jars and add ~2 Tbsp of dressing to each. Then, layer the rest of the ingredients, evenly distributing between jars. Don’t be afraid to really pack it in!
- Screw lids on and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jar
- Calories: 377 calories
- Fat: 19 grams
- Carbohydrates: 41 grams
- Fiber: 11 grams
- Protein: 17 grams
This post was originally published on 9/24/2019 and updated 2/24/2021.
Want More Plant-Forward Recipes?
Join my VIP list and I'll send you five reader favorites! Healthy, flavor-packed recipes. What's not to love about that?
mt777 says
I absolutely love the idea of salad jars! The vibrant colors of the rainbow quinoa combined with that peanut miso dressing sound delicious and so refreshing. Can’t wait to try this out for my lunch prep this week! Thanks for sharing! 🌈🥗
H89 Site says
This Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jar looks absolutely delicious! I love the vibrant colors and the peanut miso dressing sounds like the perfect complement. Can’t wait to try this for my meal prep this week! Thank you for sharing such a healthy and tasty recipe!
danagame says
I tried your Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jars with Peanut Miso Dressing, and they were a huge hit! The combination of flavors is amazing, and it’s so easy to prep ahead for the week. Thank you for sharing such a vibrant and healthy recipe—it’s definitely going to be a regular in my meal rotation!
Janice says
How long can the salad jars last in the fridge?
Leanne says
Hi Janice! I would eat within 3 days for optimal freshness.