Strawberry Spinach Mason Salad (Printable)

A vibrant mason jar salad blending strawberries, spinach, nuts, and balsamic for portable meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

01 - 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
02 - 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
03 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Salad Components

08 - 4 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
09 - 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
10 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or cooked farro, optional
11 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
13 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans, toasted
14 - 1/3 cup cucumber, diced, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - Layer the salads in four wide-mouth mason jars (quart or pint size). Start with 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette at the bottom of each jar.
03 - Add the red onion slices next, followed by cucumbers and cooked quinoa or farro if using. This layering prevents the greens from becoming soggy.
04 - Layer the sliced strawberries over the grains, then add the feta cheese and toasted almonds.
05 - Top each jar with a generous handful of baby spinach.
06 - Seal the jars tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat. To serve, shake the jar vigorously or pour into a bowl and toss to combine.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These salads stay fresh and crispy for up to five days, which means actual grab-and-go breakfasts instead of wilted greens.
  • The balsamic vinaigrette tastes like you spent time on it, but honestly takes three minutes to whisk together.
  • Shaking a jar and eating straight from it feels rebellious in the best way.
02 -
  • The order of layers is not decorative—it's functional; wet ingredients at the bottom and dry ones on top keeps everything in its best possible state for days.
  • Wet your spinach and dry it thoroughly, or you're adding water to your salad whether you mean to or not.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts yourself in a dry skillet for three to five minutes—store-bought toasted almonds pale in comparison to ones you've warmed up yourself.
  • If you're making these for the week, assemble them all at once in an assembly-line fashion; it takes twenty minutes instead of doing one at a time throughout the week.
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