These Mason Jar Salads are an easy make-ahead meal, topped with hearty roasted sweet potatoes and protein-rich quinoa. They make a convenient packed lunch for the week, or a fast weeknight dinner!
This make-ahead salad recipe features several warming salad toppers, including oven roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, and a spicy orange-ginger dressing. The combination is totally addictive, and you can prepare all the cooked toppings ahead of time for a convenient option all week long.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sweet potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2 cups carrots, shredded
4 cups mixed greens
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup sunflower seeds
4 quart-sized mason jars
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat the oven to 400ºF and arrange the potatoes into a single layer on the pan.
2) Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil.
3) Add the cinnamon, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the seasonings in the oil.
4) Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
5) While the potatoes are in the oven, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
6) While the potatoes and quinoa cook, chop the cabbage and greens. Shred the carrots
8) While the potatoes and quinoa are cooking, prepare your salad dressing of choice.
7) You can serve the salad right away with the warm toppings, but for a make-ahead meal, allow the sweet potatoes and quinoa to cool before assembling the mason jars. (So that they don't steam the other veggies.)
9) To assemble the salads, add a 1/4 cup of dressing to the bottom of a mason jar.
10) Then add the shredded cabbage, carrots, 1/3 cup black beans, cooked quinoa, sweet potatoes, leafy greens and sunflower seeds on top.
11) Seal with a lid and store the salads in the fridge until ready to serve, up to 5 days.
12) When ready to serve, shake the jar to help distribute the dressing, then dump the jar into a large bowl and serve immediately.