This Asian Salad in a Jar is a vibrant, flavor-packed powerhouse of layered crisp veggies, hearty brown rice, and edamame in a zesty Vegan Peanut Sauce. It's the perfect meal prep, grab-and-go healthy salad. Peanut allergy? Use this Sunflower Butter Sauce instead.

This Asian salad in a jar is a sister to the meal prep OG, Southwestern Salad in a Jar.
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What You'll Need to Make This Salad in a Jar Recipe
- Peanut Sauce (or Sweet and Tangy Sunflower Butter Sauce)
- Red onion
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Red cabbage
- Edamame, shelled
- Brown (or black) rice
- Nori seaweed, sheet
- Kale (or collard greens)
- Mixed baby salad greens (or chopped Romaine or arugula), for serving
You'll also need three 32-ounce quart-size (946 ml) mason jars with lids.
You can also add a sprinkle of sesame seeds (optional).
This combination is reminiscent of the Asian Noodle Salad and Spectacular Sushi Salad but in a meal prep form.
How to Make Salad in a Jar
Start by preparing the brown or black rice, and shelled edamame.
Cook the brown (or black) rice and shelled edamame according to package instructions. To speed up the cooling process, spread cooked rice onto a shallow baking sheet or large plate and put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients. To cool edamame, simply put it into a strainer and run under cold water for a few seconds.
Prepare the Vegan Peanut Sauce according to recipe instructions and set aside.
Prepare other vegetables and nori. See Pro Tip below.
Assemble the salad in a jar using three 32-ounce or quart-size (946 ml) mason jars. Line up the jars and start by pouring ⅓ cup of Peanut Sauce. Then layer the red onion, carrot, cucumber, purple cabbage, edamame, nori, brown rice, and kale. Adding the kale at the top keeps it from getting soggy. Sprinkle optional sesame seeds, if using. See How to Assemble the Salad Jar Below for further step-by-step instructions.
Pro Tip for preparing nori
An easy way to ensure you get an even distribution of nori seaweed in your salad is to use kitchen scissors to cut into thin strips.
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- Grab a clean (and dry) pair of kitchen scissors.
- Cut the nori sheet into four or five long strips.
- Stack the long strips and cut them into smaller bite-size strips as shown below.
How to Assemble Salad in a Jar Containers
There are different ways to assemble the salad in the jar, but two key considerations for having a salad that stays fresh for the 4 to 5 days you may have it in your refrigerator. First, the Vegan Peanut Sauce always goes on the bottom. Second, the kale or collard greens are always at the top with any seeds you decide to add.
Be sure to consider the second layer that goes on top of the sauce. Often, it's the chopped onion, carrot, or cucumber because these veggies have a high water content. If you add the brown rice as the second layer, it may absorb some of the moisture from the sauce, so choose it intentionally.
If using, sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the chopped kale. Secure the lids and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Serve
When ready to eat, shake the jar to combine the ingredients and add to a large bed (about 3 to 4 cups) of mixed salad greens, chopped romaine lettuce, or arugula. Enjoy!
Related Salad Recipes to Check Out
We hope you love this Asian Salad in a Jar, and that it becomes a meal prep favorite for you too. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!
Asian Salad in a Jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Sauce Vegan or Sweet and Tangy Sunflower Butter Sauce
- ¾ cup red onion
- 1 cup shredded carrot about 1 large carrot
- 1 ½ cups of thinly sliced cucumber about 1 cucumber
- 1 cup shredded or thinly sliced purple cabbage
- 1 ½ cups shelled edamame
- 1 nori sheet chopped
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown or black rice
- 1 ½ cups kale or collard greens, chopped
- 9 to 12 cups of mixed baby salad greens for serving okay to sub chopped romaine or arugula
Optional
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start by preparing the brown or black rice, and shelled edamame.
- Cook the brown (or black) rice and shelled edamame according to package instructions. To speed up the cooling process, spread cooked rice onto a shallow baking sheet or large plate and put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients. To cool edamame, simply put it into a strainer and run under cold water for a few seconds.
- Prepare the Peanut Sauce and set it aside.
- Prepare other vegetables and nori. Use clean kitchen scissors to cut the nori sheet into small bite size pieces.
- Assemble the salad in a jar using three 32-ounce or quart-size (946 ml) mason jars. Line up the jars and start by pouring ⅓ cup of Peanut Sauce. Then layer the red onion, carrot, cucumber, purple cabbage, edamame, nori, brown rice, and kale. Adding the kale at the top keeps it from getting soggy. Sprinkle optional sesame seeds, if using.
- When ready to eat, shake the jar to combine the ingredients and add to a large bed (about 3 to 4 cups) of mixed salad greens, chopped romaine lettuce, or arugula. Enjoy!
Notes
EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Grater
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Small pot (to make edamame)
- Medium pot or rice cooker to make the rice
- colander
- kitchen scissors
- Mini blender (for dressing)
- 32 oz mason jars
Nutrition
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Gigi & Sersie
The flavor of this salad is fantastic! The peanut sauce with the black rice, edamame and veggies is the perfect combo.
Veronica
So far my favorite Salad in a Jar recipes. Absolutely delicious.
Gigi & Sersie
Wonderful! Thank you, Veronica. We're so glad you like it. 🙂
Kim
It was delicious!
Gigi & Sersie
Thanks Kim. We're so glad you enjoyed it!