Vegan Zoodle Mason Jar Salad with Basil Avocado Cream

Be the envy of the office when you are eating this beautiful vegan Zoodle Mason jar salad.

Now, this is my kind of fast food meal.

Granted, it’s not quite as easy as driving through a crappy fast food restaurant line and picking up a plastic container of wimpy lettuce with a few carrots and tomatoes on it, but this jar full of goodness has so much more to offer than the fast food option.

The dressing is an oil-free avocado and tofu basil cream that’s packed with flavor and is nice and thick so it will coat your veggies nicely instead of just wetting them.

If you haven’t seen or read about jarred salads before then let me explain the reason they are so handy.

Building a salad in a jar seems a bit odd, doesn’t it? Well, actually, whoever did it first was so clever! Putting the harder veggies on top of the dressing in the bottom of the jar allows you to put all of your ingredients in the same container without risking your other tender veggies getting soggy. And there’s no messy salad dressing container to bring along, so that’s one less thing to wash.

Storing your salads in the fridge is easy and you can just grab a jar on your way out in the morning and put it in your insulated lunch box or take it to work and put it in the fridge. I’d recommend putting it in a paper sack though…because if people see this beauty, they’re going to want to steal it.

Eating this meal can be done a couple different ways. I like to shake it up and dump it into a bowl to eat, but you can just shake it and eat it from the jar also. Be sure you have a fork that is as tall as your jar. Plastic forks are not recommended…they’re generally too short and they’re not so great for the environment. But use one if you have to. And re-use it.

The ingredients of your jar salad can be varied. Just be sure that you put your dressing on the bottom and your harder veggies on top of the dressing before adding the more tender veggies. Beans can go pretty much on any level. Pasta or grains can go on top of the dressing also, but I think it needs a little extra dressing that way, as the pasta or grains will soak up some dressing. If you are using lettuce, be sure that it is added last. You’ll notice that I put tomatoes on top of mine. That’s because I forgot to add them down closer to the celery. Oops! These salads will be eaten by tomorrow, so not to worry. But if you are storing them for a few days, definitely put the tomatoes under the zoodles.

I recommend a high-speed blender like a VitaMix to make the dressing because I like it super smooth, but any blender or food processor will work.

You’re going to put all your dressing ingredients into your blender or food processor and blend until they are smooth and creamy. You may need to tamp or scrape down the sides intermittently.

Divide the dressing between two-quart jars. Make sure they are wide mouth jars!

Spiralize or slice the zucchini into skinny strips. Do the same for the carrot. Or chop it into bite-sized pieces.  Don’t stress about the exact amounts…it’s salad…just make it the way you like it. Use more or less than the recipe says.

Chop the celery into bite-sized pieces. Forkable size. You don’t want to be chasing tiny bits of celery around your jar.

Chop the tomato. If using cherry tomatoes, just slice them in half.

Rinse and drain the garbanzo (or whatever bean you’re using).

Start your assemble by adding celery on top of the dressing. Add carrots. Add beans. Add tomatoes. Top with zucchini and put the lid on. Store in the fridge for up to about 5 days.

You can make several variations and have a different lunch every day. Enjoy your jar of beautiful food!

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Vegan Zoodle Mason Jar Salad with Basil Avocado Cream

Be the envy of the office when you are eating this beautiful vegan Mason jar salad! Make ahead and grab 'n' go salads are a customizable and delicious way to take your lunch to work or school. 

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: oil-free, packable, salad

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups spiralized zucchini Or cut into thin strips
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 1 cup spiralized carrots Or chopped
• 2/3 cup garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or any type of tomato

Dressing

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed or spinach
• 1/2 cup avocado about 1/2 of a large avocado
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup tofu no need to press
• 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced finely
• 1/2 tsp salt optional
• 1/2 tsp sriracha optional

Instructions

1. Place all dressing ingredients in a high powered blender and start on low and gradually increase speed to high. Blend until smooth. 

2. Divide the dressing between two jars. I use a canning funnel so I can get the dressing straight to the bottom of the jar without getting any up the sides. You can carefully spoon it down there too. Set the jars aside while you prepare the veggies. 

3. Add celery on top of the dressing. Top with carrots. Try to cover the dressing with those two hard veggies. 

4. Add the garbanzo beans and any add other firm veggies at this point. 

5. Add tomatoes. Top with the zoodles. 

Recipe Notes

Additional veggie and grain ideas:

• red and yellow bell peppers
• artichoke hearts
• green beans
• pea pods
• corn
• rice
• quinoa
• pasta