Need an easy, plant-based lunch in 30 minutes? This mason jar peanut salad is full of veggies and packs an umami punch to spice up your meal prep.
I'm all about salads that are colorful, delicious, and actually keep you full. My peanut salad checks all the boxes with crunchy cruciferous veggies, plant-based protein, noodles, and the most mouth-watering peanut dressing. It's got ALL the textures and flavors that make a meal prep lunch something to look forward to.
This salad is not a traditional Indonesian dish, but inspired by Indonesian peanut sauce that is commonly served with satay (Indonesian grilled meat skewers). I love trying authentic Southeast Asian cuisine and incorporating elements into my own cooking, with the ingredients accessible to me.
If you've tried peanut sauce in any traditional Indonesian recipes, this peanut salad is another delicious way to enjoy it!
Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe
Here's why I've been loving this peanut salad lately:
- Meal prep friendly. This recipe is great for packed work lunches because it uses sturdy vegetables that will stay fresh for days in the fridge. As much as I love my arugula salads, sometimes the greens don't last as long. You can definitely count on this peanut salad to store well, making it a dependable option for meal prep.
- Healthy fats to help you thrive. Peanuts are an amazing source of healthy fats and have even been shown to promote cognition and memory. They contain mostly unsaturated fats, which help support a healthy heart.
- Plant-based protein. Thanks to the edamame, we have 27g of complete plant-based protein in this meal. Peanuts are another source of protein- did you know they are one of the most protein-dense nuts?
- Ready in less than 30 minutes. Healthy eating doesn't have to mean hours in the kitchen!
Ingredients
Peanut sauce:
- Peanut butter
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Rice vinegar
- Water
Noodle salad:
- Ramen noodles
- Red bell pepper
- Carrot
- Edamame
- Coleslaw mix
- Green onions
- Cucumber
- Peanuts
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together peanut sauce ingredients. Add half of the dressing into each jar.
Make noodles, according to package instructions. Layer jars with cooked noodles, coleslaw mix, veggies, edamame and top with chopped peanuts and green onion.
Store in the fridge.
To eat, pour mason jar contents into a bowl, mix together and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use gluten free pasta of choice or sub with quinoa. For the peanut sauce, substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
To make dairy-free: This recipe is naturally dairy-free.
To make vegan: Swap the honey for maple syrup.
To make nut-free: You CAN substitute the peanut butter for tahini and skip the chopped peanuts, however it will create a completely different taste. Don't worry, it will still be good- just not peanut sauce! It will taste slightly more like a hummus based sauce. Alternatively, you can try a soy-based butter like WowButter.
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Coleslaw mix: Shredded lettuce or cabbage.
- Ramen noodles: Rice noodles or another grain of choice.
- Rice vinegar: Lime or white vinegar. Note that this will slightly alter the flavor profile, but it's still delicious!
Make this recipe your own by switching up the vegetables or adding an extra protein like chicken (if you're not plant-based) or tofu!
Equipment
- Mason jar
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Storage
These mason jar peanut salads can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since the dressing is not mixed directly in with the ingredients, they won’t get soggy at all.
Top Tip
The peanut sauce may firm up while in the fridge. If this happens, just use a spoon to scoop it out and add it into your salad. It should still mix in with the rest of the ingredients perfectly!
Frequently Asked Questions
Any size! I personally like using bigger jars (64 ounces) as I can then add more toppings however if you typically have a bit of a smaller appetite a normal sized mason jar (16 ounces)
Yes of course! I use the mason jars as a way to easily store them in the fridge for meal prep. It also makes it easier to layer the ingredients and keep the dressing on the bottom. However, if you prefer to make a big batch and eat it right away, simply add everything into a large bowl and mix it all up!
Yes, you can easily add chicken into the mason jars. Just note that they may not stay fresh for quite as long (I recommend storing up to 3 days).
I love coleslaw mix as a great way to add additional vegetables into meals without needing to do too much prep. Coleslaw mix is also typically a budget friendly option. With that being said, any lettuce will work! As you aren’t mixing the dressing in directly with the greens- soggy salad shouldn’t be an issue!
More Meal Prep Lunch Recipes
Make meal prep more exciting with these recipes:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this mason jar peanut salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Mason Jar Peanut Salad
Ingredients
Peanut sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon water
Mason jar noodle salad
- 2 blocks of ramen noodles
- 1 Red Bell Peppers finely chopped
- 1 large carrot thinly peeled
- 1 cup edamame
- 2 cups coleslaw mix
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup Peanuts chopped
Instructions
- Make noodles, according to package instructions.
- In a small bowl whisk together peanut sauce ingredients. Add half of the dressing into each jar.
- Layer with cooked noodles, coleslaw mix, veggies, edamame and top with chopped peanuts and green onion.
- Store in the fridge. To eat, pour mason jar contents into a bowl, mix together and enjoy!
Kim Addison
So easy and so delicious and nutritious too!!! Love your recipes!
Allie
I tried this recipe and it was pretty good, but not amazing. I really liked the sauce, and I had extra, so I tried it again, but made my own version which I highly recommend. I made some chicken (flavored with soy sauce and a little bit of the Ramen flavor packet) and I sauted some veggies ( mushrooms, spinach, and onions). I mixed this in with the Ramen and the peanut sauce and it was delicious.