SALADS

Sesame Ginger Salmon and Black Rice Salad Jars

Sesame Ginger Salmon and Black Rice Salad Jars

Sesame Ginger Salmon and Black Rice Salad Jars

Servings

2

servings

In case you haven’t noticed, I adore salad jars. They are such a great way to prep salad ahead of time while keeping ingredients fresh and crisp. Here’s my tried and true method for making them:

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
– Mason jars (quart-size works best for leafy salads, and pint size works best for grain salads)
– Salad dressing
– Uniformly cut ingredients

LAYERING ORDER FOR A PERFECT SALAD JAR:
– Dressing Start with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing at the bottom.
– Hard Vegetables or Beans (to act as a barrier between the dressing and the softer ingredients) Carrots, fennel, celery or beans are my favorites
– Softer Veggies such as cucumbers, tomatoes etc. 
– Grains & Proteins such as quinoa, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs.
– Cheese & Nuts such as Feta, shredded cheese, almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
– Leafy Greens  such as Spinach, arugula, romaine, or kale (keep them on top to stay crisp).

ADDITIONAL TIPS:
– Leave a little room at the top for shaking.
– Store upright in the fridge for up to 5 days.
– Shake right before eating then pour into a bowl.


While choosing a favorite salad is like choosing a favorite child, these Salmon and Black Rice Salad Jars with Sesame Ginger Dressing are definitely in my top ten! Follow the recipe below, or riff on it yourself using the above guide and I am certain you will be as obsessed with salad jars as I am!

Ingredients: Makes 2 (32 oz.) jars

  • 1 cup (112 g) sliced red cabbage

  • 2 tbsp (17 g) kosher salt

  • 4 oz (114 g) sugar snap peas

  • 1 cup (170 g) cooked edamame, room temperature or colder

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded or julienned

  • 2/3 cup (123 g) cooked black rice, room temperature or colder

  • 1 green onion, sliced 

  • 8 oz. (227 g) grilled salmon, room temperature or colder

  • 2 cups (68 g) watercress

  • Sesame Ginger Dressing (makes approx. 1 cup [240 ml])

  • ½-inch (1.3-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled

  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 6 tbsp (90 ml) plain rice vinegar (unsweetened)

  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten-free)

  • 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) tahini

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

  • 1½ tbsp (23 ml) toasted sesame oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Start by making the Sesame Ginger Dressing. Grate the ginger and garlic (I use a Microplane grater) into a small bowl. Add the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and tahini, and whisk to combine. Whisking continually, drizzle in the olive oil, then the toasted sesame oil. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • In a large pot, bring 3 quarts (2.8 L) of water and 2 tablespoons (17 g) of kosher salt to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice, then add enough water so the bowl is two-thirds full. Add the sugar snap peas to the boiling water and cook for 60 seconds. Using a spider strainer or something similar (a regular strainer will work, just not as well), remove the sugar snap peas from the boiling water and plunge into the ice bath.
  • Remove the sugar snap peas from the ice water and place on a large platter lined with paper towels. Lightly dab the sugar snap peas dry (they don’t need to be bone dry; we just don’t want tons of moisture clinging to them), then cut into ½-inch (1.3-cm) pieces.
  • Pour 3 tbsp (45 ml) of dressing into the bottom of each jar, then divide the ingredients between the two jars, layering in the following order: edamame, carrots, black rice, snap peas, sliced scallion, grilled salmon, and watercress. Place the lids on the jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Shake right before serving.