Vegetarian Cobb Salad Jars

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Vegetarian Cobb Salad recipe is sponsored by Roth Cheese. As always, all opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for more meal prepping ideas for lunch, this Vegetarian Cobb Salad is protein-rich, super flavorful and easy to customize. My recipe makes 4 salad jars that you can prep all at once to save you time and money. It’s ideal for taking to school or lunch in portable reusable containers!

What ingredients do you need to make vegetarian Cobb salad

• Lettuce: Make sure you’re chopping the lettuce into bite sized pieces and drying it thoroughly to avoid any extra moisture. You can also place a paper towel on top of the jar before sealing to absorb any excess moisture.
• Spinach: I like to use baby spinach that is tender and easy to eat. If you use regular spinach, you may want to remove the stems and chop it into smaller pieces. You can also use other greens here, like kale.
• Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein in this vegetarian cobb salad. If you have an air fryer, you can quickly make perfectly hard boiled eggs in minutes.
• Chickpeas: For ease, use canned chickpeas in this recipe for a great source of fiber and protein. Drain and rinse the chickpeas to remove as much of the salty brine as you can. You can also cook your own chickpeas if you prefer.
• Tomatoes: You can use any kind of tomatoes, but I like to use cherry tomatoes. For extended freshness, you can leave them whole and not chopped.
• Avocados: Avocados contain a lot of healthy fats and are a great addition to this mason jar salad.
• Blue cheese: I used Roth Cheese Flavor Ups™ single-serve blue cheese crumbles her which perfect for taking the salad on-the-go or using just one portion for a single jar. These are now discontinued so I opt for the Roth Buttermilk Blue Cheese which comes is a small 4 ounce container.

How to make the salad dressing

Make the dressing by simply placing all of the dressing ingredients into a small food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. You can grate the shallot and whisk all the ingredients by hand alternatively. Just make sure that the oil and vinegar are well blended.

How to layer vegetarian Cobb salad jars

• Layer 1: Divide the dressing equally between your mason jars. The dressing goes at the bottom because it naturally sinks to the bottom anyways. And, this helps to keep other items staying crisp and fresh.

• Layer 2: Place the soft ingredients on top of the dressing, those that won’t get soggy if mixed with the dressing. The tomatoes, chickpeas, eggs, avocado and blue cheese go great here. Also think of any other items like onions, that can actually taste better after sitting in a vinaigrette. I like putting the avocado first to slow down the oxidation.

• Layer 3: Finish off the jars with the leafy greens. Make sure they’re not touching any items with a lot moisture (like tomatoes or cucumbers) and add them last to preserve their crispness.

Now, seal the jars and store for up to 5 days. If you’re making these vegetarian cobb salads for and your spouse, you can leave out the blue cheese on the side. That way there’s no confusion as to which ones have the blue cheese when you’re ready to grab-and-go. Here, I added it to two jars and left the other jars as optional.

Tips for making salad jars

1. Opt for long jars versus wide jars or Tupperwares. You want to keep the leafy greens as far away from the dressing as you can so that they don’t get soggy. If you use a wider jar, the lettuce and spinach can slip down and mix with the dressing. Here are the mason jars I use (Amazon affiliate link).
2. Pay attention to the layers. Place the ingredients that won’t change in texture if they mix with the dressing at the bottom of the jar and keep the leafy greens at the top. Avocado should be placed near the bottom of the jar as the acid in the dressing will keep it from browning.
3. Keep the jars upright if you are taking them for a packed lunch. This will ensure that your Cobb salad is perfectly crisp when you are ready to eat it.
4. Enjoy the salad jars in a large bowl. While you can shake up the wide mouth salad jars and enjoy the salad with a long fork right in the jar, it’s best to pour the salad into a bowl. That way the dressing will pour all over the salad equally and perfectly.

Frequently asked questions

How does everything get mixed together?

When you are ready to eat your salad, simply tip it straight into a bowl. Mix the ingredients together with a fork so that everything is combined and covered with the dressing.

Is a vegetarian cobb salad a well balanced meal?

This salad is perfect to enjoy as part of a healthy diet. You get protein from the egg and the chickpeas, and each serving is around 500 calories so it will keep you feeling full until your evening meal.

Why make a salad in a mason jar?

Meal prepping these vegetarian cobb salads in mason jars are perfect for individual servings that you can grab and go when you are running out of the door. I also find the salads keep longer when made this way as the greens aren’t mixing with the dressing. Make up a batch on a Sunday evening and enjoy them all week.

More salad recipes:

• Fall Harvest Salad
• Green Goddess Salad
• Turmeric Rice Salad
• Taco Salad Meal Prep
• Kale Tabbouleh Salad
• Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad
• Blue Cheese Wedge Salad

I love how quickly and easily these salads come together and they are so perfect to grab for an easy lunch. Roth Cheese can be found in your grocer’s deli case and online via Instacart and Amazon Fresh.

If you’ve tried this healthy Vegetarian Cobb Salad recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!