20-Minute Healthy Jar Pasta Salad
This healthy jar pasta salad is fresh, colorful, and perfect for meal prep. Everything gets layered into jars so the salad stays crisp and flavorful for days. It’s packed with pasta, crunchy vegetables, protein, and a light homemade dressing that makes it taste fresh and satisfying without feeling heavy.
Perfect for lunches, busy weekdays, road trips, or easy grab-and-go meals.
Prep Time & Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 jars
Ingredients
For the Salad
3 cups cooked pasta, cooled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
½ cup chickpeas
¼ red onion, sliced
½ cup feta cheese
¼ cup olives, sliced
2 cups chopped romaine or spinach
For the Dressing
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and black pepper
Optional Add-Ins
Grilled chicken
Tuna
Avocado
Sun-dried tomatoes
Fresh basil
Roasted chickpeas
Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain and rinse under cold water so it cools quickly.
2. Make the Dressing
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together:
olive oil
lemon juice
vinegar
Dijon mustard
garlic
salt
pepper
It should taste bright and fresh.
3. Layer the Jars
Add ingredients in this order:
1. Dressing
2. Chickpeas and onions
3. Cucumbers and peppers
4. Tomatoes and olives
5. Pasta
6. Feta cheese
7. Lettuce or spinach on top
Keeping the greens at the top helps them stay fresh.
4. Chill
Seal the jars and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Shake before serving or pour into a bowl.
Helpful Tips
Use short pasta like rotini or penne
Let the pasta cool before layering
Wide-mouth jars work best
Add avocado right before serving
Nutritional Information
Calories: 390
Protein: 13g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 6g
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Sodium: 430mg