Make lunch easy with these wild rice Mason jar salads, made with late summer vegetables, wild rice, and basil pesto for a delicious and healthy meal.
Fall is coming.
I feel it moving in with the crisp morning air, the shorter days, and the longer nights. And while I LOVE fall, I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. So I'm going to pause, taking a moment to reflect on the past three months.
With the fullness of spirit, I plan to celebrate these last couple weeks of summer as best I can.
That means lots of music and movies in the park, nighttime rendezvous, river fun, and picnics. I want to do it all! And because of the many activities I hope to fit in by the end of summer, I'm going to need a lot of convenient grab-n-go meals to join me on my adventures.
So today I'm sharing a recipe for a Wild Rice Mason Jar Salad; the perfect prepare-ahead-salad for all of your late summer activities.
I am utterly amazed at the change one season can bring.
How to Make Wild Rice Salad {Video}
What is a Mason Jar Salad?
Mason jar salads are delicious grab-n-go layered salads built inside a Mason Jar. (<<affiliate link) I prefer these wide-mouth Mason Jars for easy packing and unpacking.
Because the salad is layered, you have the freshest lettuce when you're ready to eat. By putting all the juicy vegetables and salad dressings on the bottom of the jar, and topping it with your greens, the salad feels freshly made all day long.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Recommended Ingredients and Equipment
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Wild Rice Rice - For this Wild Rice Mason Jar Salad, I used Lundberg Family Farms Organic WildBlend Rice. Read more about why below.
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Corn on the Cob
- Zucchinis
- Watercress
- Pistachios
- Basil Pesto Dressing - This is a combination of basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. You could also look for a vegan pesto dressing from the store if you want to save time.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a saucepot, a small blender, and kitchen utensils. You will also need a 1 quart Mason Jars. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
Best Wild Rice
I chose this WildBlend Rice because Lundberg is a company I stand behind. Committed to sustainability and quality, they believe it is our responsibility to leave the earth better than how we found it. For that reason, most their products are organic, non-GMO, and eco-farmed. Their sustainability practices include renewable energy, energy conservation, and waste reduction. I believe strongly in everything they stand for, which is why I support Lundberg Family Farms whenever I can.
I combined this Wild Blend Rice with all the late summer vegetables - grilled zucchini and corn, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. Turns out, these late summer vegetables know how to make a salad!
How to Make Mason Jar Salad
Step One - Cook the Rice
In a 4-quart pot combine 1 ¾ cup water with 1 cup wild rice. Cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool.
Step Two - Broil Corn and Zucchini
While rice is cooking, preheat oven to broil and move your baking rack to the top. Brush corn cobs and zucchini slices with olive oil. Broil corn for about 15 minutes, rotating often. Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool.
Step Three - Make the Dressing
While corn and zucchini cook, combine the ingredients for the basil pesto in a blender and set aside.
Step Four - Assemble the Salad
To assemble the mason jar salads, place a layer of pistachios at the bottom of (2) one-quart mason jars or (4) ½ quart jars. Top with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, wild rice, and watercress, in that order. Refrigerate until ready to go.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Let the wild rice cool completely before layering it into the salad. When ready to eat, dump the salad into a bowl and top it with basil pesto dressing. Leftover salad can be stored in the mason jar for up to 2 days.
Storing - Store salad in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Eat within two days of assembling.
Tips and Tricks
- For best results, store the salad dressing in a separate container.
- Layer the salad with the wettest vegetables on the bottom. I layer my salad: tomato, corn, zucchini, wild rice, watercress, and pistachios
- Let the wild rice cool completely before layering it into the salad.
More Vegan Salad Recipes
- Vegan Cobb Salad with Homemade Ranch
- Thai Cashew Salad with Sesame Peanut Sauce
- Raw Pad Thai Salad with Almond Jalapeño Sauce
- Vegan Taco Salad with Walnut Taco Meat
- Spring Quinoa Salad with Peas and Asparagus
Wild Rice Mason Jar Salad with Basil Pesto
Ingredients
Wild Rice Salad
- 1 cup uncooked Lundberg Farms Organic WildBlend Rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 corn cobs, husked
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½" strips
- 2 cups watercress
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios
Basil Pesto Dressing
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 clove garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a 4-quart pot combine 1 ¾ cup water with 1 cup wild rice. Cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool.
- While rice is cooking, preheat oven to broil and move your baking rack to the top. Brush corn cobs and zucchini slices with olive oil. Broil corn for about 15 minutes, rotating often. Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool.
- While corn and zucchini cook, combine the ingredients for the basil pesto in a blender and set aside.
- To assemble the mason jar salads, place a layer of pistachios at the bottom of (2) one-quart mason jars or (4) ½ quart jars. Top with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, wild rice, and watercress, in that order. Refrigerate until ready to go.
Video
Notes
- For best results, store the salad dressing in a separate container.
- Layer the salad with the wettest vegetables on the bottom. I layer my salad: tomato, corn, zucchini, wild rice, watercress, and pistachios
- Let the wild rice cool completely before layering it into the salad.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Lewelen Empie says
delish! i added a little scallion and celery bc we had it!
Grace says
My roommate and I love making this meal! We replaced pistachios with toasted cashews, replaces half the oil with water and added avocado ! SO DELICIOUS!!
Sharon Howarth says
Love, Love, Love your blog! I found you via a search for vegan blueberry muffins- voila! What a fab combination of photog,blog writing and culinary talents... I just found you this morning and I am instantly a forever fan.
I plan to try several of your recipes this week. I raised six kids on whole foods and home-cooked meals, sometimes out of what I already had in the pantry, sometimes replicating what local/regional chefs offered in their dining rooms. Going out to eat was expensive for our big family, but we ate well at our dinner table -- Pasta/Chicken Ricatoni's, Sitar Curried Chicken and Vegan Aloo Chana Masala (with Lundberg Rice, I might add), or Quinoa/Wild Rice with Veggie Ratatouille. We were a blended family of meat-eaters and nutritarian/vegans!
Thank you for your amazing offering of thoughts and culinary inspiration here!
Sharon from Habitat Homestead Youtube Channel/NE Alabama
Sarah says
Thanks so much for your note. I'm glad you found me and I look forward to connecting with you. Impressed you raised six kids! I can hardly raise two 🙂
Sheila says
I love this mason jar idea. It's a brilliant way to keep it fresh and divide it into perfect serving sizes. Time to shop for more jars.
Debbie says
Sarah, I am a new vegan and just found your blog. I am bookmarking like crazy...everything looks so good...can't wait to start trying your recipes. Are there any other vegan bloggers that you recommend? Thank you!
Sarah says
I'm so glad you found me. Congrats on making the transition to veganism! A few of my favorite blogs for easy, everyday vegan recipes are Oh She Glows, Minimalist Baker, and Keepin' It Kind.
Scottie Draper says
When healthy food looks this beautiful who wouldn't want to eat it?!
Sarah says
Thanks Scottie!
Linda from Veganosity says
I'm so sorry that you had to experience sadness for the first half of the summer. Breakups, even when your the one to fall out of love, are always difficult. Good for you for picking up the pieces and focusing on the good things in life.
Mason jar salads are so awesome. I love the ingredients in yours.
Sarah says
Thanks Linda. I appreciate it! 🙂
Sarah Newman, Vegan Chickpea says
Beautiful photos! I love Lundberg's wild rice and it sounds amazing with the grilled summer veggies <3
I started this year with a broken heart too so am right there with you as far as feeling all those emotions and how everything has its season, eventually getting brighter again... glad you are feeling your creativity and inspiration coming back! You totally got this.
Lisa says
What a great way to take a salad on the road! Besides that, I love the hope and gratitude you express in this post.
Sarah says
Thanks, mom!
Dreena says
I feel fall coming too! Also not ready to 'release' summer. Your salad is beautiful, and nice combo with the wild rice - it's so overlooked!
Sarah says
I hear ya! But when fall comes, it will be fantastic 🙂
Casey - Two City Vegans says
These guys are gorgeous and look delicious and fun to make!
Sarah says
Thanks Casey!