I have made so many salads in a jar and I still get excited when I come up with a new recipe! This chopped version of a black bean and corn salad has so much layered flavor—it’s fantastic. Plus, this mason jar salad is super easy to meal prep. Make a batch once and you can have it on hand all week long for a quick and healthy lunch.
I love my mason jar salads (if you didn’t know)! In fact, it is hard for me to remember weekday lunches without them. Usually, I make the same kind week after week – balsamic dressing, tomatoes, cucumbers, chicken or turkey, and baby spinach; or this one with tomato, fresh mozzarella, and pasta.
As much as I like those flavors, I was getting a little bored so I decided to switch it up.
I prefer chopped salads over big leafy salads, so, for my second mason jar creation I put together a chopped black bean and corn salad. This salad is so good and easily is going to be one of my favorites. I just know it!
Get free instant access to my mason jar salad recipe e-cookbook here! I share 19 of my best mason jar salads along with tips, tricks, and tutorials.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salad In A Jar
Before I jump into this black bean corn avocado salad recipe, I want to first answer some basic questions I have gotten from some of my readers:
Can I Add Some Protein To This Corn Salad?
Absolutely! You can add shredded chicken or some mexican shredded beef. You can even add some of this sweet and spicy pork to add some delicious flavors.
If you want to keep it vegetarian but want even more protein, you can saute some soy-based chorizo or meatless crumbles to add to your salad.
How Long Does A Salad In A Jar Last?
I’ve come to find that any time I make a salad in a jar for lunch, they usually last me about 5 days. The biggest thing to remember is to make sure to layer all the ingredients correctly (starting with the dressing on bottom and greens on top—see more info below).
Black Bean and Corn Salad In A Jar
I am very excited to share this black bean and corn salad with you all. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this salad in a jar:
- Quart size mason jars
- Salsa
- Plain greek yogurt
- Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Red onion (chopped)
- Black beans (drained and rinsed)
- Frozen corn (thawed)
- Pepper jack cheese (cut into small cubes)
- Romaine lettuce (chopped)
- Cilantro (chopped/optional)
How To Make Salad In A Jar
In each of the mason jars, start by pouring in ¼ cup of salsa. Then, divide the greek yogurt evenly among the jars. This will equal about 1 ½ tablespoons of greek yogurt per jar.
Next, layer the halved cherry tomatoes, red onions, black beans, corn, pepper jack cheese, avocado, chopped romaine, and top off with cilantro. I prefer cherry tomatoes over chopping up a regular tomato because I feel they hold up better to the dressing.
Originally, I was going to sprinkle some crushed tortilla chips over the top but I found it was good without it and I prefer to save the calories for something else – like chocolate zucchini brownies!
Plus, this salad is very filling so it didn’t need anything extra. But, if you are looking for more crunch and a little saltiness, then throw a few tortilla chips on top.
I followed the recipe and layered the rest of the ingredients evenly between the 5 mason jars. When I’m ready to eat the salad, I pour it into a bowl, simply mix it together, and enjoy!
Cooking Tip
- Make sure all the ingredients are as dry as possible before layering. This prevents moisture from building up and the lettuce from getting soggy.
- You can reduce the fat and calories in these salads by reducing the cheese and avocado.
More Salad In A Jar Recipes
As much as I really enjoy eating this black bean and corn salad with avocados, I still like to add some of my other recipes into my salad rotation.
Here are some more mason jar salad recipes to add to your menu plan:
- Turkey Ranch Club Mason Jar Salad
- Greens and Ancient Grains Mason Jar Salad
- Antipasto Mason Jar Salad
- Southwest Ranch Chicken Mason Jar Salad
- Beef and Cheddar Mason Jar Salad
Try making this black bean and corn salad in a jar the next time you want to have lunch on hand. Share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to make this recipe!
Chopped Black Bean and Corn Mason Jar Salad
Equipment
- 5 32-ounce mason jar salads
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup salsa
- 1 6 ounce container plain greek yogurt
- 1 quart cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 12 ounce package frozen corn thawed
- 5 ounce block pepper jack cheese cut into small cubes
- 4-5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ¼ cup or more chopped cilantro optional
Instructions
- In each of the mason jars pour ¼ cup of salsa. Then divide the greek yogurt evenly among the jars. This will equal about 1 ½ tablespoons of greek yogurt per jar. Next divide and layer the rest of the ingredients evenly between the 5 mason jars starting with tomatoes then following with onions, black beans, corn, cheese, and ending with romaine and cilantro. When ready to eat pour into a bowl, mix together, and enjoy!
Notes
This can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
ISABEL says
Can I use canned corn instead and sliced cheese?
Tammy Kresge says
I never made it with canned corn but if you drain it then it should be fine. You can use any cheese you like.
Michelle says
Made this on a Sunday afternoon for work lunches for the week (4 serving for work, 1 for dinner on Sunday night). By Friday the salad was still delicious. The lettuce was still crisp and not brown, my avocados still fresh (I did top with lime juice before I put them in the jars), and was a great treat all week long. Definitely a repeatable recipe, excited to try a few different recipes!
Samantha says
What can I swap corn with? I really am not a fan of it, would rice work as a substitute or no ?
Tammy Kresge says
rice would work great.