If you’re in the market for some new vegan packed lunch ideas, this nutritious, protein-packed jarred salad should be high on your list. It’s easy to make, full of veggies, and perfect for meal prep.

This Natlicious Food recipe shows you how to make a Greek-inspired layered salad. Featuring classic ingredients like kalamata olives, plant-based feta, cucumber, and red onion, we bet you’ll come back to this salad again and again.

Whether you’re packing food for school, work, or just a day at home, this salad works well for any lunch. The addition of chickpeas adds an extra dose of protein. Beyond protein, chickpeas are rich in fiber, iron, and other key nutrients, supporting heart health and digestion.

This recipe also uses millet. Millet is a small, gluten-free grain that has been a staple crop in Asia and Africa for thousands of years. It’s rich in essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron, and has a low glycemic index, which may help regulate blood sugar levels. Millet is available to buy at large supermarkets and health food stores.

(NB: This recipe looks great in a jar, but you can easily make it without if you prefer)

Read more: 15 High Protein Vegan Lunch Ideas

Jarred salad

Summer might be winding down, but the warm weather is still here to stay! Let's savour these final sunny days with this stunning millet salad. Its layered presentation in a jar adds a touch of elegance, but don't be fooled – it's incredibly easy to make. Whether you're eager to kick off the new season or simply enjoying the last days of summer, this refreshing salad is a must-try!

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Servings

Ingredients

120 g millet
1 red onion
1 green pepper
1 cucumber
240 g chickpeas, from a can, drained and rinsed
50 g plant-based feta
10 kalamata olives
A handful of fresh coriander

Dressing

6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 tsp of each dried oregano and garlic granules

Instructions

Cook the millet according to the package instructions, I cooked mine for 20 min with double the amount of water and a pinch of salt.
Chop the onion, pepper, cucumber and coriander and set aside.
Crumble the feta with your hands or a fork and set aside.
Then prepare the dressing, by adding all the ingredients in a small jar, cover it and shake it to combine well.
Once the millet is cooked and cooled down, we will assemble our jars.
I have 2 jars of 750ml, and I start by adding half of the dressing in the bottom of each jar.
The next layer in millet, followed by the drained and rinsed chickpeas, and then the veggies, peppers, olives, onions and cucumbers.
I finish it off with the crumbled feta and the coriander leaves.
When you are ready to serve, empty the content of the jar in a bowl, mix to combine and enjoy!