Salad to go | Compliments.ca

Salad in a jar 101

Find inspiration for mix-and-match layered salad lunches that are perfect for taking to school or the office. We’ve got plant-based dressings to try, too!

1. Jar-cuterie salad

What you love about a charcuterie platter, layered into a lunch-worthy salad! Here’s everything you need to make this salad into your next weekday desk lunch. Tip: For the best salad, layer ingredients following the listed order.

¹/₄ cup Compliments Balsamic Vinaigrette, then add:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¹/₂ cup red or green grapes 
¹/₄ cup Compliments Sweet Pickled Onions
¹/₃ cup crumbled Compliments Old Cheddar cheese
8 slices Compliments Charcuterie Trio, chopped
1 ¹/₂ cups chopped radicchio or iceberg lettuce
1 slice whole grain bread, toasted and cut into ³/₄-in. (2 cm) squares

Tip: Toast bread at 200°C (400°F), stirring halfway through, until golden, 8 to 10 min.

2. Harvest salad

An elegant and easy salad you’ll be looking forward to all morning! Bonus: Kale is hearty and won’t get soggy before you’re ready to shake this salad up and dig in, so make sure to layer it between the dressing and your other ingredients.

¹/₄ cup Compliments Balsamic Vinaigrette, then add:
1 ¹/₂ cups chopped kale
1 cup peeled, cubed and roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash
¹/₂ apple, cubed
1 cup cooked wild rice
50 g Compliments German Salami, chopped (about 8 slices)
¹/₃ cup Compliments Pecan Halves, toasted

two large jars of layered salad on an orange background

3. Black and Blue Arugula Salad

Blue cheese dressing delivers a satisfying balance of texture and tang, and is a great choice for salad ingredients that are boldly flavoured or offer hearty texture – or both! Here is a delicious salad combo that is perfectly matched to this classic flavour:

2 tbsp Compliments Blue Cheese Plant-Based Dressing or regular Compliments Blue Cheese Dressing, then add:
6 oz (175 g) Plant-based meatballs or grilled steak (cut into bite-sized chunks)
½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
¹/₃ cup Compliments Peaches & Cream Corn, cooked according to package directions
¼ package Compliments Baby Arugula
2 tbsp Compliments West Coast-Style Blend Salad Topper

4. Taco Ranch Salad

Ranch dressing can make a wide range of salads sing. It’s a fresh contrast to Mexican-style ingredients such as spiced beef and kidney beans, and is equally as satisfying when bringing together a vegetarian mixture of chickpeas, sweet peppers and mesclun mix. Here's one surefire combo to try:

2 tbsp Compliments Ranch Dressing Plant-Based or regular Compliments Ranch Dressing
½ cup Ground beef, spiced and cooked as you would for your favourite tacos or ½ cup Compliments Dark Red Kidney Beans (or a combination)
½ package Coleslaw mix
¹/₈ package Compliments Mixed Baby Greens
¼ cup Compliments Mild Chunky or Medium Chunky Salsa
2 tbsp Compliments Mexican-Style Salad Topper

5. Grilled Chicken Kale Caesar Salad

Richly flavoured with garlic and spices, Caesar salad is a crowd pleaser, but Caesar dressing can be used for many combinations beyond routine romaine! The options are seemingly endless, but you can start here:

2 tbsp Compliments Caesar Dressing Plant-Based or regular Compliments Caesar Dressing
6 oz Compliments Fully Cooked Chicken Strips or Compliments Plant-Based Chicken Strips, prepared according to package directions; or grilled chicken breast
¼ package Baby kale
½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
¹/₃ cup Compliments Lightly Seasoned Croutons
1 tbsp Compliments Simulated Bacon Bits

TIP

When making a layered salad, start with the dressing – at the bottom of the jar. Then add your heavier ingredients and finish with lighter lettuces and greens at the top. Screw on lid and shake to mix all ingredients when ready to eat, or bring a small bowl and empty contents into it, toss and enjoy.