This idea is an absolute lifesaver for the winter months! Canning vegetables or layering them in jars (so-called “salad jars”) is a great way to preserve crispness, color, and vitamins when it’s freezing cold outside.

Whether you’re thinking of a classic sterilized salad (chalamada) that keeps for months in the cellar, or a fresh, vacuum-packed salad in a jar for the coming week – we have tips for you on how to make your vegetables taste like they came straight from the garden.

Option 1: Sterilized “Winter Salad” (Chalamada)
If you want to open a jar in January and have a crisp explosion of flavor on your plate, it all comes down to proper pickling and a short sterilization process that doesn’t cook the vegetables.

Ingredients for the colorful mix:
Base: White and red cabbage, carrots, onions.

For color and flavor: Bell peppers (red, yellow), cucumbers, and even firmer green tomatoes or cauliflower.

How do you keep vegetables crisp?

Cut and salt: Cut the vegetables into thin strips, mix with salt, and let sit for 2–3 hours. The vegetables release excess water and become brittle, but retain their firmness.

Pickle: Classic sweet and sour (water, vinegar, sugar, salt, wild herbs). For optimal freshness, don’t use too much vinegar.

Rapid sterilization: This is the most important step! Sterilize at 80°C for a maximum of 15–20 minutes. If the vegetables are heated for too long, they will become soft and mushy.

Option: Fresh salad in a jar (meal prep)
Want to prepare a fresh salad that will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a week? The trick is in the right layering.

Layering rule (from bottom to top):

Layer (dressing): Always at the very bottom. The dressing must not touch the delicate leaves, otherwise they will wilt.

Layer (Hard Vegetables): Carrots, cucumbers, chickpeas, bell peppers. These vegetables can marinate in the dressing, which enhances the flavor.

Layer (Soft Vegetables and Proteins): Tomatoes, corn, cheese, meat, or egg.

Layer (Leaf and Herbs): On top, as far away from the dressing as possible. This keeps everything nice and dry and crisp.

Tip: To eat, simply turn the jar upside down, shake, and tip it onto a plate. The dressing will distribute perfectly over all the layers.

Are you planning to do some classic canning for the winter, or are you looking for inspiration for quick lunches at the office in the form of fresh salads in a jar?