TWELVE of my favourite jar recipes

I've just received a shipment of Le Parfait Wiss terrine jars, a glass jar with a metal screw top lid, and in my opinion the best storage jar there is. They're such a brilliant shape for saving space, they fit in the fridge well, they don't have any annoying clips and they look rather beautiful too.

Since they arrived I've been thinking of all the ways I use these jars in the kitchen, of course there's storing your dried goods, but they're useful in so many other ways too.

Here's a list of 12 recipes & ideas for using your jars. Some you may have tried already, but I hope others will inspire you to try something new and add to your cookery repertoire.

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12 of my favourite jar recipes

DIY pot noodle

The perfect prep-at-home-cook-at-work lunch has got to be a DIY pot noodle. Chop all your veg at home, shove some noodle in and carry to work in your jar. Boil the kettle at work to pour over for a delicious, healthy and substantial meal. Here's a recipe to try, but once you've done one you'll want to go off piste!
Beetroot & Walnut dip

If you're fed up with hummus, but like us, go through it like nobody's business, this beetroot & walnut dip is a brilliant alternative. Spread in sarnies, enjoy on toast, add to a budda style bowl, or just dip away. A brilliant thing to make in batches and keep in the fridge.
Green chutney

I can't eat curry without this green coriander chutney. It's not really a chutney, more a dip of sorts. But, drizzle it all over your curry and you won't regret it! Perfect with poppadoms too. Keep a jar of this in your fridge for those nights when dal is on the menu.

3 bags of coriander
2/3 green chillis (take out the seeds if you don't want it too spicy)
a handful of mixed nuts
tbsp brown sugar, honey or maple syrup (add a bit at a time and taste as you go)
pinch of salt
drizzle of water

Whizz everything up in your blender, adding the water slowly until it reaches a consistency of cream rather than pesto.
Marmalade

Each year I make a couple of batches of this marmalade to give to friends & family. If you've never made a marmalade before, don't fret, you don't need a thermometer, and it's not as tricky as it may seem. Give it a go!
Oat milk

The easiest of the plant-based milks to make at home, and in particular, if like me, you don't have a super-duper whizzy blender. Just a regular old blender will do the trick and get you creamy milk. Here's the recipe I use.
Margaritas

My friend Amy who lives down the road from me is to blame for my newfound obsession with margaritas! During lockdown (when we were allowed), I'd nip to her doorway for a curb-side cocktail and now it's the only thing I want drink! We don't have a cocktail shaker, but you don't need one, use a tall jar instead. Even better you can pre-mix the lime juice & spirits and keep in the fridge, then when people arrive, just add ice, shake and pour. Here's a recipe to get you started, but adjust according to your tastes.
Bircher Museli

Every time I go to a Pret I have to pick up one of their bircher muesli pots! Here's a recipe (scroll down a bit) you can make it at home, you'll likely have everything you need in your pantry cupboard and of course you can mix things up a bit depending on what you have. Premake the oats the night before in a jar and stick in the fridge overnight, then in the morning you just add some greek yoghurt, a little maple syrup and chopped fresh fruit - a filling breakfast which you can eat straight from the jar.
Squashed fly biscuits

Okay, so this may not seem like a jar recipe, but what's better than a jar of homemade biscuits?! This take on squashed fly biscuits are a nostalgic favourite in our household, although they don't stay in the jar for long of course! Brill to take when meeting a friend for a cuppa, playtime in the park, walks in the woods or just keep in the car to keep everyone quiet on long journeys.
A good dressing

Perfecting a few quick and simple salad dressings is when you've hit peak adult status. Being able to whizz up a delicious dressing to store in the fridge for a few days is very satisfying. Stick all the ingredients in a jar, shake & that's it. Here are three of my favourites:

Asian
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
thumb of grated ginger
2tbsp mirin

Honey & mustard
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper

Tahini
3 tbsp tahini
salt
juice of a lemon (add slowly & taste)
water (you want it to be the consistency of single cream)
peeled garlic clove (shake the jar with the clove still whole, then just scoop out before serving)
Mayonnaise

The idea of making homemade mayonnaise often feels like a faff, but every time I do it, I wonder why I always make such a mountain out of a molehill. If you have a KitchenAid or similar mixer it's really very easy and pretty foolproof. A jar in the fridge will give simple sarnies an extra edge. Or, quickly turn it into a delicious tartar sauce by adding chopped cornichons, capers, parsley & a squeeze of lemon for Friday night's fish & chips. Here's my go-to recipe:
Lunch on the go

With a summer of picnics in the park with my little boy ahead of me, I know I'll be making lots of salads and shovelling them into a jar for a sandwich alternative packed lunch. I LOVE salads. Big, hearty, crunchy salads. There are too many to list, but here are some of my go-to people when I want a delicious salad.

Arthur Street Kitchen
Ottolenghi
Anna Jones
Pizza sauce

With summer around the corner and plenty of socialising to catch up on, pizzas will be on the menu a lot for many of us. Having a few jars of preserved homemade pizza sauce on the shelf means you can be ready for an impromptu pizza night.

Here's my go-to recipe:
Jar of passata
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper
pinch of sugar
garlic clove, crushed

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a very gentle simmer and leave to bubble away for up to an hour until it's a lovely thick, rich sauce.

To preserve your sauce, first, you need to sterilise your jars. Here's how. Once you've done this, pour the sauce into the jars, place the lids on (make sure you have a seal) then put the full jars into the pan of simmering water, covering fully (you might need to place a plate over to keep them steady in the pan) and boil for 25 minutes. These can now be stored in your cupboard and have a shelf life of a few months at least.