Chilled Noodle Lunch Cups (Printable)

Cold noodles blend with sesame oil, soy, cucumber, and chili for a light and savory lunch option.

# What You Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 7 oz dried soba noodles or rice noodles

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium preferred
03 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
06 - 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce, adjusted to taste

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

07 - 1 cup (approx. 120 g) julienned cucumber
08 - 2 medium carrots, julienned
09 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
10 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
11 - 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until fully chilled. Drain thoroughly.
02 - Combine soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl. Whisk until blended.
03 - Distribute chilled noodles evenly into four meal prep containers.
04 - Top noodles with julienned cucumber, carrot, and sliced green onions in each container.
05 - Drizzle sauce over each portion and gently toss to combine ingredients evenly.
06 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Seal containers and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle and mingle together.
  • You can actually enjoy lunch without heating up your kitchen or spending time cooking when it's hot outside.
  • The whole thing comes together in less time than it takes to order delivery and wait around for it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the thorough rinsing of the noodles—leftover starch makes them gluey and defeats the whole purpose of them being fresh and separate.
  • If you're making these ahead, keep the sauce in a separate small container and toss it in right before eating, otherwise the noodles will absorb too much liquid and turn mushy by day three.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes if you have time—store-bought toasted seeds lose flavor faster than you'd think.
  • Cook the noodles one minute under the package time if you plan to eat these cold, because they'll firm back up as they cool instead of turning soft and forgiving.
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