Chilled Noodle Lunch Cups (Printable)

Cold noodles with sesame, soy, cucumber, and chili for a fresh, easy lunch.

# What You'll 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 to 2 tsp chili garlic sauce, adjusted to taste

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

07 - 1 cup 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)

# Directions:

01 - Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely chilled, then drain again.
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 - Divide chilled noodles evenly into four meal prep containers.
04 - Top each portion with julienned cucumber, carrots, and sliced green onions.
05 - Drizzle sauce evenly over each cup and toss gently to combine ingredients.
06 - Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Seal containers and refrigerate until served.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Make it once on Sunday and forget about lunch decisions until Thursday.
  • The noodles taste even better the next day as the sauce coats every strand.
  • Swap proteins and vegetables based on what's in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Rinsing the noodles thoroughly is non-negotiable—if you skip this step, they'll fuse into one mass and your whole prep is ruined.
  • Keep the cucumber separate until you're ready to eat if you're storing these more than a day, or it bleeds water into the sauce and makes everything soggy.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds yourself in a dry pan and you'll understand why this sauce works so well—the aroma alone sells the whole dish.
  • Make the sauce the night before and let the flavors get to know each other; it tastes noticeably deeper the next day.
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