Chilled Noodle Lunch Cups (Printable Version)

Cold noodles paired with sesame, soy, cucumber, and chili for a refreshing lunch.

# 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 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)

# Steps:

01 - Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until chilled. 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 smooth.
03 - Divide chilled noodles evenly into four containers.
04 - Top each portion with julienned cucumber, carrots, and sliced green onions.
05 - Pour dressing evenly over each cup and toss gently to combine ingredients.
06 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Seal containers and refrigerate until serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste even better the next day when flavors have time to get cozy with each other.
  • You can make four lunches in the time it takes to boil water, which is genuinely life-changing on busy weeks.
  • The sesame oil and chili create a perfect balance that keeps things interesting, never boring or heavy.
02 -
  • If your noodles are even slightly warm when you dress them, the sesame oil will turn bitter and separate—chill them properly, and everything stays smooth and cohesive.
  • Keep the sauce in a separate container for the first day if you prefer crisp vegetables, then mix everything together the morning you eat it for maximum flavor melding.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds yourself if you have five minutes—the difference between pre-toasted and freshly toasted is genuinely noticeable.
  • Julienne your vegetables the night before so assembly takes literal minutes; the vegetables actually stay crispier when cut ahead.
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