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    Homemade Instant Noodles

    January 26, 2020 by Denise Bustard 42 Comments

    Home / Recipes / Soups & Stews / Homemade Instant Noodles

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    These healthy homemade instant noodles are made with whole wheat spaghetti, rotisserie chicken, and veggies, and taste just as good as ramen! Just add water for a delicious, hot lunch.

    When I'm craving noodles for lunch, I prep these Cold Sesame Noodle Meal Prep Bowls or these Spicy Instant Pot Peanut Noodles, and sometimes...these healthy homemade instant noodles hit the spot!

    three jars filled with Homemade Instant Noodles

    These instant noodles really take me back to my childhood, because who didn't love a cup of noodles? (truth be told we got them maybe once a year since the packaging was utterly horrible)

    Not only are they simple to prepare, but they taste just as good as instant ramen, without the styrofoam and with healthier ingredients.

    You can customize these noodles a ton of different ways! I have three ideas for you here today.

    Reasons you’ll ♡ these homemade instant noodles

    • they are super easy to prepare
    • there are endless ways you can change up the flavors + ingredients
    • they are portable and make a perfect hot lunch

    Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

    ingredients for diy instant noodles

    Let's talk ingredients

    To make DIY homemade instant noodles you will need:

    • Flavor base- You will need a chicken stock concentrate, not a powdered bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon brand), as it dissolves quickly when hot water is added. You can add other flavor enhancers in including sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, curry paste and more.
    • Noodles- I love using whole wheat spaghetti noodles that are cooked al dente, but any pasta will work. You can use veggie noodles or rice noodles without pre-cooking.
    • Protein- I recommend pre-cooked chicken or chickpeas.
    • Veggies- I use frozen vegetables that have been thawed. This way they have already been cooked most of the way through when you add the hot water.

    equipment needed for how to make instant noodles

    Meal prep tips

    • Equipment- make sure you use jars that can withstand a quick temperature change, like mason jars or meal mugs. Do not repurpose pasta or nut butter jars as they are not designed to withstand high temperatures. Find my favorite soup storage containers in my shop.
    • Storage- these instant noodle cups can keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. They are not freezer-friendly.
    • Bouillon- make sure to use a chicken stock concentrate rather than a bouillon cube. This ensures that it will dissolve properly once the hot water is added.
    • Noodles- you can use any pasta noodles, but make sure you cook al dente (1-2 minutes less than fully cooked through). They will soften again once the hot water is added. Veggie noodles and vermicelli do not need to be pre-cooked.

    healthy instant noodle cups

    Endless cup of noodle variations!

    There are endless ways you can customize these instant noodle cups. Here are some options for you:

    Flavor base

    • chicken stock concentrate
    • vegetable stock concentrate
    • Thai curry paste
    • soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos
    • hoisin sauce

    Noodles

    • pasta cooked al dente
    • cooked ramen
    • zucchini noodles (uncooked)
    • carrot noodles (uncooked; retains some crunch)
    • vermicelli (uncooked)

    Protein

    • cooked chicken
    • leftover pork tenderloin
    • chickpeas
    • tofu

    Veggies

    • frozen vegetable blend
    • chopped tomatoes
    • salsa
    • fresh or frozen spinach
    • spiralized zucchini & carrot

    fork pulling noodles out of a healthy cup of noodles

    More noodle recipes

    • Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai
    • How to Cook Zucchini Noodles
    • Spicy Tofu Noodle Meal Prep
    • Soba Noodle Salad

    Homemade Instant Noodle Cups Video

    Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these instant noodle cups. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

     

    Stack of three jars filled with healthy instant noodles and fresh veggies
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Healthy Homemade Instant Noodles (3 flavors)

    Course: Lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Calories: 444kcal
    Author: Denise Bustard
    Servings: 1
    These healthy homemade instant noodles are made with whole wheat spaghetti, rotisserie chicken, and veggies, and taste just as good as ramen! Just add water for a delicious, hot lunch.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time25 mins

    Ingredients

    Sesame Ginger (serves 1)

    • 2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate (I recommend Better Than Bouillon)
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • ½ teaspoon ginger finely grated
    • 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti cooked al dente and cooled (2 oz of dry pasta)
    • ½ cup frozen vegetables
    • ¼ cup shredded chicken
    • sesame seeds (to garnish)

    Chickpea Zoodle (serves 1)

    • 2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate (I recommend Better Than Bouillon)
    • ½ cup chickpeas
    • 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti cooked al dente and cooled (2 oz of dry pasta)
    • ½ cup frozen vegetables
    • sesame seeds (to garnish)

    Thai Chicken Curry (serves 1)

    • ¼ cup full fat coconut milk
    • 2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate
    • 1 teaspoon Thai curry paste (red or green)
    • 1 teaspoon lime juice
    • ½ teaspoon brown sugar
    • 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti (cooked al dente and cooled; 2 oz dry pasta)
    • ½ cup frozen vegetables
    • ½ cup shredded chicken

    Instructions

    • Add ingredients to a portable stoneware mug with lid in the order listed above.
    • When you are ready to enjoy, fill with boiling water up to an inch below the top of the mug.
    • Put the lid back on and steep for 2-3 minutes.
    • Stir for a few minutes to ensure that all stock concentrate has dissolved.

    Notes

    *nutritional information is for 1 batch of sesame ginger instant noodles.
    ** I did not test the recipe using powdered chicken stock and do not think equivalent amounts can be used.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1jar | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @SweetPeaSaffron or tag #sweetpeasandsaffron

    About Denise Bustard

    Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more. read more

    Previous Post: « Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew
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    https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/about

    Hi, I'm Denise

    Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too!

    Read more about it here!

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