Soba Noodle Desk-Lunch Jars
Cold soba noodles, edamame, and a sesame-soy dressing layered in a jar so the noodles don't turn to paste by lunchtime.
Nutrition facts, per serving
- Calories
- 460
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Per serving. Estimated from ingredients as listed.
The jar-layering isn’t a gimmick — it’s the only reason this survives three days in a work fridge without turning into a single gluggy mass. Dressing on the bottom, noodles on top, dry until you’re ready to eat.
Soba is more forgiving than most noodles for meal prep because it’s already got a slightly nutty, chewier structure that holds up better cold. Regular wheat noodles go stodgy in a way soba mostly doesn’t.
Add shredded chicken or a soft-boiled egg on top of the noodles before sealing if you want more protein — the base recipe leans on edamame, which is a reasonable amount but not a huge one.
Ingredients
Makes 3 servings- 270 g (dried) soba noodles
- 1.5 cups shelled edamame — frozen, blanched
- 2, julienned carrot
- 3, sliced spring onion
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp, toasted sesame seeds
Method
Cook the soba according to the packet, then rinse immediately under cold water — this is the one non-negotiable step, since soba starch keeps cooking the noodle after it's drained if you skip it.
Blanch the edamame in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and cool.
Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar together for the dressing.
Build each jar dressing-first, then carrot, edamame, spring onion, and noodles on top — the noodles staying clear of the dressing until you shake the jar is what keeps them from turning gluggy.
To eat, shake or stir well to distribute the dressing, and eat cold or briefly microwaved.
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