How to Make Instant Noodles Cup (DIY)

Prep
10 Minutes
Total
10 Minutes
Servings
1

🍜 Better than takeout and WAY healthier! These DIY instant noodle cups ditch the mystery ingredients and excessive sodium for fresh veggies, real spices, and customizable flavors – prep a week's worth in 10 minutes for grab-and-go lunches that only need hot water!

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Ever wonder how to make healthier instant noodles cups at home? The packaged stuff is often loaded with SO much sodium and other weird ingredients, but this DIY instant noodle cup recipe is a healthier version that you can make yourself (while also being able to pronounce and find everything that goes into it).

Why You’ll Love This Instant Noodles Cup

  • Quick: The point of instant noodles cups is that they’re quick, and this homemade recipe is just as quick! Make them in just 10 minutes.
  • Delicious: Full of wholesome, delicious, and flavorful ingredients, this healthy noodle recipe is good.
  • Meal Prep: Prep this instant noodles recipe and have it ready for a quick, healthy lunch. 
A kitchen counter with bowls of grated carrots, edamame, sliced green onions, sauces, fresh ginger, a glass jar, an instant noodles cup, and tofu on a wooden board, lit by sunlight streaming through window blinds.

Ingredients

Ginger – This aromatic root adds a zingy kick to your instant noodle cups while packing serious health benefits. Loaded with antioxidants, ginger can help your body fight off disease and sickness and promote healthy aging. The fresh flavor it brings elevates these DIY instant noodle cups far beyond their store-bought counterparts.


Ramen Noodles – The foundation of any instant noodle cup. While they may not be a nutritional powerhouse, they do provide iron, B vitamins, and manganese. The key difference in this recipe is controlling what goes with them, transforming a simple convenience food into a balanced meal that’s still quick and easy.

How to Make Instant Noodles Cup

  1. Chop the green onion into small pieces.
  2. Prepare the carrot, ginger + tofu. Set aside.
  3. Cut the dry ramen noodles into quarters.
  4. In a bowl, combine the miso, tamari, garlic chili paste, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and bouillon paste. Mix to combine. 
  5. Stack your ingredients in a 750ml / 26oz jar.
  6. Pour in boiling water until 1 ½ inch from the top of the jar.
  7. Seal the jar and allow it to sit for 10 – 15 minutes.
  8. At this point, you can enjoy it once cooked or set in the fridge until ready to enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

  • Meal Prep/Storage: Prepare the instant noodles cup a few days in advance! It can be kept in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.
  • Customize: You can add ANY extra spices or vegetables that you wish. Customize it- because you’re eating it! But it is DELICIOUS as is! 
  • Jar Selection: Typical mason jars work great and can be found at the Dollar Store. You can also reuse old jars that you had, like spaghetti sauce!

Variations

  • Vegetables: Add any kind of hearty veggies into your instant noodles cup to make them your own.
  • Protein: Add in your fav protein like cooked chicken, tempeh, or shrimp.
  • Spice: Add in some finely chopped hot peppers or top with your favorite hot sauce to spice up your instant noodles.
Instant noodles in a jar

Best served with

How to Store Leftovers

These DIY instant noodle cups can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days. Store with all ingredients except the hot water, then simply add boiling water when you’re ready to enjoy.

Common Questions

Are instant noodles healthy?

Instant noodles can have a lot of sodium in them and very little nutritional value, however, they are so easy to make your own, or even spice up the store-bought ones by adding vegetables and protein to the base.

How to store meal-prepped instant noodles?

Put all your ingredients, except the broth or water, in a container, individually portioned. Then, when you’re ready to eat, add the boiling water right in.

What kind of jar should I use for these instant noodle cups?

Typical mason jars work great and can be found at the Dollar Store. You can also reuse old jars that previously held products like spaghetti sauce. Just make sure they’re heat-resistant and have a tight-fitting lid.

How do I prevent the noodles from getting soggy?

Layer your ingredients strategically – place the flavor base and hardy vegetables at the bottom, with the dry noodles on top. This prevents the noodles from becoming soggy during storage.

Can I make these instant noodle cups completely vegan?

Absolutely! Use vegetable bouillon and ensure your miso paste doesn’t contain bonito (a type of fish). With tofu as the protein, the recipe is completely plant-based.

Expert Tips & FAQ for this healthy noodle recipe: 

How to Make Instant Noodles Cups (DIY)

🍜 Better than takeout and WAY healthier! These DIY instant noodle cups ditch the mystery ingredients and excessive sodium for fresh veggies, real spices, and customizable flavors – prep a week’s worth in 10 minutes for grab-and-go lunches that only need hot water!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Vegan Meals
Cuisine Asian-Inspired, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 1
Calories 440
Servings: 1

Watch the Video

Youtube video

Ingredients

  • 1 pack ramen noodles
  • 3 sprigs green onion
  • ½ medium carrot, shredded
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • ¾ cup soft tofu, cubed
  • 1 tbsp miso
  • 1 tbsp tamari
  • 1 ½ tsp sambal garlic chili paste
  • 1 ½ tsp sesame oil
  • 1 ½ tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Stock Paste
  • Boiling water to fill the jar

Instructions 

Start Cooking
  1. Chop the green onion into small pieces.
  2. Prepare the carrot, ginger + tofu. Set aside.
  3. Cut the dry ramen noodles into quarters.
  4. In a bowl, combine the miso, tamari, garlic chili paste, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and bouillon paste. Mix to combine. 
  5. Stack your ingredients in a 750ml / 26oz jar.
  6. Pour in boiling water until 1 ½ inch from the top of the jar.
  7. Seal the jar and allow it to sit for 10 – 15 minutes.
  8. At this point, you can enjoy it once cooked or set in the fridge until ready to enjoy!

Notes

Prepare the ramen a few days in advance! It can keep in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.
You can add ANY extra spices or vegetables that you wish. Customize it- because you’re eating it! But it is DELICIOUS as is! 
Serving: 1Calories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 34.2gFat: 19.2gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10.1gSodium: 1528.5mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4g

31 people are discussing this recipe.

  1. .
    09.18.24
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    .

  2. Sophie Waddell
    03.10.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    Absolutely love this recipe. So easy, quick and full of flavour. My kids thought it was the best instant noodles they’ve had 🙂

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      03.10.22
      Was this helpful?

      thank you so much hun!!!

  3. Joe
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    I’m a college kid, this looks fairly simple, however, where do I find the jars?

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      you can use any jars you have on hand! enjoy jam or peanut butter jars etc! even containers work too!

  4. Claudia
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    I’m so very excited! I have been loving ramen noodles. Going to prep this weekend for lunch next week!!

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      let me know what you think!

  5. Susan
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    I really love your blog and recipes, everything is so well thought out and organized, looking forward to making this recipe!

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      thank you so much for the love susan!

  6. nic
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    I would love to know where you got those containers!

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      this brand is called weck jars! amazon! or buy local at a home store etc.

  7. Diana
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    How far ahead can you make and store these to use later? or is it impossible because of the instant noodles?

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      I would prep everything but the noodles and hot water. Add those before consumption! I hope that helps

  8. Jennifer C
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    Totally love this recipe, where did you get your glass bottles?

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      this is a brand called weck!

  9. Mich
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    Noodle recipes always seem so complicated to me, put you made this easy to read and execute, totally recommend it!

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      thank you so much for the love!

  10. Shelley
    02.25.22
    Was this helpful?

    5 stars
    Just made the soup and so delicious! I know this isn’t your fault but I also seem to make my noodles to soggy, any advice?

    1. Maria Koutsogiannis
      02.27.22
      Was this helpful?

      only let them cook for 3-5 minutes then enjoy immediately!