These Mason Jar Instant Noodles are the perfect work lunch. The jars are packed full of veggies, vermicelli noodles and shredded chicken!
This recipe went viral for a reason! It’s one of my favourite recipes I’ve ever shared and one I always recommend if you want a fast, healthy lunch that doesn’t feel boring. Not to mention how Instagram-worthy it is!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Meal prep friendly: Prep these mason jar instant noodles ahead of time, then just add boiling water when you’re ready to eat.
- Healthy & customizable: Packed with protein and veggies and easy to switch up with your favourite add-ins so you’re never bored.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breasts – Swap for chicken thighs or another protein of choice.
- Soy sauce – Coconut aminos or tamari are great substitutes.
- Sriracha chili garlic hot sauce – Leave out if you don’t like heat, or swap for lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, or Old Bay.
- Lime juice – Fresh or bottled lime or lemon juice can be used.
- Vegetable bouillon cubes – Chicken bouillon cubes would also work.
- Julienned veggies – Use any mix you like. Other great options include beans, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, kale, zucchini, cabbage, or cooked mushrooms.
- Rice vermicelli noodles – These are great because they are thin and cook fast! Zucchini noodles could also work.
- Sunflower sprouts – Swap for cilantro or bean sprouts, or leave off entirely.
How to make mason jar noodles
Step 1: Cook the chicken.
Cook the chicken then shed it.
Step 2: Prep the veggies.
Slice, chop and shred any veggies you are using.
Step 3: Layer ingredients in the jars.
Gather ingredients and jars and start layering. Follow these layering rules!
Step 4: Store for later.
Store the prepped jars in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
Mason jar soup variations
There are lots of different ways you can customize these mason jar noodles to your liking. Try out different combos until you find something you love!
- Protein: Chicken thighs, chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, tofu, shrimp, beef, edamame, beans, chickpeas, lentils
- Veggies: Spinach, kale, zucchini, cabbage, mushrooms, bell peppers, bok choy
- Noodles: Rice vermicelli, zucchini noodles, miso noodles, cellophane noodles, ramen
- Seasoning & Sauces: Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, Old Bay, hoisin sauce
- Toppings: Hard-boiled egg, green onions, bean sprouts, cilantro
Frequently asked questions
What order do you layer the jars in?
When layering your mason jar soup, start with the shredded chicken, followed by the sauces (soy sauce, sriracha, lime juice), then the vegetables, bouillon cubes, and finally the noodles on top.
How do you serve mason jar soup and how much water do you add?
When you’re ready to eat, pour boiling water into the jar until it’s about 3/4 of the way full (do not fill to the top!). Stir to help the bouillon dissolve and let the noodles cook. If needed, microwave the jar for a couple of minutes. Once everything is hot, pour the soup into a bowl and enjoy.
What jars should you use?
Mason jars work best for this recipe. A 1L or 32 oz jar holds plenty for lunch and keeps liquids at the bottom, away from the noodles. I love glass jars because they are safe, easy to clean, and fit neatly in the fridge.
What can you prep ahead of time?
All the prep can be done in advance. Cook and shred the chicken, chop the veggies, and assemble the jars ahead of time so you have easy, ready-to-go lunches all week.
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store prepped mason jars in the fridge for up to 4–5 days (without the added water). If you don’t finish your soup, you can store leftovers in the fridge, but make sure to enjoy within a day or two for best texture.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Freezing: For best results, fully prepare the soup (including the boiling water), let it cool, then freeze in a freezer-safe container or Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
Defrosting and reheating: Reheat straight from frozen in the microwave for 6–7 minutes, stirring halfway through, until heated through.
Mason Jar Instant Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
- 4 tsp soy sauce or tamari
- 4 tsp Sriracha chili garlic hot sauce
- 4 tsp lime juice
- 4 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1/2 cup each julienned broccoli stems, carrots, bell peppers and green onions
- 1 lb package rice vermicelli noodles
- Sunflower sprouts or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- To shred chicken, boil breasts in a large pot of hot water for 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Pull apart with your hands or with a fork once cooled.
- Divide the shredded chicken into each mason jar evenly, then add 1 tsp of soy sauce, Sriracha and lime juice to each jar.
- Layer in vegetables, then drop in bouillon cubes. Finally, finish by dividing vermicelli noodles evenly among each jar and keep in fridge until ready to eat.
- When ready to serve, pour boiling water in to fill jar and carefully stir contents, making sure to dissolve bouillon cube completely and saturate noodles. You may also need to microwave the jar for 1-2 minutes depending on the type of noodles used (some varieties of vermicelli are harder than others). Let the jar sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Pour contents of the jar into large bowl when ready to eat (should be within 5 minutes of pouring boiling water) and eat right away!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Cheryl says
Fill the jar to the lid with water or fill leaving some space?
Taylor Stinson says
You’ll need to leave some space always with mason jars – never fill right to the top.
Oliver says
I tried making this with a different type of noodle and they all stuck together! It was like chewing gum. Do the noodles you use ever stick together? Do you cook them before hand?
Taylor Stinson says
I highly recommend following the recipe exactly the first time to ensure it works out. As listed, I use rice vermicelli and have never had an issue with them sticking, they also do not need to be cooked ahead of time.
Erica says
I noticed the purple cabbage or onion in the picture is not listed in the ingredients for the recipe. Can you clarify what the purple is in the picture? I love red onion but not cabbage .
Taylor Stinson says
I just used a blend of veggies I had on hand in the fridge, including red cabbage. I would not recommend adding onion to this recipe as it won’t get cooked through.
Sonia says
If I was to substitute the chicken with tofu would you suggest I cook the tofu first?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Sonia – you could add the tofu raw. I would just dice up into small pieces and add the seasonings directly overtop of it so it can marinate and soak up the flavours.
Angela says
What a great idea for lunches.
Holly says
This is absolutely delicious! I actually mixed all the ingredients -except the noodles and the hot water- in a large bowl, divided it into 1 cup portions, and froze them. In the morning, I put 1frozen serving in a jar along w the noodles and put the lid on. For lunch I pour the boiling water in, wait til the noodles are cooked (doesn’t take long at all), and voila! An easy, delicious, nutritious lunch! Since the veggies are julienned, they cook a little w the noodles. And the seasoning in the recipe was perfect! A little tang from the lime, a little heat from the sriracha, salt from the soy sauce and vegetable bullion. Delish! This will be a staple for me now.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for leaving your review, Holly 🙂
Natasha says
Just a suggestion on the freezing aspect, you can definitely freeze the contents in the mason jar but be sure to let it vent and cool down before sealing and freezing the jar. The rapid change in temp from boiling to freezing can cause the jar to crack and you’ll end up with broken glass in your freezer. I’ve had it happen before with sauces and it was not fun to clean up.
Sarah says
I love this recipe! As a college student who needs healthy and easy meals to make, this is perfect. I used bell pepper, green onions, shredded carrots, onion, mushrooms, vermicelli noodles, and chicken in mine. For the sauce I used 2tsp of soy sauce, the juice of a while lime, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp of better than bouillon chicken flavor, and red pepper flakes. I also used broth instead of water. I had this for dinner three nights in a row lol
Sandy says
I made this the other day and my son loved it. Two jars was enough for 4 servings for us. We added hard boiled eggs, hoisin sauce, bamboo shoots, and tofu. What brand noodles do you use? I’m having a hard time finding instant vermicelli noodles.
Taylor Stinson says
So happy you enjoyed, Sandy! I don’t ever buy a particular brand, I usually find the rice vermicelli in with other rice noodles at the grocery store (the same ones used for pad thai). Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Best-Premium-Stick-Noodle/dp/B012U8CWDC
Dina says
iI can’t want to prepare this for my daughter who is a huge fan of Pho. However, I am concerned with the hot liquid in the mason jar. Pouring the hot water into the jar is dangerous. its gonna be hotter than Hades. You may want to rethink that in the recipe
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Dina – mason jars are actually heat safe 🙂 They are commonly immersed in boiling water when canning/making pickles so you can feel perfectly safe adding boiling water.
Crimson says
I’m so excited to try this prepping sunday. One question….the fresh veggies you put in, do they soften up in the boiling water? What’s your thoughts on a frozen veggie mix or canned mixed veggies?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Crimson – they do soften up with the water but you could use frozen veggies, those would work fine!