DIY Instant Noodles With Vegetables and Miso-Sesame Broth Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 17, 2025

Why It Works

  • All the convenience of a package of instant noodles, but with better ingredients and better flavor.
  • By keeping the final flavorings separate from the rest of the ingredients, you can stir them into the hot soup for bright, fresh, layered flavor.

This vegan pot of instant noodles, flavored with miso and sesame and loaded with fresh vegetables, can be made ahead and taken to work. Just add boiling water, seal it up for three minutes, add the fresh scallions and pickled ginger from the separate flavor packet, and you've got a hot lunch ready.

20140929-instant-noodles-diy-recipe-sesame-miso-vegetable-15.jpg
DIY instant noodles made with fresh ingredients. Just add boiling water, and you've got lunch. . Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt. Video: Natalie Holt

Recipe Details

DIY Instant Noodles With Vegetables and Miso-Sesame Broth Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 5 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

  • 8 teaspoons miso paste

  • 8 teaspoons (40ml) high-quality vegetable base, such as Better Than Bouillon

  • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) tahini

  • 4 teaspoons (20 ml) soy sauce

  • 1 cup shredded carrots

  • 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

  • 2 cups roughly torn fresh spinach leaves

  • 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

  • 4 small nests rice noodles or pre-cooked ramen or Italian pasta (see note)

  • 1 cup minced fresh scallions

  • 1/2 cup pickled ginger

Directions

  1. Divide ginger, miso, vegetable base, tahini, sesame seeds, soy sauce, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and noodles evenly between 4 resealable glass jars. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide scallions and ginger between 4 small zipper-lock bags and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air. Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

  2. When ready to serve, remove scallion/ginger packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Seal jar and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar, stir in scallions and ginger, and serve.

Notes

Dry Thai or Vietnamese rice noodles can be used with no prep. Alternatively, use precooked and chilled ramen-style noodles or fresh Italian pasta. Cook the fresh noodles in boiling water for 1 minute, shock in cold water, drain well, toss with 2 teaspoons (10ml) oil until coated, then proceed with step 1.

Special Equipment

4 resealable 1-pint glass jars

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
408 Calories
11g Fat
67g Carbs
14g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 408
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2314mg 101%
Total Carbohydrate 67g 24%
Dietary Fiber 8g 28%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 19mg 95%
Calcium 221mg 17%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 833mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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