These Mason Jar Noodles are packed full of prebiotic veggies and probiotic fermented kimchi designed to support good gut health with total ease. They are also unbelievably simple to prepare. You literally just mix up your sauce, pop it into the base of three Mason Jars, top with some dried noodles, shredded chicken, veggies (pretty much anything you have in your fridge) and kimchi, then pop in the fridge until needed. All you have to do when you are ready to serve is pour in some boiling water before mixing well to coat everything in the delicious sweet, salty, spicy, nutty peanut sauce and diving in!
Looking after our gut
As we head into autumn and winter, A.K.A flu season, I try to pay a bit more attention to what I eat to try to support my immune system and keep coughs and colds at bay. I am by no means a nutritionist, but more and more experts are encouraging us to focus on gut health to support our physical and mental wellbeing. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to become a place of preachy, faddy diet recipes. I am all about simple and delicious food that tastes good, you just might see a few more nourishing gut healthy recipes pop up on here.
These Mason Jar Noodles are the perfect example of how cosy comfort food can taste good and do you good at the same time. Healthy recipes don’t need to be complicated or restrictive. My Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice is packed full of plant points and prebiotics thanks to the rice, veggies and seeds, and you could easily add a dollop of kimchi to include some fermented foods.
Jump to:
Why you will love this recipe:
- They are a super simple and nourishing gut healthy lunch that takes just 10 minutes.
- They are full of delicious flavours and textures - salty soy sauce, spicy chilli, sweet honey, tender chicken, crunchy veggies and tangy kimchi.
- They are full of prebiotic veggies and probiotic fermented kimchi designed to promote gut health. Plus they are super flexible so you can use whatever veggies you have left in your fridge. The more variety, the better!
- You can get creative with different garnishes like crunchy nuts and crispy onions to really make it your own.
- They are healthier than buying a packet of instant noodles.
- They are affordable and accessible using store cupboard ingredients and leftover roast chicken to make a delicious budget-friendly meal prep meal. It will save you money on soggy supermarket sandwiches when out and about on the go.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Peanut butter - you can use smooth or crunchy, I prefer smooth in this recipe.
Soy sauce - full of salty, umami flavour which will help bring your Mason Jar Noodles to life.
Chilli crisp oil - a drizzle of chilli oil adds a delicious spicy kick. You can leave it out if you prefer your Mason Jar Noodles to be a bit milder.
Rice wine vinegar - this has a delicate, mild, and slightly sweet flavour which makes the most wonderful sauce for these Mason Jar Noodles.
Runny honey - a squeeze of honey brings a hint of sweetness which balances out the other flavours.
Garlic - I find 2 cloves is perfect for a subtle garlicky flavour. You can add more if you prefer.
Glass noodles - these are a super handy store cupboard staple as they cook in mere minutes in boiling water (and have a wonderfully chewy texture).
Cooked chicken - you could use leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken thighs.
Vegetables - I have used chopped mushrooms, shredded carrots, crunchy spring onions, fresh parsley, sliced chilli, broccoli and bean sprouts - the more variety, the better for your gut health.
Kimchi - I love adding a dollop of kimchi to all sorts of recipes. It has the most delicious flavour and, because it is fermented, it is full of probiotic bacteria which helps support good gut health.
Substitutions and Variations:
Peanut butter: you can use smooth or crunchy peanut butter, whichever you prefer. Tahini or cashew butter is also delicious if you can’t have peanuts.
Chilli crisp oil: I love a drizzle of Peanut Rayu which has the most delicious nutty, sesame flavour, combined with fiery gochugaru flakes. Smoky, spicy sriracha sauce is also delicious. Although if you want a milder sauce for your Mason Jar Noodles, you could use sesame oil instead.
Ginger: I love adding a grating of fresh ginger for a lovely warming flavour to the sauce. Ginger paste (or even garlic and ginger paste) works really well too.
Noodles: I have made this with any dried noodles - as long as they are cooked in boiling water. Vermicelli rice noodles, wholewheat noodles, soba noodles and egg noodles all work well.
Soy sauce: you could swap for tamari, although remember it tends to be thicker and have a stronger flavour.
More variations:
Texture: you can add all sorts of additions for extra flavour and texture. I love a sprinkling of crispy onions, toasted sesame seeds and/or roasted chopped peanuts or cashews. Crumbled nori (seaweed) sheets also pack an umami punch.
Citrus: a squeeze of lemon or lime gives a refreshing, zesty citrus kick.
Protein: these Mason Jar Noodles are perfect for using up leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken, but you could use all sorts of different proteins. Pan-fried tofu is a delicious plant-based alternative or you could also use chickpeas. If you are happy with meat/fish, cooked prawns, leftover roast pork or beef are all super tasty.
Fresh vegetables: you can switch up the veggies to use whatever you fancy. Sliced peppers, mushrooms, green beans, red onions, edamame beans and bean sprouts would all work really well.
Fresh herbs: sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh coriander, parsley and/or chives just before serving, if desired.
Here's how to assemble Mason Jar Noodles
This is a step by step guide to help you bring the recipe together but for the full recipe with measurements, scroll down to the bottom of the page to the recipe card.
ONE: First, make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli crisp oil, rice wine vinegar and honey.
TWO: Grate in the garlic. Taste and adjust accordingly. Divide equally between 3 mason jars (or large pots/tupperwares)
THREE: Place a noodle nest in each mason jar, then divide the shredded cooked chicken equally between the 3. Top each with a tablespoon of kimchi, then add handfuls of your choice of vegetables. Cover with a lid and fully seal. Pop in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FOUR: When ready to eat, pop the kettle on. Pour in enough boiling water to just cover the noodles - don’t add too much water as you don’t to dilute the sauce too much.
FIVE: Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
SIX: Mix well to combine the sauce with the noodles, vegetables, chicken and kimchi to create the most gorgeous Mason Jar Noodles soup. Enjoy!
Cooking Tips:
Taste your sauce - a good recipe relies on the perfect balance of flavours so make sure you taste your sauce to make sure you are happy with the sweetness, saltiness, acidity and heat before you assemble the Mason Jar Noodles.
All about texture - you can take these noodles to the next level by adding crispy fried onions, toasted sesame seeds and/or roasted peanuts or cashews for extra texture. Crumbled nori (seaweed) is also so good.
Frequently Asked Questions
These Mason Jar Noodles are full of gut loving ingredients like fermented kimchi (a probiotic) and a whole host of veggies (prebiotics). Plus they are a great way to work towards the 30 plant based foods a week we are supposed to aim for to help our guts. They are also a delicious homemade meal prep lunch so you can reduce the number of ultra-processed foods (UPF) over the course of the day which is also beneficial for gut health.
Well obviously I am not a nutritionist but prebiotics are found in foods high in fibre (like veggies) and help feed the good gut bacteria. Probiotics are live microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeasts, that help keep your gut healthy. You can find them in so many delicious fermented foods like live yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and unpasteurised cheese.
Absolutely! Plant based foods form a big part of a gut healthy diet, so if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can definitely still enjoy these Mason Jar Noodles. Simply swap the cooked chicken for pan-fried tofu or roasted chickpeas - or add extra veggies. Go a step further and make vegan Mason Jar Noodles by swapping the honey in the dressing for maple syrup.
Yes, these are designed to be a make ahead lunch. Add everything to the jar aside from the boiling water. You can keep in the fridge until ready to eat. When ready to eat, pour over boiling water and leave to stand. Mix together and then enjoy.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
My Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice is another quick, easy and nutritious gut healthy lunch. You could also try my Salsa Verde Chicken Burgers with Yoghurt and Beetroot Slaw. My Butter Sizzled Salmon with Herby Chilli Lentils, Garlicky Yoghurt and a Simple Tomato Salsa is also a super simple, nourishing meal.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Mason Jar Noodles
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon chilli crisp oil I like peanut rayu
- 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon runny honey
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
For the noodles:
- 3 nests of glass noodles
- 600 g cooked chicken shredded
- 3 handfuls of veg and herbs of your choice I went for chopped mushrooms, shredded carrot, spring onions, parsley, fresh chilli, broccoli and bean sprouts
- 3 tablespoon kimchi
Instructions
- First, make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli crisp oil, rice wine vinegar, honey and crushed garlic. Taste and adjust accordingly. Divide equally between 3 mason jars (or large pots/tupperwares).
- Place a noodle nest in each mason jar, then divide the shredded cooked chicken equally between the 3. Top each with a tablespoon of kimchi, then add handfuls of your choice of vegetables. Cover with a lid and fully seal. Pop in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- When ready to eat, pop the kettle on. Pour in enough boiling water to just cover the noodles - don’t add too much water as you don’t to dilute the sauce too much. It should be about 500ml but I tend to eyeball it. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
- Mix well to combine the sauce with the noodles, vegetables, chicken and kimchi to create the most gorgeous Mason Jar Noodles soup. Enjoy!
