🍜 Chilled-Out Ramen Salad — refreshing, shake-and-eat lunch

🥗 Cold Ramen Salad – Fresh, Satisfying & Perfectly Chilled in a Zojirushi Jar

Turn a simple salad into a hearty, filling meal by adding cold ramen noodles.
This refreshing dish is topped with our signature karashi dressing — a bold and flavourful twist you’ll love.

Worried about soggy greens? Don’t be.
Zojirushi food jars keep your salad crisp, fresh, and perfectly chilled until you’re ready to enjoy it — whether at work, school, or on the go.

Ingredients for the 12 oz Zojirushi Stainless Steel Food Jar

For the salad:

• 2 cups of water

• 45 g fresh ramen noodles or 30 g dried noodles

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled

• 3 cherry tomatoes

• 30 g cucumber, sliced into 3 mm rounds

• 1 thin slice of ham, cut into 1 cm wide strips

For the dressing:

• ⅓ tsp karashi (Japanese mustard)

• ¼ tsp sugar

• 2 tsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp soy sauce

       Ingredients for the 17 oz Zojirushi Stainless Steel Food Jar

For the salad:

• 3 cups of water

• 55 g fresh ramen noodles or 40 g dried noodles

• 1½ tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled

• 5 cherry tomatoes

• 60 g cucumber, sliced into 3 mm rounds

• 2 thin slices of ham, cut into 1 cm wide strips

• For the dressing:

  • ½ tsp karashi (Japanese mustard)

  • ⅓ tsp sugar

  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar

  • 1½ tsp soy sauce

Best enjoyed with:

Our compact SW-EAE35 (12 oz) or the more spacious SW-EAE50 (17 oz) stainless steel lunch jars — both part of our airtight, leak-resistant food jar collection.

This chilled ramen is one of my favourite healthy lunch recipes for thermos lovers. It’s perfect for picnics, office desks, or even as a warm meal for kids' school lunches when the weather turns cooler — simply swap the cold rinse for a quick broth reheat.

• Chill the jar beforehand.

• 
  Fill the container with ice and water, screw on the lid, and let it sit while you prepare the rest. This small habit keeps salads crisp and absolutely deserves a spot in every lunch jar recipe list.

• • Cook the noodles.

  • 
    Bring the measured water to a boil, add the noodles, and simmer according to the package instructions — typically about 2 minutes for fresh noodles or around 4 minutes for dried.
  

• Cool and oil.

• 
  Drain the water and rinse under cold running water until the noodles stop steaming. Then toss them with sesame oil to keep them firm and prevent sticking.

• Whisk the dressing

• 
  In a small pot, combine karashi mustard, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. The mustard should add aroma to the dressing, not blow your head off.

• Drain the ice water from the jar and add the dressing.

• 
  Pour out the ice water, pat the jar dry, and pour in the tangy dressing.
• Place whole, boiled egg in the food jar. 

• Score the tomatoes.

• 
  Lightly cut a small "X" on each cherry tomato (this helps them absorb more flavour) and place them in the pot.

• Layer, don’t mix.

• 
  Carefully place the noodles on top of the tomatoes, scatter the cucumber slices over them, and finish with strips of ham. Stop filling about 1 cm below the inner rim so the lid can close tightly..

• Seal tightly and shake.

• 
  Before eating, give the jar a good shake to coat every strand evenly.

• Keep an eye on the time.

• 
  Since we’re working with chilled ingredients, consume within 6 hours to keep everything fresh and safe.

• Dig in!

• 
  Open the jar, give it a quick stir with a fork, and enjoy the refreshing crunch — proof that healthy lunch jar recipes don’t have to be boring.