Updated October 11, 2026: This older recipe has been corrected for safe storage and reheating. Follow Health Canada’s guidance for leftovers and the cooking instructions for your ingredients.
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I posted a photo on Facebook of my lunch – a jar of healthy instant noodle soup. To my surprise, it got some attention from some people asking for my recipe. It seems easier to write it out here because my recipe changes dramatically based on my whims. So this post is going to be divided into two parts. Part one is the recipe exactly as it appeared in this picture. Part two is how I created it so you can create your own recipes.
Part One: The Recipe
If you want to re-create exactly what you see above, here is what I did. Layer it the same way because it’s layered specifically.
- 1 tablespoon bouillon (use a good quality one, like Better than Bouillon)
- 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 1/2 cup cubed tofu
- 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
- 1 garlic stem finely chopped
- 1 carrot thinly sliced (I use a mandolin)
- A handful of sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 generous handful of pea shoots
- 1 generous handful of washed and trimmed enoki mushrooms
- As many pre-cooked noodles as you can wedge into the jar
In the original version, I added boiling water from a kettle and waited five minutes. That is not a reliable way to reheat a cold meal safely. Use suitable cooking equipment and a heat-safe container, stir, and check that the food reaches 74°C with a food thermometer. Bring soup to a rolling boil. Follow ingredient cooking instructions.
If your room only has a kettle, choose a meal designed for kettle preparation instead.
Part Two: Important Notes
There’s a few things you will find helpful in creating a mason jar o’soup, especially if you can’t find my weird ingredients. (I like these a lot.)
First: I used tofu in this version, but tofu and cooked noodles are perishable. Keep the assembled meal at 4°C or colder during transport and storage. Do not leave it in an uncooled car trunk or assume a hotel minibar is cold enough.
Second: You can have any base you want. I liked hoisin sauce this time, but curry powder or whatever seasonings would be equally delicious.
Third: Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms according to their food-safety and cooking instructions. Adding kettle water does not reliably cook raw ingredients. Cook ingredients that require it before assembling, then cool and refrigerate promptly.
Fourth: Your noodles must be precooked. You can buy fresh precooked noodles (I did) or cook soba noodles or some other delicious noodles. Or use precooked rice. Be wild.
Fifth: Leftovers can form the base of a soup, provided they have been handled safely. Eat refrigerated leftovers within two to three days, and reheat them thoroughly.
Sixth: Why is it layered like this? The easy is that I want the tofu to get as much time as possible sitting in the flavourful goo at the bottom, the veggies to remain as moist as possible for as long as possible, and I want the fragile noodles to sit safely on top. The layers work. There’s a second part as well, which is that I think it looks pleasing like this. I like my food to look pleasing. Even in a hotel, food can be attractive.
Seventh: You don’t need to assemble this at home. Just bring a paring knife and a cutting board along with some jars and hit the grocery store near the hotel. You don’t need to drive a portable kitchen around in the summer. I did it this time because it was convenient. However, I have assembled a lot of food in hotel rooms while I watch reruns of shows I refuse to admit I watch.
I like making simple meals when I travel. The convenience only works if the food is kept safely chilled and reheated properly. If you cannot do that in your hotel room, choose another meal.
I’ll add a few more foodie posts to answer the questions I get about how I eat in a hotel. Hopefully this one will get you started!
PS: This also makes a great work lunch.
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