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Home » Recipes » Lunch

Lunch Recipes

Enjoy light and refreshing Japanese lunch recipes that are perfect for warm days or quick meals. Try simple favorites like onigiri (rice balls), comforting ochazuke (tea over rice), or chilled noodle dishes like zaru soba, somen, and hiyashi chuka (cold ramen).

Warm up with a bowl of kake udon, or switch things up with savory, soy-based wafu pasta. These easy and satisfying meals are full of flavor and ideal for a light lunch at home, work, or on the go.

A plate containing three tuna mayo onigiri served with a wooden bowl of miso soup, a cup of tea, and a small dish of pickles. A plate containing three tuna mayo onigiri served with a wooden bowl of miso soup, a cup of tea, and a small dish of pickles.
Try this!
Tuna Mayo Onigiri ツナマヨおにぎり

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All Lunch Recipes

  • A plate of chilled udon noodles on a bamboo mat, garnished with green maple leaves, served with dipping sauce, wasabi, green onions, ginger, and sesame seeds on a rustic wooden table.
    Easy
    Cold Udon Noodles (Zaru Udon) ざるうどん
    2
    15 minutes
  • Zaru soba and zaru cha soba (cold buckwheat noodles and green tea noodles) served on a bamboo mat with shredded nori on top. Dipping sauce, green onions, and wasabi are in the background.
    Easy
    Zaru Soba (Cold Soba Noodles) ざるそば
    117
    15 minutes
  • Japanese bowls containing Classic Udon Noodle Soup called Kake Udon or Su Udon, topped with sliced green onion, onsen tamago (poached egg), and fish cake slices.
    Easy
    Udon Noodle Soup (Kake Udon) (Video) かけうどん
    93
    15 minutes
  • A plate containing three tuna mayo onigiri and pickles, served with a wooden bowl of miso soup.
    Easy
    Tuna Mayo Onigiri ツナマヨおにぎり
    4
    15 minutes
  • A black round plate containing metaiko pasta - Japanese spaghetti with spicy salted cod roe topped with julienned shiso and shredded nori seaweed.
    Easy
    Easy Mentaiko Pasta (Video)
    3
    13 minutes
  • A paper box containing Japanese Sandwiches (Mixed Sando).
    Japanese Sandwich – Mixed Sando ミックスサンド
    14
    30 minutes
  • A glass plate containing cold natto udon topped with kimchi, onsen tamago, blanched okra, fresh cucumber, and grated nagaimo.
    Easy
    Cold Natto Udon
    2
    20 minutes
  • A glass bowl containing cold somen noodles with dipping sauce.
    Easy
    Japanese Cold Somen Noodles そうめん
    38
    20 minutes
  • An oval plate containing 3 pieces of Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) placed on a bamboo leaf.
    Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) (Video) おにぎり
    237
    1 hour
  • A white round plate containing sliced Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Roll).
    Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Roll) キンパ
    2
    1 hour 45 minutes
  • A donburi bowl containing a Japanese grilled rice ball in a flavorful dashi broth, topped with green onions and furikake rice seasoning.
    Easy
    Yaki Onigiri Chazuke (Grilled Rice Ball Soup) 焼きおにぎり茶漬け
    6
    10 minutes
  • A white bowl containing Shiso Pesto Pasta garnished with shaved Parmesan cheese and shiso leaves.
    Easy
    Shiso Pesto Pasta (Video) 大葉ジェノベーゼパスタ
    9
    15 minutes
  • Tamago Sando - Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich on a plate along with salad.
    Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando) たまごサンド
    385
    30 minutes
  • A Japanese ceramic plate containing Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri served with daikon pickles.
    Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri 鮭と塩昆布のおにぎり
    13
    15 minutes
  • A blue bowl containing cold somen noodles topped with thinly sliced sudachi citrus.
    Easy
    Cold Somen Noodles with Sudachi Lime すだちそうめん
    5
    15 minutes
  • A white square plate containing Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Noodles)
    Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Noodles) (Video)
    70
    45 minutes
  • A plate containing Japanese Pizza Toast made with Japanese milk bread, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and various toppings.
    Easy
    Pizza Toast ピザトースト
    14
    15 minutes
  • A white plate containing Pickled Mustard Green Fried Rice (Takana Chahan).
    Pickled Mustard Greens Fried Rice (Takana Chahan) 高菜チャーハン
    25
    20 minutes
  • A black bowl containing somen noodle soup with vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, egg, kamaboko fish cake, garnish with green onion.
    Somen Noodle Soup (Nyumen) (Video) にゅうめん
    19
    20 minutes
  • A donburi bowl containing udon noodles topped with toasted mochi, spinach, and fish cake.
    Easy
    Udon Noodle Soup with Toasted Mochi (Chikara Udon) 力うどん
    12
    15 minutes
  • A Japanese plate containing inari sushi garnished with sushi ginger.
    Inari Sushi いなり寿司
    66
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Meal Prep for Bento: Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes
    Meal Prep Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes
  • A wooden tray containing a plate of somen noodles, a bowl of sesame miso dipping sauce, and a plate of pork shabu shabu and cucumber slices.
    Pork Shabu Shabu and Cold Somen with Sesame Miso Sauce 豚しゃぶ冷やしそうめん味噌胡麻だれ
    22
    20 minutes
  • A Japanese plate containing Ume Miso and Shiso Onigiri.
    Ume Miso and Shiso Onigiri 梅味噌と紫蘇のおにぎり
    12
    15 minutes
  • A glass plate containing Cold Tuna Tomato Somen topped with julienned shiso leaves.
    Easy
    Cold Tuna and Tomato Somen (Video) ツナとトマトの冷やしそうめん
    37
    15 minutes
  • A ramen bowl containing Curry Ramen -a dish inspired by Netflix "Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories" Season 2.
    Easy
    Curry Ramen – Midnight Diner Season 2 カレーラーメン
    26
    15 minutes
  • Kitsune udon in a Japanese bowl.
    Easy
    Kitsune Udon (Video) きつねうどん
    171
    20 minutes
  • Japanese tea is poured on top of steamed rice and flaky baked salmon in a rice bowl.
    Easy
    Ochazuke (Green Tea Over Rice) (Video) お茶漬け
    106
    10 minutes
  • Yakisoba Pan (Yakisoba Dog) served in a baking tray.
    Yakisoba Pan (Yakisoba Dog) – Midnight Diner Season 2 焼きそばパン
    31
    25 minutes
  • A white ceramic containing shiso garlic pasta.
    Easy
    Shiso Garlic Pasta 青じそペペロンチーノ
    11
    15 minutes
  • Rice bowls containing shrimp fried rice.
    Easy
    Shrimp Fried Rice 海老チャーハン
    33
    20 minutes
  • Unagi Chazuke in a Japanese donburi bowl.
    Easy
    Unagi Chazuke (Hitsumabushi) 鰻茶漬け
    13
    15 minutes
  • A football-shaped Chicken fried rice served on a plate
    Easy
    Chicken Fried Rice チキンライス – Midnight Diner Season 2
    38
    20 minutes
  • Chashu fried rice served on white plates.
    Chashu Fried Rice チャーシューチャーハン
    20
    30 minutes
  • Katsu Sando stacked on top of each other.
    Katsu Sando カツサンド
    37
    50 minutes
  • Menchi Katsu Sandwich is a ground meat patty coated with crispy panko and deep fried into golden brown. It is then topped with thinly sliced cabbage and homemade tartar sauce, and sandwiched in soft brioche buns.
    Menchi Katsu Sandwich メンチカツサンド
    6
    10 minutes
  • A white bowl containing cold curry udon with sliced pork, boiled egg, and fresh vegetables.
    Cold Curry Udon 冷やしカレーうどん
    12
    30 minutes
  • A ceramic plate containing Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen) with Sesame Miso Sauce. Chilled noodles are served with sliced tomatoes, shredded chicken, and cucumber.
    Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen) with Sesame Miso Sauce 冷やし中華 胡麻味噌ダレ
    50
    30 minutes
  • Miso Yaki Onigiri placed on a bizenware ceramic plate garnished with shiso leaf.
    Miso Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls) 味噌焼きおにぎり
    70
    30 minutes
  • Omurice オムライス (Omelette Rice - "Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories" | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com
    Omurice (Omelette Rice) (Video) オムライス – ‘Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories’
    75
    30 minutes
  • A blue bowl containing cold and refreshing shirataki noodles with honey sesame dressing.
    Honey Sesame Shirataki Noodles
    21
    30 minutes
  • Ginger Pork Onigirazu (Rice Sandwich) | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com
    Ginger Pork Onigirazu 豚の生姜焼きおにぎらず
    11
    15 minutes
  • A white p late containing Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu wrapped in plastic and showing the cross section.
    Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu 照り焼きサーモンおにぎらず
    11
    15 minutes
  • Spam Onigirazu
    Spam Onigirazu スパムおにぎらず
    38
    30 minutes
  • A green plate containing teriyaki chicken quesadilla.
    Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla
    4
    40 minutes
  • A plate containing Chicken Katsu Onigirazu.
    Chicken Katsu Onigirazu チキンカツおにぎらず
    29
    15 minutes
  • A lunch box container containing Bulgogi Onigirazu.
    Bulgogi Onigirazu プルゴギおにぎらず (Video)
    15
    1 hour
  • Piggy spam musubi in the two tier bento box.
    Piggy Spam Musubi Bento (Video)
    7
    23 minutes
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