# Meal prep shouldn’t be this easy…

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJqb1qjx8kw
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/tJqb1qjx8kw
Generated: 2026-02-18T18:35:05.801+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The creator demonstrates various frozen meal prep "Noodle Cubes" recipes—including Kale & Almond Pesto, Instant Ramen Broth, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, and Red Curry Chicken—to show how pre-portioning diverse, complex meals into cubes significantly speeds up weeknight cooking.

**Key Points:**
- The video showcases creating five different frozen meal prep cubes: Kale & Almond Pesto, Instant Ramen Broth, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, Red Curry Chicken, and Meat Sauce Bolognese.
- The Kale & Basil Pesto cube recipe involves toasting almonds, blending kale, basil, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and salt, then freezing the mixture in 2-tablespoon portions (09:08, 04:17).
- The Instant Ramen Broth cube recipe is made by simmering Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth with dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, green onion, and ginger, then freezing the concentrated liquid (01:07, 02:02).
- The Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese cube recipe involves roasting butternut squash, blending it with a roux-based cheese sauce made from Gruyère and Cheddar, and freezing the mixture in large molds (05:44, 07:27).
- The Red Curry Chicken recipe involves searing chicken thighs, creating a concentrated curry paste from toasted chilies and spices, simmering it with coconut cream and Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth, then freezing the shredded chicken and sauce mixture (08:18, 09:09, 15:46).
- The creator references a previous video that inspired the meal prep concept, which featured modular meals using different colored cubes for various dishes (09:27).
- The creator heavily sponsors Kettle & Fire Bone Broth, using it in the ramen and curry recipes, and offers viewers a 20% discount code MIKEG (08:13).

![Screenshot at 00:04: The creator opens the freezer drawer to reveal numerous vacuum-sealed, pre-portioned frozen food items, illustrating the extensive extent of their current frozen meal prep inventory.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-00-04.jpg)

**Context:** The video centers on an advanced frozen meal preparation technique called "Noodle Cubes," where various components of complex meals are frozen in silicone molds to allow for incredibly fast assembly of diverse dishes on busy weeknights. The creator tests this concept across five different meals, including Asian, Italian, and comfort food recipes, demonstrating that even complex flavors freeze and reheat effectively.

## Detailed Analysis

The video tutorial demonstrates how to create and use five distinct types of frozen meal prep cubes, showcasing versatility across different cuisines. The creator begins by showcasing his existing freezer organization, which is heavily stocked with vacuum-sealed frozen portions. He then proceeds to demonstrate making five new types of cubes. First is the Kale & Basil Pesto, made by toasting almonds, then blending them with kale, basil, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and salt, freezing the mixture in 2-tablespoon portions (03:30, 04:24). Second is the Instant Ramen Broth cube, created by simmering Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth with dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, green onion, and ginger, then reducing and freezing the concentrated liquid (01:07, 02:02). Third, the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese cube involves roasting the squash, blending it with a homemade roux-based cheese sauce (using Gruyère and Cheddar), and freezing the sauce (05:44, 07:27). Fourth, a Red Curry Chicken cube is made by searing chicken thighs, frying a homemade red curry paste with coconut cream and Kettle & Fire broth, then shredding the chicken and freezing it in the sauce (08:18, 15:46). Finally, a Meat Sauce Bolognese cube is prepared by browning ground meat and sausage, sautéing onions and garlic, adding crushed tomatoes and marinara, simmering, and freezing the resulting sauce in large Souper Cubes molds (10:24, 12:03). The creator shows that all these cubes reheat easily—the pesto cubes melt quickly into pasta water (17:48), the ramen broth melts into hot water (02:50), and the curry and meat sauce cubes reheat in a pan with liquid (15:55, 12:09). The video concludes by reiterating the convenience and customization options offered by this meal prep method, including a discount code for the sponsoring Kettle & Fire bone broths.

### Kale & Almond Pesto Cube

- Toast 1 cup almonds
- Blend with 1 bunch curly kale, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and salt
- Process in small batches to avoid overheating (03:30, 17:15, 17:24).

### Instant Ramen Broth Cube

- Simmer Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth with dried shiitake, kombu, green onion, and ginger for 30 minutes to concentrate
- Strain solids and freeze liquid in molds (01:07, 02:02).

### Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Cube

- Roast diced butternut squash at 400°F for 20-25 minutes
- Blend roasted squash with a cheese sauce made from a roux, milk, Gruyère, and Cheddar
- Freeze sauce in large molds (05:44, 06:05, 07:27).

### Red Curry Chicken Cube

- Sear seasoned chicken thighs skin-side down
- Sauté homemade red curry paste with coconut cream and Kettle & Fire broth
- Simmer chicken in sauce for 30 minutes, shred meat, and freeze mixture in molds (08:18, 14:37, 15:46).

### Meat Sauce Bolognese Cube

- Brown ground meat/sausage with onion and garlic
- Bloom tomato paste, add crushed tomatoes and marinara sauce
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, then freeze in Souper Cubes (10:24, 11:17, 12:03).

### Sponsor Promotion

- The creator promotes Kettle & Fire Bone Broth as a key ingredient for the ramen and curry, offering viewers 20% off with code MIKEG (08:13, 09:04).

![Screenshot at 00:04: The creator pulls open the freezer drawer, revealing a highly organized freezer section containing various vacuum-sealed, frozen meal components ready for quick reheating.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-00-04.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:13: A tray is displayed showing various frozen meal prep blocks, including granola, green pesto, orange-colored squash sauce, yellow egg/cheese mixture, and ground meat sauce.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-00-13.jpg)
![Screenshot at 01:07: The process for making the Ramen Broth cube begins by pouring Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth into a saucepan with dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, green onion, and ginger.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-01-07.jpg)
![Screenshot at 03:56: An infrared thermometer measures the avocado oil in a saucepan heating up to 344.5°F, demonstrating the precise temperature control needed before adding the ginger/scallion mixture to bloom the aromatics.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-03-56.jpg)
![Screenshot at 07:22: The finished Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese sauce is shown being blended to a super creamy consistency, resembling Velveeta cheese sauce, before being poured into molds.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tJqb1qjx8kw/00-07-22.jpg)