Guide
15 quick bento side dishes to fill any lunch box
A great bento is mostly about the little things around the main dish. These side dishes, called okazu in Japanese, add color and variety, and most take 10 minutes or less.
How to choose sides
Aim for a mix of colors (red, yellow, green, brown and white), and a mix of textures. Pick sides that are good cold and don't release much liquid, so they won't make the rice soggy. Our packing guide explains how to use them to hold everything in place.
Green
- Sesame spinach (gomaae): Blanch spinach 30 seconds, squeeze dry, and toss with ground sesame, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar.
- Blanched broccoli: Cook florets 2 minutes, chill in ice water and pat dry. Add a sprinkle of salt or a dab of mayo.
- Edamame: Shelled or in the pod, straight from the freezer. They thaw by lunch and help keep the box cool.
- Green beans with sesame: Blanch, cut into 2-inch pieces and toss with sesame oil and salt.
- Cucumber pickles: Thin cucumber slices with salt, rice vinegar and sugar for 10 minutes. Squeeze well before packing.
Red and orange
- Cherry tomatoes: The easiest gap-filler. Remove the stems, which can carry bacteria.
- Carrot kinpira: Matchstick carrots stir-fried in sesame oil with soy sauce, mirin and sesame seeds. Keeps 4 days.
- Bell pepper strips: Raw, or quickly sautéed with a little soy sauce.
- Mini sausages: Cut into octopus shapes for kids, as in our kids' bento ideas.
Yellow and white
- Tamagoyaki: The classic rolled omelet. Make it the night before.
- Soft-boiled marinated egg: Soak peeled 7-minute eggs in equal parts soy sauce, mirin and water overnight.
- Corn and butter: Sauté canned corn with butter and a pinch of salt.
- Japanese potato salad: Creamy, filling, and best cold.
Sweet
- Fruit: Grapes, orange segments, strawberries or apple slices soaked briefly in salted water so they don't brown.
- Sweet potato with honey: Roast or microwave cubes and toss with honey and black sesame.
Use your freezer. Many sides, like kinpira, spinach gomaae portions, and blanched vegetables, freeze well in silicone cups. Drop a frozen cup in the box in the morning and it will thaw by lunch while keeping everything else cold.
Keeping sides fresh
Dry everything well, keep wet foods in silicone cups, and cool cooked sides completely before closing the lid. See our bento food safety guide for how long each type of food can safely stay out.