We've already feasted our eyes on a stunning array of unicorn-themed desserts in the form of doughnuts and macarons, but now the mythical, horn-topped creature is slowly but surely making its way into the dinnertime scene. Thanks to a handful of genius foodies out there, unicorn noodles are officially a thing, and they're totally about to take over your Instagram feed.
It looks like A.J., the creative experimenter behind food blog The Indigo Kitchen, is the original source of this magically colourful dish. The 20-something has been sharing photos of his noodle masterpieces on Instagram since last year, and some of his followers simply couldn't resist following suit by trying it out for themselves. He graciously shared his ridiculously easy unicorn noodles recipe, and it's surprisingly healthy!
Zero artificial food colours are required to make this rainbow-like dinnertime dish — just the all-natural colour-changing powers of two common kitchen staples. Start by cooking purple cabbage for five minutes in a pot a water; A.J. advises using less water to dye the noodles a more concentrated blue hue in the end, but go for more water if you want a lighter colour. Then remove your dyed water from the heat and add in your noodles. (A.J. opts for glass noodles, but any other gluten-free option like rice noodles would work as well!)
Once you let the noodles soak for five to 10 minutes in the pot, there's one more magical step to take your noodles to the next level of Instagram worthiness. Simply squeeze lime or lemon juice on portions of your noodles and watch them transform from blue to the most gorgeous hues of pink and purple before your very eyes. Ah, the beautiful powers of a little citrus (and chemistry!).
Just like that, unicorn noodles can be on your dinner table or in your lunchbox. They make a great neutral base for any nutritious stir-fry, curry, or soup recipe you've been wanting to try. If you're looking for a quicker alternative to our more in-depth, ingredient-heavy recipe for rainbow pasta, this three-ingredient one is just for you. Read on to see how the unicorn-obsessed foodies of Instagram have already started making these bright noodles our new favourite healthy food trend.
