5 Easy Snacks For Late Night Cravings

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There’s just something about late-night snacks that holds a special place in our hearts. Hear me out: when you’re having a snack during the day, it’s just a regular snack. But at night, it hits differently.

Now, you might be wondering, it shouldn’t be that important, right? Nope. Your late-night snack is the conclusion of your gastrointestinal adventure for the day. It’s the meal that affects your mood as you’re about to sleep and the one you remember when you wake up in the morning.

So, the next time you scour your kitchen for the most couch-friendly and filling snack, consider one of these candidates.

1. Tortilla Pizza

When looking for a late-night snack, we want something that’s easy to make but also filling and satisfying. This quick and easy tortilla pizza snack is not only light but also takes the least amount of energy to make. It works well as an appetiser too!

tortilla pizza on pan
(Photo: Unsplash)
INGREDIENTS FOR TORTILLA PIZZA
  • Store-bought tortilla
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic powder
  • Black pepper
  • Dried oregano
  • Store-bought tomato sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Sliced chicken breast/pepperoni
  • Green bell pepper
  • Salt

I know the ingredients list sounds long, but trust me, it’s not. You can customise your toppings, adding more or omitting ones you don’t want. The essential ingredients are the tortilla, olive oil, tomato sauce, and seasonings – black pepper and dried oregano.

DIRECTIONS:
In the oven:
  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  2. Place the tortilla on a baking sheet. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper on top.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread tomato sauce on top. Arrange chicken breast (or your choice of topping) and green bell pepper over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle oregano over the cheese.
  5. Slice the pizza into smaller pieces.
In the air fryer:
  1. Assemble the pizzas in the air fryer basket. Place the tortilla in the basket, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper on top along with the toppings. Sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese and dried oregano.
  2. Air fry at 200°C for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Check the pizza every minute to make sure it doesn’t burn.
  3. Let the air-fried tortilla pizzas cool completely, then slice them into pieces.

2. Spicy Carbonara Rice Paper Roll

These rolls combine the oh-so-popular Samyang Buldak Carbonara Ramen with cheese, wrapped in Vietnamese rice paper. If you’ve been here for long, you’d know that I can’t handle spice well. But these ramen noodles have me in a chokehold (except for the 2x spicy flavour, of course). While these might not be the healthiest snack, let’s be real, it’s a late-night snack for a reason.

spicy carbonara rice paper roll dipped in sauce
(Photo: LookCatchu/YouTube)
INGREDIENTS FOR SPICY CARBONARA RICE PAPER ROLL
  • Samyang Buldak Carbonara
  • Sliced cheese
  • Vietnamese rice paper (22cm wide)
  • Mushrooms (optional)
  • Store-bought tomato sauce
  • Vegetable oil

For these rolls, we’re using the Samyang Buldak Carbonara Noodles. However, if you can’t handle spice, you can use your choice of ramen (we recommend Indomie).

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and add seasoning packs (except for the toppings). Stir and use scissors to roughly cut up the noodles. Set aside.
  2. (Optional) Slice off the bottom of the mushrooms, wash them, and pat dry. Fry them in 1 tsp of oil for around 5 minutes, without letting them colour. Set aside.
  3. Dip your rice paper in a bowl of warm water for a couple of seconds and place it on a large plate or any clean surface. Make sure it is not too soft, just enough to fold it.
  4. Place 1/5 of the noodles in the centre of the rice paper. Top with 1/5 of the mushrooms and a small portion of the sliced cheese.
  5. Fold in the edges of your rice paper over the fillings and roll it up so that all the fillings are enclosed.
  6. Repeat steps 3-5 with the rest of your ingredients.
  7. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
  8. Once hot enough, fry the rolls for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until light golden brown. Remove the rolls from the heat and place them on a kitchen towel to drain the oil.
  9. Sprinkle the rolls with the toppings from the noodles.
  10. Ready to serve!

3. Microwave Mac & Cheese In A Mug

Our homemade mac and cheese recipe might just be the easiest and fastest you’ve ever made. It only takes 5 minutes and is fail-proof. This mac and cheese is made entirely in a single mug. Many are amazed that you can cook pasta quickly and easily in the microwave. If you are one of those, then you might be blown away that you can add three other ingredients to make a delicious

microwave mac and cheese in a mug
(Photo: Pots & Pans)
INGREDIENTS FOR MICROWAVE MAC N CHEESE IN A MUG
  • ⅓ cup small elbow macaroni
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper or hot sauce (optional, adds more flavour)

We’re not kidding when we tell you that’s all the ingredients you need for this pasta. It’s great for a filling snack and definitely a fan favourite.

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Pour ⅓ cup small elbow macaroni and ⅓ cup water into a microwave-safe mug. Microwave for 3 - 4 minutes.
  2. Stir and make sure that all the pasta soaks up the water.
  3. Add ⅓ cup milk and shredded cheese. Microwave for another minute until the cheese has melted.
  4. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper or hot sauce and give it a good mix.
  5. Ready to serve!

4. Kewpie Ramen Noodle

Our homemade mac and cheese recipe might just be the easiest and fastest you’ve ever made. It only takes 5 minutes and is fail-proof. This mac and cheese is made entirely in a single mug. Many are amazed that you can cook pasta quickly and easily in the microwave. If you are one of those, then you might be blown away that you can add three other ingredients to make a delicious.

instant noodles in a bowl with chopsticks
(Photo: Canva)
INGREDIENTS FOR KEWPIE RAMEN NOODLE
  • 1 packet ramen noodle
  • 1 ½ Japanese mayo (you can use regular mayo too)
  • Garlic clove, grated
  • 1 Egg
  • Spring onions (optional for garnish)

You can start with your favourite ramen, but we prefer using Japanese ramen for a better experience. Otherwise, any soup-based ramen will work too!

DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a bowl, mix together the egg, mayo, ramen seasoning, and garlic. Set aside.
  2. Cook your ramen following the instructions on the packaging.
  3. Once the water is boiling, temper the eggs by pouring half of the water into the bowl with the mixture. Mix vigorously to avoid fully cooking the eggs, as it will turn into scrambled eggs.
  4. Add the noodles and give it a good mix.
  5. Garnish and serve!

5. Cucumber Bites

Cucumber bites are the snacks I always look for when I’m craving something healthy and refreshing. Essentially, it is just vegetable and feta cheese dip, but the dip is already on the cucumber, making it look fancier and slightly more aesthetic – just in case you wanna Instagram it?

cucumber bites on a tray
(Photo: Canva)
INGREDIENTS FOR CUCUMBER BITES
  • 2 large Japanese/English cucumber
  • 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ lemon (juice and zest)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh dill, more for garnish
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil

If you run out of dill, you can substitute it with other fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or chives for a different flavour profile. You can also add a kick of spice by including minced fresh garlic or sprinkling crushed red pepper flakes!

DIRECTIONS:
  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add feta cheese, lemon zest and juice, honey, dill, and pepper.
  2. Pulse a few times to break up the cheese and roughly combine everything.
  3. With the machine running constantly, stream in the olive oil and process.
  4. Continue to process until it’s completely smooth and uniform throughout.
  5. Place a generous dollop of whipped feta on each cucumber slice. For some spice, top with crushed red pepper flakes.

What’s your all-time favourite late night snack?

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