Yakamein Recipe

So, Yakamein. If you haven’t heard of it—and honestly, very few folks outside Louisiana have—think of it as the lovechild of New Orleans soul food and Chinese takeout, with noodles so long you could lasso a horse (not that I’ve tried). I first whipped up a batch after a Jazz Fest trip in sweltering July, still humming brass band tunes, desperately missing that steamy, slurpy bowl of goodness. The first spoonful tasted like home, even though we’d just called New Orleans our home for exactly five days.

Why You’ll Love Yakamein (or Why I Keep Making It)

I make this when the pantry’s looking sad or when someone in the house sniffles for attention. My family goes crazy for this because it’s got a little bit of everything—beefy broth, squiggly noodles, that soft egg (which sometimes goes missing between the kitchen and the table, mysteriously). Also, because it’s forgiving; you can toss in yesterday’s roast or today’s bargain beef and it still works out. There was that one time I got lazy and used instant noodles; not proud, but hey, it fixed dinner.

What You’ll Need (and Maybe a Few You Won’t)

• 1 pound beef chuck or stew meat (sometimes I just use leftover brisket if we’ve got it—easier!)
• 6 cups beef broth (my grandmother always insisted on homemade; bouillon cubes work fine in a pinch, honestly)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (or whatever all-purpose Cajun-y spice mix is rattling around your spice drawer)
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or a teaspoon of garlic powder if chopping isn’t in the cards tonight)
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 ounces spaghetti or ramen noodles (egg noodles if you’re feeling fancy; I’ve used soba before when that’s all I had, worked out fine)
• 2-4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
• Green onions, chopped (optional, but I say don’t skip this unless you’re out)
• Hot sauce (Crystal is the classic, but Tabasco will do the trick, too)

Let’s Get Cooking (Steps, Sort of)

1. First off, grab your biggest pot. Toss in your beef, broth, soy sauce, Creole seasoning, minced garlic, and the bay leaf. Bring it to a simmer. This is the part where you can kind of wander off for 90 minutes, but don’t forget about it entirely.
2. Once the beef’s tender (poke it with a fork, if it gives, it’s ready), fish it out and shred it up with two forks or your hands (let it cool first—don’t be like me and burn your fingers in a rush).
3. Slide the shredded beef right back into the pot. Give it a taste. (This is absolutely when I sneak my first spoonful—and then always add a little more soy or spice.)
4. Meanwhile, cook your noodles in a separate pot, because nobody likes mush. Drain, rinse, and set aside. If a few noodles wind up on the counter, that’s just the cook’s treat.
5. Boil your eggs whenever is convenient—5 minutes for jammy, 9 for fully hard boiled. Up to you. I lean jammy, but my kids only want them hard as little hockey pucks.
6. Time to build bowls! Heap in some noodles, ladle over that beefy broth, add a pile of shredded beef, then top with egg halves, scallions, and hot sauce. And as much extra broth as you like—no one’s judging.

Notes from My (Messy) Kitchen

• The broth gets way better if you let it sit overnight, but honestly, who’s patient enough for that? I eat it right away.
• I once added too much Creole seasoning and learned the hard way: salt builds up as it simmers. A pinch at the end is better.
• If you use leftover roast, reduce simmer time—already made that mistake, turned the beef to mush.

Yakamein Experiments—Some Winners, Some Uh, Not

• I tried swapping out spaghetti for udon noodles once—actually, not bad. A bit chewy, but family didn’t complain.
• Once I thought adding bok choy would be clever. It was… okay? But it kind of took over the bowl.
• Tried chicken instead of beef. I mean, it’s fine if you’re desperate, but the soul’s just not the same.

Don’t Have a Big Pot? No Stress

I say use a Dutch oven if you’ve got one, but I once used a beat-up saucepan; just watch for spills. If you’re cooking for one, you could probably get away with a deep frying pan (but stir carefully).

How Long Will It Last? (Not Long at My Place)

This keeps in the fridge for, well, three days max—though honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day! Leftover noodles get softer, but I actually like it that way (don’t @ me).

Serving It Up Family-Style

I like to lay out toppings—scallions, eggs, hot sauce—and let everyone build their own. Sometimes we squeeze a bit of lemon over the broth; my aunt swears it’s the secret, though I’m still undecided.

Pro Tips (Yep, I’ve Messed These Up So You Don’t Have To)

• Don’t rush shredding the beef. I once tried slicing it hot and wound up more with beef shrapnel than shreds.
• Boil the noodles separately. Seriously, I tried being lazy and cooking them in the broth—turned out like wallpaper paste. Not my best idea.

FAQ—Stuff People Actually Asked Me

Can I freeze Yakamein?

Yep, but freeze the broth and beef separate from the noodles. Otherwise, you’ll just get noodle mush. It’s… not great.

Is it spicy?

Not unless you want it to be! I add hot sauce at the end, ‘cause my youngest thinks pepper is too wild.

Do I need a special kind of soy sauce?

Nah, whatever’s in your fridge is fine. I once used those little packets from takeout and survived.

This isn’t how my grandma made it, is it authentic?

Probably not (but what is, really?). Anyway, it tastes like comfort to me, and that counts for something.

What else goes with Yakamein?

I usually serve it with a crusty roll, but I’ve seen folks eat it solo. I mean, it’s basically a whole meal in a bowl.

Oh, and before I forget—I once dropped half my green onions behind the fridge making this. True story. Still tasted great. So just relax, cook what you’ve got, and enjoy every slurpy bite.

★★★★★ 4.20 from 35 ratings

Yakamein Recipe

yield: 4 servings

prep: 20 mins

cook: 50 mins

total: 50 mins

Yakamein is a comforting New Orleans noodle soup featuring tender beef, spaghetti noodles, a rich savory broth, and a hard-boiled egg, topped with green onions and Creole seasoning. It’s a beloved soul food dish also known as ‘Old Sober.’

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Ingredients

• 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into cubes
• 8 cups beef broth
• 8 oz spaghetti noodles
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Creole seasoning
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef stew meat and sear until browned on all sides.
2. 2
   Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. 3
   Pour in the beef broth, soy sauce, and Creole seasoning. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until beef is tender.
4. 4
   While the beef is simmering, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
5. 5
   Taste the broth and add salt and black pepper as needed. Divide the cooked noodles between bowls, top with beef and soup, and garnish each with half a hard-boiled egg and sliced green onions.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 410cal

Protein: 30 gg

Fat: 11 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 48 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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