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Hawaiian Saimin

Hawaiian saimin recipe: springy noodles in a savory broth topped with char siu, a jammy egg, and green onion, Hawaii’s melting-pot comfort noodle soup.

⏱ 15 minPrep time
🔥 30 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 Hawaii KitchenCategory
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Saimin is the edible story of Hawaii’s plantation era, blending Chinese noodles, Japanese dashi, and Filipino and Portuguese influences into one humble bowl. It was invented as a cheap, filling lunch for plantation workers and grew into a beloved local comfort food served at diners, stadiums, and family kitchens.

What makes it great is its gentle, savory broth and the satisfying chew of fresh noodles, topped with whatever is in the fridge, usually char siu, a jammy egg, fish cake, and green onion. Customizable, slurpable, and endlessly comforting.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot and season with soy sauce and salt.
  2. Soft-boil the eggs: cook 6 1/2 minutes in boiling water, then shock in ice water and peel.
  3. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, drain, and divide among 4 bowls.
  4. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and top each bowl with char siu, an egg, kamaboko, green onions, and nori.
  5. Serve immediately, with shoyu and chili pepper water on the side.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Keep the broth hot but not boiling when serving, so the noodles stay springy. Chili pepper water, made with vinegar, chilies, and garlic, is the classic saimin condiment.

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Recipe details

Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Servings4
CategoryHawaii Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →