Fideo Loco
Fideo Loco is a South Texas classic that brings together sopa de fideo, tender potatoes, hearty beans, and savory “beef.” It’s a bowl of comfort with deep roots on both sides of the border.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Having grown up on both sides of the Texas border this dish is close to my heart. I think it encapsulates perfectly the wonderful fusion of culture that happens in the region. It’s a hearty, budget-friendly, and delicious soup that is especially popular with kids! Plus it’s vegan and dairy-free.
Ingredients
Fideo: Are short thin noodles similar to angel hair. They are sold at Mexican grocery stores or online, but if you can’t find them you can break angel hair into 1 inch pieces.
Broth: Use vegetable broth for a more flavorful soup.
Tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes work best for this, if you can’t find ripe tomatoes you can use canned tomatoes.
Ground “beef”: This is a vegan page, so I used Impossible ground beef, but you can also use crumbled tofu, TVP, or tempeh.
Spices: These are classic Tex-Mex spices cumin, oregano, and chili powder. I prefer to use individual spices, but in a pinch you could use taco seasoning.
How to Make Fideo Loco Step by Step
1. Place 2 cups diced tomatoes, 1/2 white onion, and 3 garlic cloves in the blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Toast 8 oz. fideo in a little bit of oil, over low heat, until golden brown.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the noodles, let simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Pour 10 cups vegetable broth and increase heat to high.
6. Add 2 medium potatoes (diced),
7. And 2 to 3 cilantro sprigs, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 15 min.
9. Add 12 oz. Impossible meat, and break it up with a wooden spoon.
11. Add 2 cups pinto beans
8. Cook 1/4 white onion (chopped) over medium heat, add 2 garlic cloves (minced), and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Cook until the meat begins to brown, add 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/4 tsp. ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp. oregano.
12. and seasoned beef and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Ripe tomatoes work best for this, if you can’t find ripe tomatoes use canned tomatoes.
- Any bean would work with this, but pintos are the ones most commonly used.
- If you don’t like impossible meat, use any other meat substitute like TVP, tempeh, crumbled tofu, or finely chopped mushrooms.
Make this Oil Free
Omit the oil when toasting the fideo, instead dry toast them over low heat. Omit the oil when cooking the onion, substitute it with 1/4 cup of water or broth.
Serving
Serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.
Storing
Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it thickens too much add some broth to get it to the desired consistency.
FAQs
Sopa de fideo is a simple tomato based Mexican noodle soup, and fideo loco is a Tex-Mex tomato based noodle soup with beans, potatoes, and seasoned ground beef.
Fideo Loco
Ingredients
Sopa de Fideo
- 1 can 14.5 oz Diced tomatoes or 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
- ½ large white onion, rough chopped
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (optional)
- 8 oz. fideo or angel hair pasta broken into 1 in. pieces
- 10 cups vegetable broth
- 2 medium yukon gold potatoes diced (408g)
- 2 to 3 cilantro sprigs
Seasoned Meat
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil optional
- ¼ large white onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 oz Impossible ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (add more if you want it spicy)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
Garnish
- 1 Lime cut into quarters
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in the blender and puree until smooth.
- To make the sopa de fideo, heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and add the pasta and toss to coat in the oil. Continue to cook until noodles are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the tomato mixture directly into the golden noodles still in the pot. Stir to prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then add the vegetable broth and increase heat to high. Add the potatoes and cilantro sprigs, reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir often and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- While the soup is simmering, make the meat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon, continue cooking it until it begins to brown. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add the beans and the seasoned cooked meat to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with a wedge of lime so everyone can add as much lime juice as they like.
Notes
- Ripe tomatoes work best for this, if you can’t find ripe tomatoes use canned tomatoes.
- Any bean would work with this, but pintos are the ones most commonly used.
- If you don’t like impossible meat, use any other meat substitute like TVP, tempeh, crumbled tofu, or finely chopped mushrooms.
- To make this oil free: omit the oil when toasting the fideo, instead dry toast them over low heat. Omit the oil when cooking the onion, substitute it with 1/4 cup of water or broth.
Storing: Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it thickens too much add some broth to get it to the desired consistency.
Nutrition
Although dorastable.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.
