How to Make Sopa de Fideo
Fideo soup is what Mexican childhood memories are made of. It is a warm comforting soup made with a tangy tomato base and golden brown noodles. It is so popular with moms because it is very easy to make, and kids love it because what kid doesn’t like noodles?
How to Make Sopa de Fideo
So what makes a sopa de fideo authentic?? I think the only true answer to this would be, that the most authentic sopa de fideo is the one your mamá used to make. So go ahead and ask her for the recipe!! Though I find that every cook adds their own touch to it, some may add cilantro, chipotle or jalapeños. There are also several variations of sopa de fideo that are well-known like sopa de fideo con frijoles, sopa de fideo with albondigas, and sopa seca de fideo.
Regardless of how your mom makes it or the different variations, the base of this soup consists of blending tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth and pouring that over very thin noodles that have been sauteed until golden brown. More vegetable broth is added then everything is simmered until tender.
I like to add zucchini to mine for nutritional purposes, but my mom never added zucchini to hers. My mom usually made hers a sopa de letras, using alphabet pasta instead of angel hair to make it fun for us. To make this vegan, I simply used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
The Recipe: Fideo Soup
- For this version, I used canned tomatoes because tomatoes are not in season right now. If it’s summer I recommend you use fresh tomatoes.
- You can add zucchini, carrots, beans or potatoes to this for higher nutritional value.
- You can also make this soup using alphabet pasta to make sopa de letras.
- To make this recipe without oil set the pot to medium-low heat and add the noodles. Dry toast the noodles until golden brown stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
- I like to add a sprig of cilantro with the zucchini, but that is completely optional.
- For a lot of us, the food memory of this soup is associated with the flavor that knorr chicken flavor bouillon gives to the soup. To substitute this, I recommend using Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base.
Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Oil (optional)
- 8 oz. Angel hair pasta or whole wheat thin spaghetti, broken into 1 in. pieces
- 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes or 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
- ½ Onion, white, chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
- 10 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 Mexican zucchini, diced
- 1 Lime, cut into quarters
Instructions
- In a medium pot get your vegetable stock boiling hot and set aside.
- Set a large pot to medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot add broken up noodles and toss to coat in oil. Continue to cook until noodles are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- While the noodles are browning, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 2 cups of the vegetable stock in the blender and process until smooth.
- Strain this mixture directly into the golden noodles still in the hot pot. Stir to prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Let mixture simmer for 1 minute. Add the rest of your stock and set heat to high. Add zucchini and cook noodles at a low boil until noodles are al dente and zucchini is tender. Stir often. Season.
- Serve with a wedge of lime so everyone can add as much lime juice as they like.
Video
Notes
- For this version, I used canned tomatoes because tomatoes are not in season right now. If it’s summer I recommend you use fresh tomatoes.
- You can add zucchini, carrots, beans or potatoes to this for higher nutritional value.
- You can also make this soup using alphabet pasta to make sopa de letras.
- To make this recipe without oil set the pot to medium-low heat and add the noodles. Dry toast the noodles until golden brown stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
- I like to add a sprig of cilantro with the zucchini, but that is completely optional.
- For a lot of us, the food memory of this soup is associated with the flavor that knorr chicken flavor bouillon gives to the soup. To substitute this, I recommend using Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base
Nutrition
Are you looking for more Mexican soup recipes?? Try this pozole verde, pozole rojo, vegan tortilla soup, vegan caldo de res, and this vegan albóndiga soup.
Used homemade chicken stock to make it authentic and flavorful and added some carrots and a little chopped chicken. Make sure to get about half the uncooked noodles you fry for this to a dark brown color (just shy of burnt). Divine.
Tastes just like my mom’s! I never thought it would be this easy to make. I added soy curls, carrots, celery, and potatoes to make it more filling :)
Yum! Glad you liked it.
Brought back so many childhood memories of my grandmothers cooking.
That makes me so happy!
Made this tonight it was wonderful . I didn’t have cilantro, and used lemon instead of lime. enjoyed it very much!!
So happy to hear!
I love this recipe. The blending of the tomatoes, onion and garlic is just so delicious. I made the recipe but did not have all the ingredients, and it still turned out great! This site and FB page is one of my very favorites.
Thank you Melissa!!