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
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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.
This recipe is one of my favorites. I adde carrots and pinto beans and it was so delicious! Definitely would make again!
This is truely comfort food and your recipe is perfect!
I hadn't made any in a really long time and, since I'm recovering from cancer, I didn't trust my mind...
Your recipe big the spot and your page has been permanently bookmarked!
Thank you!
~Rhonda
I made this with fresh tomatoes, since that was an option. I followed the recipe very closely. Once I had put the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 2 cups of vegetable stock into my blender and puréed it very thoroughly, I tried to strain the mixture through a sieve but it was so thick that almost no liquid made it through. I tried flattening it against the sieve with the spatula but really only a tiny bit of liquid came out and most of the contents were in the sieve. In the end I didn't want to waste all that tomato/onion/garlic goodness so I dumped it into the soup and cooked it. The texture wasn't ideal, but I don't think it would have had any flavor if I'd thrown this part out. Any suggestions on what I should have done? Thanks.
Hi Karen, you can just add a little more liquid to the blender to get it to the consistency of a puree then strain.
substituted some thing because I did not have all ingredients. I used regular spaghetti. Broke into Fidel size,
I had to comment because I make a verrrrrry similar recipe to yours. So, here are my differences: I actually add garlic to the pasta when it's about half way done toasting to give the pasta the garlic flavor. It comes out less garlicky if you blend it with the broth, and I love garlic.
Also, I use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
Something else I might do is add about half of a can of tomato sauce to thicken the broth that I blended.
I add a little bit of cumin, oregano, and pepper to the blender with the chicken broth. Cumin really gives it the Mexican flavor I'm looking for
This was a great recipe and so easy to adapt! I made with zucchini but want to make again with some plant based meat. I used the secret ingredient of Knorr chicken tomato bullion but could be made all vegan/vegetarian easily. I also added Tajín while cooking.
Is this a soup that can have chicken beef or shrimp added to it. I ask because my husband was out in Texas and had a soup that looked similar to this but had steak added. Was on a good truck.
Yes, there's a street food called fideo loco which is basically this soup but with beans and meat added to it.
Why 10 cups of stock? Am I using all 10 cups?
Yes, as the noodles expand they absorb a lof of the broth
Does the cooking time need to be altered if I’m using gluten free spaghetti? I have an allergy so I can only use gf pastas and I don’t often find recipes that have a note about prep for gf option so just wanted to ask if you may have insight so I don’t prepare everything and end up with gf noodles that have been broken down too much, any help is appreciated thank you
Yes, adjust the cooking time according to the package. I would also reduce the amount of liquid from 10 cups to 6 then add more as necesary
Hi just a silly question, to make this soup using a chicken bouillon would I just substitute the broth for boiling water then add the chicken bouillon? And how many would I need for 8 cups.
Kristal
Yes, that will work. I don't use chicken bouillon myself so you would have to read the packaging on the product you are using
Thanx very much for helping me.
Your recipes don’t fail.
Made this using vegan chicken stock and added veggies. It turned out so delicious :)
Makes all the difference using fresh tomatoes ???? love it ????
Full disclosure I'm a carnivore, but my wife asked me to make this and I did with some reservations, but y'all this is good! I was shocked how good it is without doing a thing to it.
So glad you liked it!
I am 13 years old and I was interested in cooking so my mom let mnme try this recipe out and my family absolutelky loved it. I MEAN lOVED IT.
It was also a great recipe because we're in the holy month of Ramadan. Soup is a big dish before breaking the fast. I hope I find more recipes on your page!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment. So happy you loved the soup.
Great recipe, I substituted some thing because I did not have all ingredients. I used regular spaghetti. Broke into Fidel size, I use 10 cups water and like 3 big TBL Spoon of Knorr bouillon and
some tomato paste, added 1 chopped tomato, one chopped potato. Let boil/Simmer for awhile, browned spaghetti and I little onion, then added to broth and simmer all together til noodles are done.. pretty gooe😋
can it be made with chicken stock ? would it still requite 10 cups ?
Yes, still 10 cups
Hi Dora
I tried making this recipe for Fideo soup but it didn’t turn out well. I used only water instead of vegetable stock. I didn’t have any. So it needed salt. So I added in as much salt as I thought which is about 1 teaspoon.
I doubled the recipe because I had 2 little packages of fideo. I also added cheddar cheese at the end. I did use one zucchini and I did it like your recipe says. I never did use to fry the fideo either. But I did this time. It taste alright but had to add a little more salt. Why did you not say salt in recipe?
Hi Ramona, I usually recommend you add salt to taste.