Sopa de Fideo (Mexican fideo soup)
Mexican sopa de fideo is a staple in all Mexican households. A deliciously brothy and comforting fideo soup that everyone, young and old, enjoy any day.
My mother used to make fideo soup (sopa de fideo) at least three times per week for lunchtime. Just as a simple entrée for her wonderful and delicious meals such as beef chile rojo and frijoles de la olla. Just as every mom in Mexico does for their family.
Sopa Aguada (mexican soups)
Mexican sopas aguadas (brothy soups) are a comfort food prepared daily in almost every home. Is served as an opening for comida corrida (mexican menu); but sometimes is also served as a main dish, together with avocado slices, queso fresco and cream.
The names for this type of soups can vary, for example can be called sopa aguada, sopa de pasta o sopita. It doesn’t matter because all of them are made with short pasta.
Types of pasta also vary, being fideos (broken spaghetti) the most common. But also other kinds like conchitas (shells), estrellitas, letras, etc. are used for making Mexican sopita.
The base is a tomato broth, made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and chicken broth. This base sauce is named recaudo and is a staple not only for this kind of soup but also for many other dishes like arroz rojo (red rice) or albóndigas.
Other ingredients might be added to the mix, to make this sopa de fideo more complete, for example diced vegetables, minced meat, or shredded chicken.
How it’s served?
Traditionally, sopa de fideo/mexican sopita is served only with a squeeze of lime and that’s it. But, sometimes -specially if served as a single meal- can be added avocado, a dollop of cream, pickled jalapeños or sprinkled queso fresco.
The Ingredients
- FIDEOS – Mexican noodles. They’re basically spaghetti broken into small pieces. Angel hair pasta is also a good option.
- RECAUDO – Fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic. Blend with chicken broth. You don’t need to add so much tomatoes, if you do so, you’ll end with a simple pasta with tomato sauce, while sopita is traditionally with lots of broth.
- CHICKEN STOCK – I like to use homemade, but from time to time I also use granulated chicken bouillon + hot water.
- CILANTRO – This is totally optional but it adds a nice flavor to this soup. You can add a few sprigs when cooking the soup or blend it with the tomato and onion or even add it chopped when serving.
How To Make Sopa de Fideo
Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Place it with the onion and garlic in a blender, add 1 cup of chicken broth and blend until pureed.
Preheat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add pasta and stir to coat with oil. Cook stirring constantly until pasta is nicely browned.
Pour the tomato sauce (recaudo). Let it sizzle while mixing for about half a minute.
Add 3-4 cups of chicken stock (or water + granulated bouillon). Season with salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until fideo pasta is well cooked. Adjust salt to taste and serve immediately.
Make it vegan
Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock. Add some diced veggies to the mix and there you go, a delicious vegan fideo soup for lunchtime! Serve with a squeeze of lime, diced avocado and chopped green chillies & cilantro.
Make it healthier
Do not fry noodles. Instead toast them at very low heat in a frying pan and then added it as the recipe calls. You can also add them without toasting, even though the consistency of sopa de fideo will be a bit different, it will still result in a delicious and healthier dish.
Watch How To Make It
Tips and tricks
- This is a brothy soup, so don’t be scared for the amount of stock or water you have to add.
- Eat is as soon as you can. Leaving it to rest makes the pasta to absorb almost all liquid and the texture will change considerably.
- If you want a smoky flavour in your fideo soup, roast the tomatoes and onions in a comal or iron skillet. You can also add 1 tsp of chipotle powder or smoked paprika!
- If you have leftovers, place them into a container with lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Mexican fideo recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz fideo pasta or angel hair pasta (or also regular spaghetti broken into pieces)
- 2 small tomatoes (or ½ cup of canned tomato sauce)
- ½ medium onion
- 1 small garlic clove
- 4 ¼ cups chicken stock (or water + 3 tsp of granulated chicken buoillon)
- 3 Tbsp canola oil (or any other oil)
- salt
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Place it with the onion and garlic in a blender, add 1 cup of chicken broth and blend until pureed.
- Preheat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pasta and stir to coat with oil. Cook stirring constantly until pasta is nicely browned.
- Pour the tomato sauce (recaudo). Let it sizzle while mixing for about half a minute.
- Add remaining chicken stock. Season with salt and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until fideo pasta is well cooked. Adjust salt to taste and serve immediately.
NOTES
- This is a brothy soup, so don’t be scared for the amount of stock or water you have to add.
- Eat is as soon as you can. Leaving it to rest makes the pasta to absorb almost all liquid and is not nice.
- If you want a smoky flavour in your soup, roast the tomatoes and onions in a comal or iron skillet.
- If you have leftovers, place them into a container with lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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This is one of the best, tastiest and most eye-catching food recepies I’ve ever seen
It’s just so delicious! Mexican dishes are just great!
I know, right? :D
Se ve deliciosa, es verdad que todas las mamis mexicanas la preparan y nada sabe más a “hogar” que una rica sopita de fideo. Gracias por compartir tantas recetas de la cocina mexicana e italiana.
Asà es, para mi el olor del recaudo sofriéndose es algo que inmediatamente me trae tantos recuerdos :) Gracias por visitarnos!