WHAT IS FIDEO?
- Sopa in Spanish means “soup.”
- Fideo in Spanish means “noodle.”
- Sopa de Fideo = Mexican Noodle Soup
The noodle used for this Mexican Noodle Soup is labeled “fideo” and looks like very short, cut angel hair pasta. You might also see it labeled as “vermicelli.”
Every Mexican knows Sopa de Fideo. We feed it to our babies when they first start eating. We then give it to our kids when they come home from school.
It is light enough and wholesome enough to eat between lunch and dinner. Here, I am giving you the most basic recipe for this Mexican food classic.
Other traditional Mexican soups: Caldo de Res, Caldo de Pollo, Caldo de Camarón.
How to Make Sopa de Fideo
- Heat oil in a large pot.
- Add the vermicelli noodles.
- Toast the pasta, stirring constantly. About 3 minutes.
Be careful not to burn the pasta. Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) cooks quickly because of the thin vermicelli noodles.
Make a big pot of this soup. You can’t eat just one bowl.
What’s the Difference between Soup and Stew?
- A soup is a combination of vegetables or meats that is cooked in liquid.
- A stew is a dish that cooks the food with liquid and simmered for a long time in a covered pot. Stews typically contain less liquid, and therefore, chunkier.
Here are some traditional Mexican stews: Birria de Res, Menudo, Pozole Rojo.
- Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth.
- This is also the time to add any vegetables or chicken to the soup.
Add more broth if you like. Try out my recipe for homemade chicken broth in this Sopa de Fideo recipe.
In some stores, you can buy already pre-made Fideo Soup mixes. (AFFILIATE) Just add water. Serve and enjoy!
Note: This recipe uses tomatoes, onion, and garlic. You can omit all of these ingredients and use a can of tomato sauce instead.
What can you add to Fideo Soup
- chicken
- carrots
- peas
- calabacitas
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- zucchini
- chayote
- spinach
- kale
- potatoes
For those of you unfamiliar with this soup, it is not spicy. However, you can make it spicy by adding other ingredients.
This recipe is very different from Fideo Seco which is spicier and more of a side dish than a soup.
Pro tip: Use 1 chicken bouillon cube + 6 cups water.
How Long Does Sopa de Fideo Last?
- Sopa de Fideo will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Sopa de Fideo will last 1 month in the freezer.
There is a running joke in the Mexican community that our moms feed us soup even when it’s blazing hot outside. Yes, this is true.
The reason behind this:
Mexico is a poor country. If soup is all we can afford, then we eat soup.
Although this type of poverty is not something many Mexican-Americans experience, the tradition of eating soup in the summer is something that has continued from Mexico Lindo.
Toppings for Fideo Soup:
- Slices of jalapeno
- pickled jalapeno
- queso fresco
- chopped cilantro
- chopped green onion
- a chile de arbol pod cut in half
- roasted poblano peppers
- habanero peppers
- diced avocado
- sour cream
- crema mexicana
Serve a big bowl of this easy-to-make soup as a starter dish or a light lunch. It’s Mexican comfort food at its best. Hope you enjoy!
Sopa de Fideo
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes
- 1/4 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup water just enough to blend
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 7 oz vemicelli noodles package
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 tspn salt
- pepper pinch
Instructions
- Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, and water into the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- In a stock pot, heat oil.
- Add vermicelli noodles and lightly toast them. About 3-4 minutes. Do not let them burn.
- Add the tomato mixture into the pot along with the chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Let simmer for 10 more minutes until the noodles are tender.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Sopa de Fideo will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Sopa de Fideo will last 1 month in the freezer.
[…] know you’re Mexican if you grew up eating Sopa de Conchas. This goes right up there with Sopa de Fideo and Frijoles de la Olla. My mom would make this for us when we got home from school. And now, I […]