• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mamá Maggie's Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • By Category
    • Agua Frescas
    • Appetizers
    • Beef
    • Breakfast
    • Chicken
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Pork
    • Salsa Recipes
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Tamales
    • Vegetarian
  • Contact
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • By Category
      • Agua Frescas
      • Appetizers
      • Beef
      • Breakfast
      • Chicken
      • Dessert
      • Drinks
      • Pork
      • Salsa Recipes
      • Seafood
      • Side Dishes
      • Soup
      • Tamales
      • Vegetarian
    • Contact
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Soups

    Sopa de Fideo

    Published: Aug 14, 2019 · Updated: Nov 7, 2024 by Maggie Unzueta

    Sopa de Fideo (or Mexican Noodle Soup) is a delicious and satisfying soup. An easy-to-make recipe that is Mexican comfort food at its best. 
    Jump to Recipe Add us as a Google trusted source
    Sopa de Fideo in a blue bowl surrounded by decorative Mexican artisan pieces.
    A blue bowl with Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) surrounded by decorative Mexican toys.

    Every Mexican knows Sopa de Fideo. We feed it to our babies when they first start eating.

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    We then give it to kids when they come home from school, but 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.”

    Other traditional Mexican soups:
    Caldo de Res
    Caldo de Pollo
    Caldo de Camarón

    Mexican fideo cooking in a stockpot.

    Table of Contents

    • 1 How to Make It
    • 2 What’s the Difference between Soup and Stew?
    • 3 Traditional Mexican stews:
    • 4 Stuff to Add to this Soup:
    • 5 How Long Does It Last?
    • 6 Toppings:
        • 6.0.1 Hungry for More?
    • 7 Sopa de Fideo
      • 7.1 Ingredients
      • 7.2 Instructions
      • 7.3 Notes
      • 7.4 Nutrition

    How to Make It

    • Heat oil in a large pot.
    • Add the vermicelli noodles.
    • Toast the pasta, stirring constantly. About 3 minutes.

    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.

    More Mexican Pasta Soups:
    Sopa de Estrellitas
    Sopa de Conchas
    Sopa de Letras

    A cooking spoon showing the toasted fideo pasta.

    Once the pasta turns golden brown, you’re ready for the next step.

    Be careful not to burn the pasta. Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) cooks quickly because of the thin vermicelli noodles.

    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.

    Traditional Mexican stews:

    • Birria de Res
    • Menudo Recipe
    • Pozole Rojo
    • Caldo de Albondigas
    A collage showing how to make homemade tomato sauce.
    Note: This recipe uses tomatoes, onion, and garlic. You can omit all of these ingredients and use a can of tomato sauce instead.

    It is light enough and wholesome enough to eat between lunch and dinner. This is a very basic recipe. Adjust to make it a favorite at your home too!

    Stuff to Add to this Soup:

    • chicken
    • carrots
    • peas
    • calabacitas
    • broccoli
    • cauliflower
    • zucchini
    • chayote
    • spinach
    • kale
    • potatoes
    A collage showing how to add the tomato sauce to the stock pot.
    • If needed, strain the sauce into the pot.
    • Add the chicken broth and chicken bouillon (or salt).
    • This is also the time to add any vegetables or chicken to the soup.

    If you’re lucky enough to own one of those mega awesome blenders, you won’t need to strain the tomato sauce.

    Add more broth if you like. Homemade chicken broth is BEST for this recipe.

    You might see already pre-made Fideo Soup mixes at the store. Just add water. Serve and enjoy! Caution: They tend to be very salty.

    For a completely vegetarian or Mexican vegan recipe, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth or chicken bouillon.
    A decorative Mexican bowl with sopa de fideo surrounded by toys.

    How Long Does It Last?

    • Sopa de Fideo will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
    • It 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.

    Toppings:

    • 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!

    Hungry for More?

    Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter for my latest recipes and videos.

    Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
    A blue bowl with Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) surrounded by decorative Mexican toys.

    Sopa de Fideo

    Sopa de Fideo (or Mexican Noodle Soup) is a delicious and satisfying soup. An easy-to-make recipe that is Mexican comfort food at its best. 
    5 from 50 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Lunch or Dinner
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 106kcal
    Author: Maggie Unzueta
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 4 tomatoes
    • ¼ onion
    • 1 garlic clove
    • ½ cup water just enough to blend
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 7 oz vemicelli noodles package
    • 6 cups chicken broth
    • ½ 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

    Add more water to the blender, if necessary. 
    The noodles will soak up the broth. If not serving right away, reserve some of the broth. Mix broth with the soup right before serving. 
    Instead of homemade tomato sauce: Use 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce and blend with onion and garlic. 
    Instead of chicken broth: Use 1 chicken bouillon cube + 6 cups water.
    For a completely vegan recipe: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
    How long does it last?
    • Sopa de Fideo will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
    • Sopa de Fideo will last 1 month in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1346mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

    More Soups

    • A glass jar filled with turkey stock and topped with fresh thyme leaves and surrounded by other fresh ingredients.
      Homemade Turkey Stock
    • Pumpkin Vegan Chili served in a white bowl and topped with sliced jalapeno.
      Pumpkin Vegan Chili
    • Caldo Tlalpeño served in a white bowl and topped with avocado and cheese.
      Caldo Tlalpeño
    • Albondigas de Pollo (or Chicken Meatball Soup) served in a decorative Mexican blue plate and topped with cilantro and sliced jalapeno.
      Albondigas de Pollo (Chicken Meatball Soup)

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the face behind In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been publishing Mexican recipes and creating delicious recipes since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 50 votes (29 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Maribel Reyes

      October 09, 2021 at 9:53 am

      5 stars
      Tried this recipe back in 2018, since then it’s been a regular at our home. The taste is so good, just the perfect balance of tomato.

      Reply
      • Maribel Reyes

        October 09, 2021 at 9:54 am

        I meant 2019… 😬

        Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        October 11, 2021 at 10:14 am

        That’s so great to hear! Glad your family has enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply
    2. Karyn

      August 20, 2021 at 8:13 am

      Hello, please let me know if I choose to use canned tomato sauce with your fideo recipe, how much do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        September 14, 2021 at 10:18 am

        I would do a 8-ounce can. Blend it with the onion and garlic. Then add to the soup.

        Reply
    3. Anonymous

      January 12, 2021 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      So good 👍

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        January 13, 2021 at 11:56 am

        So glad you enjoyed this!

        Reply
        • Jazzlynn

          February 27, 2021 at 10:31 am

          5 stars
          If I don’t have tomates what do I use? just a can of it and no onion or garlic ?

        • Maggie Unzueta

          April 04, 2023 at 8:46 am

          If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes instead. If you don’t have onion or garlic, you can still make the soup, but it might be less flavorful. You could try using onion or garlic powder as a substitute. Hope this helps, enjoy!

    4. Anonymous

      January 10, 2021 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      So good!!!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        January 12, 2021 at 12:03 pm

        So glad you enjoyed this!

        Reply
    5. Michelle

      October 07, 2020 at 10:01 pm

      This recipe is always into season haha but even more so during the colder weather. Can’t wait to cook up a pot soon! Thank you for an authentic Fideo recipe! Love the optional Add-Ins

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        October 09, 2020 at 5:29 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you try it!

        Reply
      • Linda

        August 20, 2021 at 6:11 am

        Hi Maggie, I love your sopa de fideo, Reminds me of my childhood growing up eating it. However, you say to replace the fresh tomatoes, garlic and onion with just canned tomato sauce. Did you mean just the tomato part of it? For me it’s the garlic and onion that give the noodles the Mexican flavor. Wouldn’t you agree? A bit confused, please clarify. Thanks

        Reply
        • Maggie Unzueta

          September 14, 2021 at 10:16 am

          Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. Sorry for the confusion. I’ll clarify in the recipe.

    6. Sara

      August 19, 2019 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      The nights are starting to get cool here and I am craving soup. Adding this to my plans for easy fall meals for the family!

      Reply
    7. Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life

      August 18, 2019 at 7:23 pm

      These looks SO delicious! Our weather is still a little hot for soup at this point, but I hear we’ve got some cozy fall weather around the corner, so I’ll be tucking this noodle soup recipe away for later.

      Reply
    8. Michele

      August 18, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      5 stars
      This soup looks like pure comfort food! I love that it sounds so easy to make. I could eat soup all year round. This recipe sure looks like a keeper!

      Reply
    9. Eden

      August 18, 2019 at 9:56 am

      5 stars
      I’ve never had anything like this! I love traditional, unique recipes and this one was so good. We’ll be making it again!

      Reply
    10. Marisa F. Stewart

      August 18, 2019 at 8:29 am

      5 stars
      I believe nonnas are famous for their noodle soup. The ingredients are simple like in Sopa de Fideo but the taste is amazing. I know it’s the love that goes into their dishes. I like the thin vermicelli you use in the soup and that you break it into pieces. Makes it so much easier to eat off of the spoon.

      Reply
    11. Jenni LeBaron

      August 17, 2019 at 10:41 am

      5 stars
      I adore a classic, home-cooked noodle soup like this and appreciate that your mom also fed you all the soup in the hot summer months too! Soup was year round in my house and it still is. I love all your options for topping this soup up as well!

      Reply
    12. GUNJAN C Dudani

      August 16, 2019 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      I am bookmarking this noodle soup recipe for the upcoming allergy season. I only crave for soups then and this would definitely be at the top of my soup list.

      Reply
    13. Michelle

      August 15, 2019 at 1:25 pm

      5 stars
      Simple and delicious flavors in this soup. This will be so heart warming on a cool fall day. I’m pinning!

      Reply
    14. Veena Azmanov

      August 14, 2019 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      Simple, quick, delicious and easy to make. I love it.

      Reply
    15. Sharon

      August 14, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      This soup sounds amazing! The perfect way to warm up with soup and the spicy flavor.

      Reply
    16. Jess

      August 14, 2019 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      Mexican Noodle Soup!!!! Sign me up! This looks and sounds more than delicious! YUM!

      Reply
    17. Suzette

      March 05, 2016 at 11:00 pm

      ¡Que rica se ve la sopa! We grew up eating this, and I still make it. I add fresh zucchini, corn and carrots to make it healthier.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        March 07, 2016 at 3:24 pm

        Zucchini! That’s a great suggestion. I’ll have to try that.

        Reply
    18. CourtneyLynne

      March 04, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Omg this looks so yummy!!! I will definitely be pinning so I can give it a try!

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        March 07, 2016 at 3:25 pm

        Thank you. Hope you enjoy. 🙂

        Reply
    19. Emily

      March 03, 2016 at 9:44 am

      Simple recipes like this are the best! Looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        March 07, 2016 at 3:25 pm

        I love simple recipes. They are a mom’s best friend. 😀

        Reply
    20. Denay DeGuzman

      March 03, 2016 at 8:45 am

      My heart leaped off the page when I saw the title to your post! This recipe reminds me of my beloved Grandma Mercie. I can almost see her at the stove right now preparing Sopa de Fideo. Her recipe is similar to yours but had more of a red tomato-sauce look to it. Ahhh…your photos are bringing back beautiful childhood memories for me… This is a great way to begin my day. Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        March 15, 2016 at 9:47 am

        That’s so sweet. Reminds me of my grandma too. 🙂

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    A picture of Maggie Unzueta in her kitchen holding a coffee cup.

    iBienvenidos! I'm Maggie. Welcome to my blog! My passion is authentic Mexican food and traveling throughout Mexico to bring you the very BEST in culture and cuisine.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • A rustic brown bowl filled with shredded beef birria in red broth, made using a slow cooker birria recipe, is topped with chopped onion and cilantro, and sits on a colorful embroidered cloth with fresh herbs and a jalapeño in the background.
      Slow Cooker Birria Recipe (Birria de Res)
    • Camarones a la Diabla served next to white rice and lime wedges.
      Camarones a la Diabla [VIDEO]
    • Menudo, or Pancita, is Mexican comfort food at its best. Served for Sunday brunch and shared with lots of love. By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen
      Mexican Menudo Recipe + VIDEO
    • Instant Pot Pork Tamales stacked and ready to cook. Surrounded by cilantro and decorative Mexican kitchenware.
      Instant Pot Pork Tamales [VIDEO]
    • Caldo de Camarón, or Mexican Shrimp Soup in a white bowl with a rich, guajillo sauce. Spoon lifting shrimp and avocado. Cilantro and lime on a dark brown table.
      Caldo de Camarón – Mexican Shrimp Soup + VIDEO
    • Carne En Su Jugo in a white bowl topped with cilantro beans bacon
      Carne En Su Jugo + VIDEO

    FEATURED IN


    Online publications Mama Maggie's Kitchen has been feature in.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Subscribe

    • Sign Up! for emails and start cooking Mexican food today!

    Contact

    • About Maggie
    • Contact

    © 2010-2025 · Mama Maggie's Kitchen ·

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.