Every Mexican knows Sopa de Fideo. We feed it to our babies when they first start eating.
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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
Table of Contents
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
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:
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
- 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.
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!
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Sopa de Fideo
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
- Sopa de Fideo will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Sopa de Fideo will last 1 month in the freezer.
Nutrition
Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips 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.
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.
I meant 2019… 😬
That’s so great to hear! Glad your family has enjoyed this recipe!
Hello, please let me know if I choose to use canned tomato sauce with your fideo recipe, how much do you recommend?
I would do a 8-ounce can. Blend it with the onion and garlic. Then add to the soup.
So good 👍
So glad you enjoyed this!
If I don’t have tomates what do I use? just a can of it and no onion or garlic ?
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!
So good!!!
So glad you enjoyed this!
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
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you try it!
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
Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. Sorry for the confusion. I’ll clarify in the recipe.
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!
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.
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!
I’ve never had anything like this! I love traditional, unique recipes and this one was so good. We’ll be making it again!
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.
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!
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.
Simple and delicious flavors in this soup. This will be so heart warming on a cool fall day. I’m pinning!
Simple, quick, delicious and easy to make. I love it.
This soup sounds amazing! The perfect way to warm up with soup and the spicy flavor.
Mexican Noodle Soup!!!! Sign me up! This looks and sounds more than delicious! YUM!
¡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.
Zucchini! That’s a great suggestion. I’ll have to try that.
Omg this looks so yummy!!! I will definitely be pinning so I can give it a try!
Thank you. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Simple recipes like this are the best! Looks delicious.
I love simple recipes. They are a mom’s best friend. 😀
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! 🙂
That’s so sweet. Reminds me of my grandma too. 🙂