Sopa De Fideo

Sopa de fideo is a low-lift Mexican-style soup consisting of toasted fideo noodles in a base made of pureed tomato, onion, and garlic. If you love chicken noodle or tomato soups, then consider this version as its fabulous cousin. Toasting the noodles until lightly golden brown is the first important step to this staple dish. I remove the noodles before adding the tomato base to the pot, where it will reduce and develop flavor. It’s a fragrant and simple soup you can turn to in the winter via canned tomatoes or summer with tomatoes off the vine.

How To Make Sopa De Fideo

INGREDIENTS

• Olive Oil: I use olive oil in most everything I cook, so for this soup recipe, I call for it to toast the noodles; otherwise, a neutral oil may be used. The aroma of toasted noodles in olive oil is so nutty and delicious.
• Fideo Or Vermicelli: In Mexican culture, it’s common to use thin pieces of fideo noodles similar to broken vermicelli. You can really use any small pasta shape; baby shells or alphabet are popular alternatives. Unlike cooking pasta until “al dente,” you can let these go a little longer.
• Canned Whole Tomatoes: A couple reasons I used canned whole tomatoes is because they’re easy to source, especially when tomatoes aren’t in season. And I wanted to use whole tomatoes because you have more control over the final texture.
• White Onion: A very important ingredient to build the base of the soup. Yellow onion isn’t most common in Mexican cuisine, so opt for a white one instead. And if you like pieces of onion in your soup, put some aside before pureeing.
• Garlic: I love using garlic in savory recipes and made sure to include lots of it here. Don’t shy away from it—you can always add more.
• Cumin: I opted to add cumin in this soup to give it a little edge as it’s since often a spice used in Mexican cuisine. If you can get your hands on Mexican cumin, that’s even better. But you don’t want to overwhelm the broth with this flavor since it’s so powerful and will take over the other lighter ingredients.
• Coriander: This is a little brighter than cumin but the combination of the two can’t be beat.
• Chicken Broth: A pretty major component of this soup, so it’s important to get the right kind. I like Swanson chicken broth or any good-quality low-sodium version that doesn’t contain lots of add-ins, like sugar, yeast extract, etc. Make sure to read the box! Also, you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep this vegetarian or vegan.
• Queso Fresco, Lime Juice & Cilantro: I chose a little dairy, citrus, and herbs for a simple garnish that will accentuate the flavors of this soup. Feel free to explore your topping options: Mexican crema, avocado, bananas, and shredded cheddar (from the block, please) would be welcome in this soup.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure your oil is hot so once the pasta hits the pan, it will start to fry. You don’t want super-dark golden brown noodles. They should be kissed with a little golden touch! It will bring out a toasted aroma and more pronounced flavor against the soup's broth. And although this feels odd to do with pasta, it’s very common in Mexican cuisine.

I found it was also common to puree the raw ingredients for the soup base instead of finely chopping everything and sautéing in oil. The mixture should be as smooth you can get it. Since the pasta won’t be in the pot at this point to act as a little barrier to the oil, you’ll want to slowly pour the mixture in to avoid splatter. You can also do this off heat! I like to cover the pot with a splatter screen. But you can use a lid and leave a small crack for steam to escape.

Definitely add more than what’s listed if you really love cumin and coriander. I add the broth after 10ish minutes of cooking and reducing the base. The mixture may be cloudy with tiny specks of onion floating about. You can strain through a fine-mesh strainer if you want a clearer broth.

The fideo will cook in the broth until tender and soft. It’s okay if they cook past the al dente stage.

I love serving this with a little crumbly cojita or queso fresco, a squeeze of lime juice, and topped with fresh cilantro. The lime and cilantro brighten up the soup and the cheese gives this a crumbly soft texture that pairs well with noodles.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Strain The Broth: The onion might not completely break down in the blender, so once you’ve cooked the base and added your broth, I give you the option of straining. If you prefer to have a smoother broth without added texture, then I suggest straining.
• Use Vermicelli: If you can’t find fideo noodles, break strands of vermicelli into 1" to 1 1/2" pieces.
• Overcook The Pasta: Yeah, I said it… it’s okay to overcook the pasta in this soup. They should be a little softer than al dente for the best result.

Storage

Allow the soup to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Slowly reheat the soup over medium-low heat until warmed through.