Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Igor · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

Scented with cayenne, allspice, cumin, and garnished with cilantro and avocado, this Mexican tomato-based noodle soup (Sopa de Fideo) will take you to Mexico. Ready in 30 minutes!

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (1)

I will tell you this. I am not a huge fan of spicy food. Yep, I said it. That's why Mexican food is not a frequent guest in my kitchen (Carne en su Jugo was amazing though). However, lately I am discovering that far from all food from this sunny country is overly-spiced. There actually exist dishes that are not packed with chillies or other hot peppers with exotic names. Or there are recipes that let you skip them without losing too much flavor. Good news for me! Sopa de Fideo is one of them. The name translates as "noodle soup" from Spanish. That's exactly what it is!

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (2)

The base of this hearty soup is made from tomatoes. Different recipes use different type of tomatoes. There are versions with fresh, roasted and canned ones. As with every traditional dish, there is no single recipe, because every family has their own tricks and secrets! I've used canned ones because it's winter now and I won't be able to find fresh and juicy tomatoes. I definitely don't want to use those tasteless, woody things they call winter tomatoes for the soup! Even if I did want to use them, it would be complicated to do that, because we need juice for Sopa de Fideo and there is no juice in them, at all.

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (3)

As for the noodles, this soup requires Fideo, angel hair or vermicelli. The interesting thing is that you don't cook them in the water or broth, but you fry them before adding the liquid instead. That's the secret of this dish! You will see how the noodles will absorb the liquid nicely, thickening the soup in the end.

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (4)

This Sopa de Fideo recipe is a feast of flavors. Tomatoes, cumin, cilantro, avocados, lime - everything in one bowl! A bowl of comfort and warmth. Talking about lime, you can add juice of one lime to the pot in the very end or cut into wedges and serve it like that so everyone would be able to decide if they want it. If you are not like me and want some heat - just add 1 jalapeno to a pot. You can serve this Mexican noodle soup as a side dish or a starter before the main meal. Or you can add some shredded chicken or beef and make it as a standalone filling soup. Enjoy! Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (5)

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (6)

Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup

CookingTheGlobe

Fideo soup is a tomato-based noodle soup coming from Mexico. This version is vegetarian and is supposed to be served before the main meal but feel free to add some meat and turn it into a filling standalone dish!

4.50 from 4 votes

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Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 people

Calories 363 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
  • 8 oz (225g) Fideo, vermicelli or angel hair noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 14 oz (400g) can chopped or crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, water mixed with chicken bouillon works too
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lime
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 avocado

Instructions

  • Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

  • Transfer the cooked onion and garlic into a blender. Add canned tomatoes, 1 cup of broth, cumin, allspice and cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth.

  • In the same soup pot heat 1 teaspoon of oil on a medium heat and cook noodles for about 2-5 minutes, stirring continuously. Noodles have to be golden brown, but be careful not to burn them! Stir!

  • Pour the tomato mixture into the pot. Add the remaining broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

  • Add the juice of 1 lime into the pot or serve the lime cut in wedges individually. Garnish with cilantro and avocado slices. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Britt B.

    Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (7)
    This was delicious! Though I did find that I needed to add additional seasoning and tomatoes, it was a little weak and watery when following the recipe as is. I also added shredded chicken on top! It was great and I would definitely use this recipe again as a guide. ?

    Reply

    • Igor

      I'm happy to hear it, Britt!

      Reply

  2. Jessica

    This recipe sounds Americanized, which is not positive. My family from both my father and my mother is Mexican and never ever have we used black pepper/cumin/allspice/cayenne pepper to make traditional sopa de fideos. Both sides of the family from different states in Mexico and none have used those ingredients to make this soup.

    Reply

    • Igor

      Thank you for the information, Jessica. It may be Americanized as you say, I am not sure about it. So no seasoning at all then? 🙂

      Reply

  3. Chris

    Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (8)
    I made this recipe minus the cumin and allspice(because I didn’t have any) the liquid sounded like way too much so I cut it in half, using just 4 cups of chicken broth made it not too soupy, more like I’ve had it at Mexican restaurants, it was really delicious, I will definitely make it often.

    Reply

  4. Mario

    Great recipe. What some people do not understand is that the ingredients you use might not be exactly the ingredients I use. Sometimes it turns out perfect other times it does not. That's when you have to decide what spices to use to bring it to your liken. That is exactly what i did. I just needed a foundation to start. Just to let you know I'm Mexican and so is my wife. My mom made this soup many times when I was growing up. I must say this is right on cue. The way I go about it is look up recipes that my mother has made, which I loved and then I ask my mother how she has made it. She go's by memory not by written recipes.

    Reply

    • Mario

      Right on. I look for the foundation and then work from there. This recipe is right on just a little modification here and there.
      Thank you!!!

      Reply

  5. Micaela

    It was delicious! Thank you for the added spices. Despite background in culture, flavor is flavor and this recipe was fantástico! Thank you!

    Reply

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Sopa de Fideo - Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a Mexican sopa made of? ›

Sopa de fideo is a traditional Mexican soup made with toasted thin noodles in a flavorful tomato broth. This comforting classic is a Mexican staple!

Why does my sopa de fideo come out mushy? ›

The fideo will become mushy if overcooked. For Mexican sopa de fideo with a wonderful texture, remove the soup from the heat when the noodles have reached your desired tenderness and serve immediately. If making this recipe ahead, cook until the noodles are al dente with just a little firmness left.

What's the difference between noodles and fideos? ›

There's room in our hearts for all of the types of noodles in the world—and fideos are no exception. Simply put, fideos means “noodles” in Spanish. But the word actually refers to a particular kind of noodle—short and golden, with vermicelli-like thinness—as well as to specific dishes.

What does Sopa de Fideo mean in English? ›

Sopa de fideo (Spanish for "noodle soup"), also referred to as sopita de fideo, is a stock-based noodle soup that is a part of the cuisines of Spain, Mexico, and Cavite, a province in the Philippines.

What are the 4 ingredients that feature in many Mexican dishes? ›

The most popular Mexican ingredients are beans, rice, avocado and limes. They're utilized in nearly every dish, from hearty enchilada casseroles to creamy drinks like horchata.

What does Sopa de Fideo contain? ›

Sopa de Fideo is super quick and delicious and one of Mexico's most classic soup recipes! It's made with tomatoes, noodles, garlic, and broth and then you can add extra toppings as your heart desires.

Why does my sopa de fideo get thick? ›

Otherwise, as the soup sits, the noodles will absorb the broth, resulting in a thick sopa with mushy noodles. I'm not a fan of thick fideo soup – I like the broth to be nice and soupy. So when I got home, I took Rosie's advice and began experimenting only to learn that properly toasting the noodles was indeed the key!

Why is it called sopa de fideos? ›

Sopa de fideo originated in Spain; however, after conquering Mexico the Natives put an authentic twist to the broth. Making it what we now have come to know as sopa de fideo. The name is exactly what it is, sopa means soup and fideo means noodle.

Why is my fideo gummy? ›

In general, fideo is cooked to a point a little past the al dente stage, but it can become overly mushy if left on the heat for too long.

Is fideo just cut spaghetti? ›

Fideo: The most popular Italian pasta shape – spaghetti, which has been “cut” to please even the youngest Barilla lovers. Excellent for the whole family and absolutely perfect for kids, cut spaghetti is the little ones' very “first” true spaghetti.

What is the healthiest noodle? ›

Rice noodles are often considered one of the healthiest options available. They are naturally gluten-free, low in fat, and easy to digest. P'Nut Asian Kitchen incorporates rice noodles into many of their dishes, including the popular Pad Thai and Wonton Noodle Soup.

What is the healthiest pasta? ›

Best Pastas You Can Eat
  • Whole-Wheat Pasta. 1/10. Also called whole-grain pasta, this type of pasta keeps the bran, endosperm, and germ of the grain together. ...
  • Chickpea Pasta. 2/10. ...
  • Legume-Based Pastas. 3/10. ...
  • Soba Noodles. 4/10. ...
  • Rice Noodles. 5/10. ...
  • Quinoa Pasta. 6/10. ...
  • Vegetable Noodles. 7/10. ...
  • White Pasta. 8/10.
Aug 23, 2022

What is sopa in Mexican slang? ›

Slang. hacer la sopa [v] perform oral sex to a woman.

Is caldo and sopa the same thing? ›

Depending on whom you ask, caldo is either a soup or a stew, but the truth is, a real caldo is neither. A soup is a sopa and a stew is a guiso, like carne guisada, the gravied friend of a warmed flour tortilla. But a caldo is a broth.

Is sopa de fideo good for you? ›

Key Takeaways: Sopa De Fideo is a tasty Mexican soup that's low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with nutrients. It's great for your heart, digestion, and immune system, and it's super customizable!

What does sopa mean in Mexico? ›

English Translation. soup.

What is sopa de pollo made of? ›

I love that this Mexican Chicken Soup, in addition to being so tasty, is also loaded with veggies and lean chicken so it's a healthy soup that I feel good about eating and serving to family and friends. The ingredient list includes onion, bell pepper, celery, carrots, corn and lots of tomatoes.

What is the difference between a tostada and a sopa? ›

As Aida De Acosta correctly stated, sopes are softer and thicker. They are made directly from masa (corn dough). Tostadas are usually made from old, dried tortillas that are fried (You can get baked ones now) and are crispy, crunchy and flat. The toppings are pretty similar.

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