Sopa de Fideo
Sopa de Fideo is a Mexican noodle soup made with a tomato-based broth that’s savory, flavorful, and comforting. An easy one-pot soup recipe that’s perfect for any night of the week!
It’s the most comforting soup recipe and only takes 30 minutes to throw together. This is the perfect soup for family dinner (kids love it, too!) and always what I crave when I’m under the weather.
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The Best Sopa de Fideo
Growing up with a hispanic parent means that so much good food was woven into my childhood. Whether it was my dad’s red chile chicken enchiladas, albondigas soup, or whole pollo asado, there was always something good cooking.
Sopa de Fideo is an extremely simple recipe, but it’s one steeped in comfort and nostalgia. In the same way that a lot of folks long for tomato soup, sopa de fideo is that soup for me! Don’t get me wrong, I still absolutely love a homemade tomato soup, but fideo is just special.
The beauty of this dish is that there are so many versions. Depending on how you grew up, your parents likely have a different recipe and method and that’s okay! This is my version of homemade Sopa de fideo.
What is Sopa de Fideo?
Sopa de Fideo is a brothy tomato and noodle soup with cultural roots in Mexico, Spain, and the Philippines. Thin and short vermicelli noodles are specifically used and are toasted prior to simmering which is a benchmark characteristic of this iconic soup.
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.
My Sopa de Fideo recipe starts with a roasted tomato salsa that’s quick and easy but lays so much flavor in the foundation of the soup. Since this recipe really is just a tomato noodle soup, it’s so important to pack as much flavor in as possible.
Then, we brown our fideo or vermicelli noodles in some olive oil before adding onion, the tomato salsa, and broth to the pot. The whole soup takes less than 30 minutes to throw together and can be topped in a variety of ways! My favorite way to serve Sopa de Fideo is topped with onion, cilantro, and crema with warm tortillas on the side for dipping.
How to Make Sopa de Fideo
When making Sopa de Fideo, and as with all my soups and braises, I highly recommend investing in a dutch oven. It’s a total workhorse in my kitchen and gets used almost daily.
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vermicelli for fideo. This is a specific kind of vermicelli that’s cut down into small pieces. You can find it dried in the pasta aisle, or in the hispanic foods aisle of your grocery store.
- Tomatoes. I use roma tomatoes for this recipe for flavor. Any fresh tomato will do, including cherry tomatoes.
- Tomato paste. Tomato paste bolsters the flavor of the fresh tomato salsa.
- Onion. White onion is best here, but any onion will work. Save some diced white onion for topping the soup.
- Garlic. Roasting the garlic with the tomato makes the flavor base for this soup.
- Chicken broth. Use quality chicken stock or broth (homemade is preferable!) but you can use boxed chicken or vegetable broth.
- Spices. Cumin and oregano add classic Mexican cooking flavors.
- Olive oil. Olive oil is my go-to but any neutral oil will do.
The Process
- Make the tomato sauce. Preheat an oven to 400 F and line a small baking sheet with parchment. Quarter the tomatoes and add them to the tray with the whole garlic cloves. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Blend. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and any juices from the baking sheet to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Toast the fideo. Heat the remaining olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the dry fideo vermicelli to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are golden brown. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
- Add the tomato sauce and paste. Once the onions are soft, add the tomato paste and blended tomato sauce to the pot and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, oregano, and broth to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve Sopa de Fideo topped with diced onion, cilantro, and with lime wedges on the side.
Storage Instructions
If you find that you have leftover Sopa de Fideo, it’s easy to store! However, this isn’t a soup I recommend freezing because the noodles don’t hold up very well when defrosted.
You can store the fresh tomato sauce in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the fridge for 3 days.
Let any leftover soup come to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Soup is best reheated in a pot on the stovetop. The soup will get thicker as it sits, so add broth when reheating to thin it out.
Sopa de Fideo FAQs
Is Fideo the same as spaghetti?
Fideo is a Mexican short noodle that’s similar to vermicelli or angel hair. It’s a little thinner than spaghetti.
Can sopa de fideo be made vegetarian or vegan?
Absolutely! Just swap in vegetable broth and this recipe is vegan.
Do I have to toast the pasta?
Yes! This is essential to making good Sopa de Fideo. It also keeps the noodles from sticking together and becoming sticky and waterlogged.
Next time you’re in the mood for a cozy & comforting soup, give Sopa de Fideo a try! It’s such a simple and delicious meal that comes together in no time at all. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try Now
Beef Chile Colorado
Red Chilaquiles
Pork Pozole Verde
Carne Asada Street Tacos
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Sopa de Fideo
Ingredients
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 white onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz fideo noodles
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked pepper
Fideo Toppings
- 1/4 white onion, small diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 4 tablespoons Mexican crema
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 400 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the tomato sauce. Quarter the tomatoes and add them to the tray with the whole garlic cloves. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Blend. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and any juices from the baking sheet to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Toast the fideo. Heat the remaining olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the dry fideo vermicelli to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are golden brown. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
- Add the tomato sauce and paste. Once the onions are soft, add the tomato paste and blended tomato sauce to the pot and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, oregano, and broth to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve Sopa de Fideo topped with diced onion, cilantro, crema, and with lime wedges on the side.
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