Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Sopa de Fideo + Video
Sopa de Fideo is an incredibly simple, flavorful Mexican noodle soup made with a savory tomato-based broth. It is the epitome of kid-friendly comfort food, and takes just 20 minutes to make!
Our abuelitas were so smart – they naturally made dinnertime as painless as possible. This fideo soup recipe proves it! It is the ultimate one-pot pasta dish that the whole family is bound to love.
What is a Fideo?
Fideo means “noodle” in Spanish, most often referring to thin noodles that are similar to spaghetti, vermicelli, or angel hair, except short. Sopa de fideo or “fideos soup” therefore simply means “noodle soup.”
This traditional recipe has deep roots in both Mexican and Spanish culture, with many crediting it to Catalonians in the 1600s. A rich, savory tomato broth is the base for simmering the lightly fried noodles, giving them a deeper, toastier flavor that is addictive.
Why I Love This Recipe
This one-pot pasta dish is the classic Mexican spaghetti dish I grew up eating. It is hearty, filling, and delicious. Perhaps even better, though, is how cheap and easy sopa de fideo is to make! It’s also a total crowd pleaser.
If you’re familiar with fideo seco where the puree mixture fully evaporates, this recipe is slightly different. You will actually add a bit of liquid so that you can serve the fideos as a yummy, cozy soup that is perfect all year round.
When my kids have friends over, my go-to dinner is a pot of fideos soup. It’s ready in less than 20 minutes and I have yet to meet a kiddo that doesn’t love it. Oh, and unlike spaghetti-o’s (which some of the kids compare it to), this dish is free from any weird preservatives, sweeteners, or additives.
Made with just ten easy to find ingredients, this is a recipe you can feel good about feeding your family. And it tastes a heck of a lot better than the canned junk, too!
Finally, this is a great pantry supper for days that you just can’t seem to get to the grocery store. After 2020, I know I feel a lot better having several pantry recipes to lean on. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, swap ’em for canned! Everything else in the recipe is completely shelf stable.
Okay, so now that you’re fully convinced that this is a recipe worth trying, let’s get cooking!
How to Make Sopa de Fideo
If you’re a visual person, go ahead and watch this video to see how simple it is to make sopa de fideo. Otherwise, follow along here:
In a blender place onion, tomatoes, garlic, bouillon, pepper, cumin seeds, and water. Purée until smooth.
TIP: No fresh tomatoes in the house? No problem! Simply swap in canned whole roma tomatoes instead.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add fideo. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until fideo is slightly toasted, but not burned.
TIP: DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! The biggest flavor secret in this soup is sautéing the noodles before simmering them. Just like we toast arroz in a bit of oil, we do this with the dried fideo to add a toasted and nutty dimension of flavor.
Stir in the pureed mixture to the fideo until the puree thickens and darkens, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining water and bring soup to a boil and continue to stir occasionally.
Add in cilantro, cover and reduce to low heat. Cook for 10 minutes until pasta is tender.
Check the salt and adjust to taste before serving. Serve with a warm corn tortilla.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! While I always keep fideos on hand, you can swap in some spaghetti or vermicelli noodles that you break into smaller pieces. Or, if you’re serving a battalion of tiny humans, go for the giggle inducing star or alphabet pasta instead! Trust me, Sopa de Estrellitas or Sopa de Letras are always a hit with the kids.
Any leftovers can be kept in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just be sure not to overcook the noodles when you reheat the soup, as they’ll begin to fall apart and become mushy! You can also keep fideos soup in the freezer for up to three months.
For sure! Simply swap the chicken bouillon for more of the tomato bouillon or substitute vegetable bouillon instead. Also, most noodles are vegan by nature – just check the label to ensure that your noodles are egg free.
As long as your noodles are gluten free, you should be in the clear. I’d recommend opting for a slightly thicker pasta like spaghetti in this case, as some of the thinner varieties can break apart without much cooking at all. Just be aware of the cook times as recommended on the back of the package.
Want more Mexican soup recipes?
Check out these other favorites of mine:
- Caldo de Pollo
- Caldo de Res (Beef Soup)
- Veracruz-Style Cod
- Caldo de Pescado y Camaron (Fish and Shrimp Soup)
- Chicken Pozole Verde
- Red Pork and Hominy Stew (Pozole Rojo)
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
If you made this easy recipe for Sopa de Fideo, let me know how you liked it by rating and reviewing it below! I always love hearing from you.
As a reminder, you can get more yummy recipes delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter. Or, if you decide to Instagram your creations, tag me (@muybuenocooking) so I can see your delicious sopa de fideo.
Sopa de Fideo
Ingredients
- ½ white onion, quartered
- 3 roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1 garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch cumin seeds
- 4 cups water, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (7 ounce pack) fideo, thin noodles – see notes
- 6 to 8 cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a blender place onion, tomatoes, garlic, bouillon, pepper, cumin seeds, and 1 cup of water; and puree until smooth.
- Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add fideo. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until fideo is slightly toasted, but not burned.
- Stir in the pureed mixture to the fideo until the puree thickens and darkens, about 5 minutes.
- Add remaining 3 cups of water and bring soup to a boil and continue to stir occasionally.
- Add in cilantro, cover and reduce to low heat. Cook for 10 minutes until pasta is tender.
- Check the salt and adjust to taste before serving.
Video
Notes
Photography: Jenna Sparks
Originally published: March 2018.
12 Comments on “Sopa de Fideo + Video”
Mi Madre’s recipe exactly! I always add sharp cheddar cheese cubes to my bowl…ay, qué rico!
Loved this recipe! It was almost exactly like how my grandma’s treated. I will be making this often for are.
I make this for my mexican/American boyfriend. He loves it. I make it a little thicker than soup. Its great. Reminds me of spaghetti o’s.
Why does my fideo gets dried up by the next day or even a few hours later??? Thanks
I am watching my sodium daily intake. . . .Is there a substitute for the tomato bouillon powder? It contains a lot of sodium per 1tsp serving. There must be a way to make a healthier, less salty version. . .Thank you in advance for your help.
I’d suggest a bit of double concentrated tomato paste. The kind sold in tubes.
Finally made this and it was soooo good! Since I make it for adults, next time I’ll add 1/2 Serrano chile and char that along with the tomato, onion & garlic first. I also added extra bouillon & water to make more liquid (I like broth!) . Love this recipe!
Ok so I made this. And I always make fideo,but with different seasonings. This was freakin good. Thank you so much. However, I was cookin some other stuff at the same time, and I accidentally put oregano instead of cilantro. I didn’t realize it till after we ate. LOL BUT let me tell you it was pretty good with oregano. Thnx for the recipe, my husband thought I was makin Chile.
I didn’t have cumin seed so I used a pinch of ground cumin. The recipe was easy and delicious. I made it as an after school meal for my college student and was worried the meatless meal would be frowned upon. It was a smashing success!
My grand mother would add potatoes for the kids
Thank you so much for sharing this! It reminds me so much of my mom’s sopa. My kids absolutely loved it and can’t wait for me to make it again.
Mom used to make fideo with ground beef, with little pieces of beef she would chop, with cheese, or just like this. Either way it was always delious.