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A bowl of sopa de fideo with a spoon beside it.
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Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de Fideo is a Mexican noodle soup with toasted noodles in a homemade tomato-based broth with onions and garlic. Finished with lime juice and cilantro for a bright and refreshing flavor.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 351kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 2 tomatoes cored and halved
  • 1 cup chopped onion (128g)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces fideo noodles (or angel hair, vermicelli, or thin spaghetti) (225g)
  • 4 to 6 cups chicken broth (960mL-1.44L)
  • ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • Chopped cilantro for serving

Instructions

  • Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and cumin in a blender. Puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
  • Warm the oil in a large pot over medium. Add the fideo noodles (or long pasta broken into 1-inch pieces) and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, 4 cups chicken broth, and salt.
  • Bring to a boil over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. If the noodles have absorbed a lot of the liquid, or you want a brothier soup, add more chicken broth until the soup is your desired consistency. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Serve with cilantro.

Notes

  • Heat the oil before adding the noodles. Before adding the noodles to the pot, warm the oil over medium heat. The noodles will toast better and more evenly if started in hot oil.
  • Break the noodles into a separate bowl. If you are using longer vermicelli noodles or angel hair pasta, break them into small pieces in a separate bowl instead of directly into the soup pot. This way, you can add all the noodles to the hot oil at the same time and have your hands free for stirring.
  • Toast the noodles until fragrant. One of the things that sets this recipe apart is the flavor and texture that comes from taking the time to toast the noodles. Usually, this step will take 4 to 5 minutes, but watch for the noodles to darken in color and become golden brown and fragrant before adding the chicken broth. Furthermore, if the noodles toast too quickly or some noodles start to burn, reduce the heat.
  • Start by adding just 4 cups of broth. Different types of noodles will absorb varied amounts of broth as they cook, so start with just 4 cups of broth. Holding back some of the broth allows you to personalize the thickness of the soup before serving.
  • Use fresh lime juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice delivers the best flavor, so use fresh juiced limes when possible!
  • Added vegetable variations. If you like additional texture or vegetables in your soup, stir in diced tomatoes, corn, or roasted vegetables such as onions, yellow squash, or zucchini before serving. Or top with homemade salsa or pico de gallo.

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 533IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg