Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)

A recipe for Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)! Toasted noodles are simmered in a tomato-based broth for an easy and comforting meal.

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Sopa de Fideo is a Mexican Noodle Soup made from short, thin pasta simmered in a tomato-based broth. There are many variations based on the region and family. Today, I am sharing a basic recipe that is a favorite in our house.

Tomatoes, onions, and garlic are pureed in the blender to create a base for the soup and thinned with chicken broth. Toasted noodles are added and cooked just until tender. Overall, it all comes together in about 30 minutes and in just one pot!

The kids love this soup simply with just the tomato broth and noodles. I like to top it with fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, chopped avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice. If desired, pair with some warm corn tortillas.

When toasting the fideos, keep an eye on them. They quickly turn from lightly toasted to burnt.

While in season, I make the Sopa de Fideo with about 2 cups (350 grams) of diced, fresh tomatoes. During off season, simply swap for a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes.

Adjust the salt to taste. You may need more or less depending on the salt content of the chicken broth.

To make the soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

Notable Ingredients

Fideo is the Spanish word for noodle. For this soup, Fideos are thin, short noodles usually around an inch long. I have been able to find them in larger grocery stores and markets with Latin American and Middle Eastern ingredients.

If you cannot locate them, substitute with a thin spaghetti or angel hair broken into about 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Break them up in a bag or other controlled environment. Before I found the pre-packaged vermicelli, I often ended up with random pieces of angel hair flying across my kitchen. They can be found on Amazon (currently with a high shipping cost- try to find local if possible): La Moderna Fideo. The kids also enjoy this soup with small alphabet pasta to make Sopa de Letras (Alphabet Soup).

Queso Fresco is a crumbly, unaged cheese with a mild flavor. It is made with cows or a mixture of cows and goats milk. It is located in many larger grocery stores and markets featuring Mexican ingredients.

Looking for more comforting noodle soups?

Try my 

• Niku Udon (Japanese Meat Udon)
• Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki (Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo)
• Makaroni-Piimasupp (Estonian Pasta Soup with Milk)

This recipe was originally posted in April 2013 and updated April 2021.

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) Recipe

Adapted from Amanda’s Cookin’

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5 from 4 votes

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)

A recipe for Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)! Toasted noodles are simmered in a tomato-based broth for an easy and comforting meal.

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Mexican, Mexico, noodle, pasta, soup, tomato

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups (350 grams) diced tomatoes or a 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 small onion chopped, or 1/2 of a larger onion
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces (227 grams) Fideo or Angel Hair broken into about 1 inch pieces
• 6 cups (1.5 liters) chicken broth
• 1-2 teaspoons Salt adjust as needed to taste based on sodium level of chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For serving:

• Fresh cilantro
• Queso Fresco
• Chopped avocado
• Corn tortillas
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• In a blender, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
• In a large pot, drizzle the oil over medium low heat. Add the fideo noodles and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Place the pot back over medium heat. Add the pureed tomato mixture, chicken broth, salt, and cumin and bring to a boil.
• Stir in the toasted noodles, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until they are just tender, 7-8 minutes.
• Serve immediately, if desired with cilantro, queso fresco, avocado, or alongside corn tortillas with lime wedges to season.