EspañolMexican fideo soup is pure comfort in a bowl: toasted noodles simmered in a light tomato broth. This soup is ready in under 30 minutes and loved by kids and adults alike.
With just a handful of simple ingredients, this easy and budget-friendly recipe will become a staple in your kitchen. Let's make it!
Mexican Noodle Soup and the Flavors that Feel like Home
Some dishes just become part of who you are, and fideo soup is one of them for me.
My mom made it all the time when I was growing up, and that flavor stayed with me. When I left home to go to college in another city, my cousin and I would eat at little neighborhood restaurants that served a daily fixed menu called “comida corrida,” and fideo soup was almost always on it.
Every time I saw it on the menu, it made me smile, it was a reminder that home cooking always finds a way to reach you.
Let's cook!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Heres is what you need to make this fideo soup:
Fideo noodles: this is a thin, short pasta sold in Mexican grocery stores and in the Hispanic foods aisle of most supermarkets. It's also known as vermicelli or angel hair pasta. Look for the kind that is already cut into short pieces.
Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are my favorite for this recipe, but any plum tomato works well, too. In a pinch, you can substitute half a cup of canned tomato sauce.
White onion: yellow onion works fine here too.
Chicken broth: you can substitute with water plus bouillon powder or paste, like “Better than Bouillon.” for vegetarian or vegan version, use vegetable broth.
Oil: I like olive oil, but any neutral vegetable oil works well.
To serve: fresh lime juice and crumbled queso fresco are highly recommended and make a big difference.
Optional: zucchini or carrot cut into small cubes. A great way to sneak in some veggies.
How to Make Mexican Fideo Soup
- Make the sauce. Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 3 cups of broth until smooth.
- Toast the fideo. Heat the oil, then add the noodles and stir to coat them. Keep stirring until they turn golden brown.
- Add the sauce and cook. Pour the tomato sauce and bring to a boil to cook the sauce. Add the remaining broth, stir well, and taste for salt.
- Simmer and serve. Bring back to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Serve immediately.
Silvia's Tips
- Keep stirring the fideo while it toasts. Once it gets hot, it can go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- Too thick? Add warm broth a little at a time until you get the consistency you like.
- Lime juice and queso fresco are non-negotiable in my house. That combination of acid and creaminess takes the soup to another level.
- If you add vegetables, chop them into small cubes, drop them in when you add the second round of broth, so they cook at the same time as the noodles.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
When you reheat it, you will notice the soup is thicker and drier because the noodles continue to absorb liquid. Warm it over medium heat, and it will start to loosen up a bit.
If you want it soupier, just add a splash of broth or water, taste for seasoning, and serve.
I don't recommend freezing this soup as the pasta changes texture once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
My soup is too watery. What do I do?
Remove the lid and cook over medium heat for a few more minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate. You can also let it rest before serving since the noodles will keep absorbing the broth.
My soup is too thick. How do I fix it?
Add warm broth little by little, stirring between each addition, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste for salt.
Can I make fideo soup ahead of time?
This soup is best served fresh because the noodles absorb the broth and get too soft over time.
More Mexican Soup Recipes
In Mexico, fideo soup is usually served as the first course and pairs well with just about everything, especially dishes on the dried side like flautas, tacos, or tostadas.
If you love this soup, here are more recipes to try:
- Mexican Arroz Rojo (Red Rice)
- Cream of Carrot and Squash Soup
- Penne Pasta in Salsa Verde
- Creamy Spaghetti with Ham
Mexican Fideo Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 medium white onion peeled
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 8 cups chicken broth 1.9 liters, divided
- 1 tablespoon oil 15 ml
- 7 oz fideo noodles / vermicelli 200 g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- Optional: 1 zucchini or 1 carrot cut into small cubes
- To serve: fresh lime juice and crumbled queso fresco to taste
Utensilios
- Pot or Dutch oven
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes cut in half, onion, garlic and 3 cups of chicken broth in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the fideo noodles and stir to coat them with oil.
- Keep stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes until the noodles turn an even golden brown color. Do not walk away from the pot. Once hot, they can burn very quickly.
- Pour in the tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 2 minutes. This cooks the sauce and removes the raw tomato flavor.
- Add the remaining broth (5 cups) stir well and taste for salt. Adjust if needed. If adding vegetables, add them at this step.
- Bring back to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 8 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
- Serve immediately with fresh lime juice and crumbled queso fresco.
Nutrition
Notes
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