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Sopa de Fideo - a savory Mexican Noodle Soup made with toasted noodles and a flavorful tomato-based broth. It's easy to make, requires simple ingredients and it's budget-friendly, too! The whole family will love this hearty and comforting meal!
Sopa de Fideo is one of the most requested recipes in our home, and it's also one of the easiest recipes to make, so that makes everything better! It takes 25 minutes from start to finish and calls basic ingredients. They are pantry staples, so I can make this savory goodness without a trip to the supermarket.
I have a lot of soup recipes on the site because we are major soupaholics and enjoy it all year round. This soup is perfect any time of year, but it's especially great for chilly days or sick days when you need extra comfort.
I was first introduced to this Mexican Noodle Soup while pregnant with my son. I was having a hard time with food and nothing was appetizing. This was strange to me because I'm a total foodie.
Well, Nick made his nina's Sopa de Fideo recipe for me one night and I was instantly in love! I craved it most of my pregnancy after that, so maybe that's why my son loves it so much, too!
Ingredients Needed
This recipe requires just 8 ingredients including salt and pepper. Here's what you'll need to make it:
- Fideo (cut spaghetti)- If you can't find fideo, you can use thin spaghetti, vermicelli, or angel hair. Just break it into 1-inch pieces before cooking.
- Oil - I used avocado oil, but any cooking oil will work. See the FAQs below for an oil-free version.
- Vegetable Broth - I highly recommend using a flavorful broth. My favorite broth is Better Than Bouillon's Vegetable Base (regular or reduced sodium) or their no-chicken base.
- Tomato Purée - If you don't have tomato purée, you can use tomato sauce instead. You can also use canned diced tomatoes and blend them into a smooth consistency.
- Dried Oregano - If you don't have it, you can use marjoram, thyme, or Italian seasoning.
- Bay Leaf - This is optional so you can leave this out if you don't have it.
- Salt and Pepper
That's it! The ingredients are short and simple!
How to make Sopa de Fideo
This soup comes together in just 3 easy steps! Here's a step-by-step visual of how it's done. Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
First, you'll need to brown the fideos in oil over medium heat until golden brown for about 5-6 minutes. This creates lots of deep flavor in the soup!
Once the pasta is golden, add the oregano and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the broth, tomato puree, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Raise heat to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to maintain a simmer.
Cook until noodles are tender, but they still have some bite for about 15-18 minutes. Stir often. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. If you want more tomato flavor, stir in a ¼ cup tomato purée and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Flavor Amp-Up Ideas
This soup doesn't need anything extra as long as your noodles are toasted well and the broth is flavorful. However, if you'd like to amp it up, you can add a sprinkle of ground cumin, smoked paprika, red chili pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper.
Serving Suggestions
Sopa de Fideo is fantastic on its own with a squeeze of fresh lime, chopped cilantro, and a dollop of vegan sour cream. However, you can also serve it with crusty bread, sliced avocado, warm tortillas, or a salad. This fideo soup is great for a quick lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a savory breakfast. You can't go wrong!
FAQs
Yes! Just swap out the fideo for your favorite gluten-free brand. I've made this with Jovial Gluten-Free Spaghetti and it turned out great! The noodles aren't as thin as traditional noodles, but I like them because they don't fall apart in the soup. Also, the pasta tends to swell after it sits too long, so it's not so great for leftovers. However, it's so good that you won't have any left to save.
If you want a tomato-based soup that's noodle-free, you might like this Smoky Tomato White Beans Soup. It's just as hearty and comforting!
Absolutely! You can dry-toast the noodles instead of browning them in oil. The noodles won't brown the same as with oil, but they will still have a toasted flavor. Heat a large pan over medium-low heat and cook the noodles for about 5-8 minutes until golden. Stir often to prevent burning.
More comforting soup recipes to enjoy:
- Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- Roasted Vegan Cauliflower Soup
- Vegan Ajiaco (Colombian Potato Soup)
- Chickpea Noodle Soup
If you want a variety of comfort food, here are 16 Indulgent Vegan Comfort Food Recipes to choose from. They are totally drool-worthy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!
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Recipe
Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or preferred oil)
- 8 ounces dry fideo (cut spaghetti) (sub with thin spaghetti and break into 1-inch pieces)
- 7 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ¼ cups tomato purée (strained tomatoes)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 1 bay leaf (*optional)
Optional Serving Ideas
- Vegan sour cream
- Fresh-cut cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
Recommended Equipment
- Large Pot or Pan
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or saucepan over medium heat and then add the oil. Once the oil is heated, add the noodles. Stir frequently until the noodles start to turn a golden color and some pieces are browned, about 4-6 minutes (this gives the soup lots of flavor!). You can toast the noodles longer so more pieces are browned, but make sure to stir constantly at this point to avoid burning. Turn heat lower if needed.
- Add the oregano and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Now add the broth, tomato puree, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Raise heat to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to maintain a simmer. Cook until noodles are tender, but they still have some bite. About 15-18 minutes. Stir often. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Remove bay leaf.
- Serve with a lime wedge, fresh-cut cilantro, and a dollop of vegan sour cream if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I highly recommend using a flavorful broth for this recipe. I really like Better Than Bouillon's Vegetable Base or their No-Chicken Base. They also carry a Reduced-Sodium Vegetable Base that I love too.
- If you want to add extra seasoning, a ½ teaspoon of cumin or smoked paprika will work well. For a touch of heat, add a ¼-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red chili pepper flakes.
- If you can't find fideo, you can use thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair pasta. The simmering time may vary depending on which one you choose. Check every so often for preferred tenderness.
- This will work with gluten-free pasta, but I don't know if all brands will yield the same results. I've tried Jovial GF Spaghetti and it worked nicely. It doesn't work well for leftovers though because the pasta gets really soft when it sits too long.
- If you don't have tomato purée, you can use tomato sauce in its place. You can also use canned diced tomatoes and blend them into a smooth consistency.
- To make this oil-free, you can dry-toast the noodles instead of browning in oil. Heat the pan over medium-low and cook the noodles for about 5-8 minutes until golden. Stir often. The noodles won't brown the same as with oil, but they will still have a toasted flavor.
joe
I did this today and resulted that I had four portion which I froze. I am a single gobbler therefore I have enough for a week. One tip that might help others when cooking pasta of any kind is that when the water with the pasta remove from heat as soon as it boils. Time it always covered for 15 minutes for spaghetti etc and less for finer pasta.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Joe, thank you for giving it a try and sharing feedback. 🙂
Carissa
I fried onion & garlic with the noodles & it came out really delicious 🤤
Melissa Huggins
I'm so happy you loved it! Sounds perfect with the aromatics. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Karen
Hi Melissa.. thanks so much for all of your great recipes... I made the Sope De Fideo last night for dinner and it was a hit!! It was so good I wish I would have made a double batch, but it is an easy enough recipe to make it again today... the only thing I did was spice it up a bit more (chili powder, cayenne & cumin) and added some corn (was making another dish that had corn in it and threw the leftover corn into the soup)... So thanks again for another amazing recipe!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Karen, you are welcome and I am pleased that you liked the recipe. Adding corn and more warm spices sounds like a good idea!
Thomas
This dish is one of my favorites. I was able to make it myself according to your recipe. Its taste is great and looks very nice. The soup I make has a darker color than yours because I add a lot of tomato sauce. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Hope you will have many good articles like this one.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Thomas! So happy to hear that you loved the recipe, thank you for sharing!
Jack
Your recipes are very easy to make. It is delicious and nutritious. I followed your instructions and I had a delicious meal. Its taste is amazing. May I ask if adding more tomato sauce will it affect the flavor of the food? Do you have any advice for me?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Jack, I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for giving it a try. Sure, you can add a little more tomato sauce. It'll be delicious! 🙂
Maren
This recipe sounds really yummy! I'm going to make it for my daughter. I bet she'll love it. She's really into pasta lately.
Clarissa Eldridge
My go to when I want something satisfying, quick and easy. My entire family loves it.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Clarissa, I'm so happy your family loves it. Thank you so much! 🙂
Tamara Hanel
Flavors were excellent. Mine came out thicker and more pale in color than yours. Almost like a cream of tomato soup color & consistency. I only had tomato sauce. Will try again with tomato puree to see if that makes a difference.
Thanks and keep creating.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Tamara, I'm so glad you liked it! It's one of my favorite soups! Next time you can add more broth for a thinner consistency. Maybe the pasta you used absorbed a lot of liquid. Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
Leanne Ehrich
Hello! Can I use a gluten free noodle successfully in this recipe?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Leanne, Yes, I've used Jovial GF Spaghetti and it worked perfectly. The only thing is that it doesn't work well for leftovers because the pasta continues to swell and gets kind of soft. I've only used Jovial, so I don't know if other brands will work better/worse. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
elissa schoening
Do you fry tht noodles when they're still dried?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Elissa, yes, you fry the noodles in their dry state. Thanks for stopping by 😀