Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de Fideo introduction

Introduction

Sopa de fideo is one of those comforting and delightful dishes that goes way back in Mexican cuisine. Commonly confused with pasta, sopa de fideo is a tomato noodle soup that many of us link to our local Mexican restaurant where it usually kept hot on the counter and served while waiting for your food. Despite being in restaurants, this soup was really simple and made with a very few number of ingredients at home.

Sopa de Fideo: My Experience

Sopa de Fideo My Experience

Sopa de Fideo holds a special place in my corazón that takes me back to when my mamá would be stirring the pot. The magic of this plain old soup is in its toasted vermicelli noodles, which give it a depth no other noodle soups have. Sauteeing the vermicelli noodles before adding tothe tomato broth definitely boosts up their flavors and renders an economical yet rich in flavour budget friendly soup.

I have made my own changes to the recipe over time. If on another day you want to add a little cilantro, chipotle or jalapeno for some extra flavor in the soup go ahead. My favorite version is the sopa de fideo con frijoles as it gives you an extra layer of heartiness, great if this something that comes off in prep reasons. At other times sopa de fideo and albondigas, adding meatballs to make it a little thicker for the meal.

I also really enjoy sopa seca de fideo, a version where the soup cooks long enough to absorb most of the liquid and everything gets kind of caramelized together. The way sopa de fideo is made does not change the fact that it remains a comforting and true dish to make wherever you are, which brings back nostalgia from those loved ones close by or far away.

Ingredients

Sopa de Fideo ingredients

  • 1 medium onion ($0.41)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.04)
  • 8 oz uncooked vermicelli noodles ($0.75)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
  • 1.39 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken broth ($0.79)
  • One medium jalapeño* (optional) ($0.05 each)
  • 1 medium lime ($0.25)
  • 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro (optional) – $0.22

Sopa de Fideo

Instructions

Sopa de Fideo instruction

Sopa de fideo is a traditional Mexican soup that can be eaten anytime of the day.To create this tasty soup begin by chopping the onion and sauteing in a significant pot along with minced garlic. In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low. Break the vermicelli noodles into 1-2 inches size, and place them in the pot. When the noodles are dry, stir them constantly until they turn a golden brown with small blisters.

To the pot, add in diced onion and garlic with cumin. Mix and saute, till onion turns soft. Since the noodles already browned, pour a couple tablespoons of juice from one can of tomatoes. Purée the canned tomatoes and their juice with an immersion or regular blender. Combine the puréed tomatoes and 6 cups of chicken broth in a pot. TO MAKE IT SPICY —­ add one whole jalapeño pepper. Place a lid on it and turn the heat up to medium high, boiling the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes or so until noodles are tender.

Add the lime juice and chopped cilantro leaves just before serving. Finish with a wedge of lime on the side for each soup bowl. It is a simple, tasty and an affordable dish which can be enjoyed on any normal day or even as part of a feast.

Preparation Tips

Preparation Tips

Always watch your pasta while they cook to make sure you get the perfect light brown without dulletto color, but never burns. A bit of jalapeño taste provides some complexity to the soup without making it overly uncomfortable. It gives it a nice, fresh and tangy finish – but limit the lime juice to taste. Do note that, this one-pot meal is all about harmony of flavours and textures so give yourself a chance to nail it.

Follow these directions to make a delicious Sopa de fideo that you can enjoy from your own home.

Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) is a comforting and authentic Mexican soup that tastes like its right out of an Abuela’s kitchen with the most amazing flavors. Sometimes your mom’s version of a recipe is the most authentic. True for sopa de fideo! Each chef takes a favorite spin on it, from cilantro and chipotle to jalapeños. Common variations include sopa de fideo con frijoles, or with albondigas (meatballs), and the less common sopa seca de fideo. No matter what version, the broth is almost always pureéd tomatoes (or tomato sauce when weather inhibits good fresh tomatos), onion and garlic with a some kind of broth poured over thin vermicelli noodles sauted until golden brown.

Making Sopa de Fideo

Making Sopa de Fideo

Break open the fideo pasta and dice one onion and two garlic cloves. Those will be there ready for you when needed and help keep the noodles from burning faster during browning. Pre-heat vegetable oil in the soup pot on medium low, add broken vermicelli noodles and stir them until they become slightly roundy burnished toasty brown-golden with blistered marks.

After the noodles start to brown, transfer diced onion and minced garlic in along with cumin. Cook and continue stirring the onions until they are soft. Squeeze a little tomato juice from your can of whole tomatoes over these noodles so they are not go any darker, then pulse the remaining tomatoes and their juices in such that would remain some texture but it is mostly puréed. Stir in the puréed tomatoes and a few cups of chicken or vegetable broth (I used just two because I like more tomato flavor at this point, but use four if you want it soupier), Better Than Bouillon (for more flavor)

Add the whole jalapeño pepper, partially covered pot with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Bring the pot of liquid back to simmer and reduce heat; let sit at a gentle simmer until noodles are tender. If you please add grated zucchini for an added nutritional boost.

Serve the soup with a splash of lime juice and cilantro. Hot served, with a side of lime to rub.socials (= The longer the soup sets, the more broth will be absorbed by noodles and the thicker noddley like, your soup.

 

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