Food

How to Make Authentic Sopa de Fideo

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: May 7, 2023 • 1 min read

Fideo soup is a comfort food staple in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, usually served for lunch.

Learn From the Best

What Is Sopa de Fideo?

Sopa de fideo is a Mexican noodle soup: Fideo simply means “noodle” in Spanish, but it also refers to a specific noodle. Fideo pasta noodles are short, durum wheat noodles, similar to thin spaghetti that’s been broken into pieces, making them ideal for soup. The noodles are then toasted in oil before cooking, adding a complex, nutty flavor to this simple soup.

How to Make Sopa de Fideo

Here’s how to make sopa de fideo at home, in three easy steps.

  1. 1. Make the soup base. Like other Mexican soups, sopa de fideo has a tomato base that can be made with fresh tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, tomato paste, or canned tomatoes.
  2. 2. Fry the fideo noodles. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil, then add noodles and stir to coat. Fry the fideo, constantly stirring, until golden brown.
  3. 3. Add the soup base. Put it all together to make fideo soup.

Sopa de Fideo Recipe

12 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

prep time

10 min

total time

40 min

cook time

30 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    In a blender or food processor, combine onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, oregano, cumin, and 1–2 cups chicken broth. Blend to form a smooth puree.

  2. 2

    In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the fideo. Sauté until golden brown, about 2–5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add tomato mixture and remaining chicken broth and bring soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until noodles are al dente, about 10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Serve with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and your favorite toppings.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.