Sopa Seca de Fideo is dry noodle soup (not actually like your usual liquid soup or broth) that is very common in Central Mexico, and the process for making it is similar to the one for making Mexican red rice. I know some cooks that also roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic, adding extra delicious flavor to the end result.
Some variations cook the sauce with tomato and Ancho peppers, which gives it a darker color, and another recipe uses three different types of dried peppers. This time we will be making the basic recipe.
Mexican Noodles
Post sponsored by Mirum Shopper but all opinions are my own.
This dish is comfort food for many people; it’s a meal that is traditionally eaten at home, or in small mom-and-pop eateries. At home, I serve it in the same way as I would spaghetti. In Mexico, it’s common for home cooks to use chicken bouillon instead of homemade chicken broth to enhance soup taste.
Sometimes I receive readers’ emails telling me that they went to have dinner at a Mexican friend’s house and that his mom’s rice or fideo taste very different. In most cases, the secret ingredient is usually chicken bouillon!
How to make Mexican Noodles
DIRECTIONS:
- Place chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chipotle pepper in your blender, then add 1 cup of the chicken broth and process until you have a medium-fine sauce. Set aside. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Heat oil in a medium-size skillet and then add the noodles. Fry until lightly browned, stirring often to avoid burning the noodles. This step will take about 2-3 minutes. Remove noodles from skillet.
- Add to the skillet the tomato sauce, ½ cup of broth, oregano, and salt to taste. Turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Once the sauce starts boiling, add the noodles, reduce heat to low, and cover the skillet to let simmer.
- Keep cooking for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed until noodles are cooked and tender.
To serve, garnish with crumbled cheese, a drizzle/dollop of cream, and avocado slices, or any of the other options mentioned above. Enjoy!
I know it sounds weird, but some people in Mexico use leftovers from this noodle dish as a filling for tacos or even sandwiches!
In case you wanted to give your family a snack to enjoy while preparing this dish, you can check out my recipe for a creamy chipotle dip; it’s easy, delicious, and fun!
Also, if you live in the Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, or Phoenix area, be sure to check with your local Walmart representative about a special Dia de los Muertos event going on at select stores. You’ll definitely want to bring the family out for this!
Mely Martínez,
Leave a comment and share your experience with the recipe.
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More recipes:
Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Mushroom Soup
📖 Recipe
Sopa Seca de Fideos
Ingredients
- 2 medium-large tomatoes about 16 oz. or 2 ½ cups chopped
- ¼ of a medium size onion chopped
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 Chipotle pepper in adobo*
- 1-½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 7.05-ounce package of Fideo (Vermicelli) noodles
- About 1 ½ cups of Chicken broth **
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Salt to taste
OPTIONAL GARNISH:
- ⅓- cup Mexican cream or other thick creams
- ½ cup of Mexican queso añejo cotija or fresco***
- 1 Avocado sliced
- Chopped cilantro
- Red onion slices
- Pork cracklings
Instructions
- Place chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chipotle pepper into your blender, then add 1 cup of the chicken broth and process until you have a medium-fine sauce. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a medium-size skillet and then add the noodles. Fry until lightly browned, stirring often to avoid burning the noodles. This step will take about 2-3 minutes. Remove noodles from skillet.
- Add to the skillet the tomato sauce, ½ cup of broth, oregano, and salt to taste. Turn the heat up to bring to a boil (about 5 minutes). Once the sauce starts boiling, add the noodles, reduce heat to low, and cover the skillet to let simmer.
- Keep cooking for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed until noodles are cooked and tender. If the sauce still seems too liquid when the noodles are cooked through, simply remove the skillet from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. This will allow the noodles to absorb the remaining liquid from the sauce.
To serve, garnish with crumbled cheese, a drizzle/dollop of cream, and avocado slices, or any of the other options mentioned above. Enjoy!
Notes
- When you buy Chipotles in adobo, depending on the brand you buy, some will be spicier than others.
- If you don’t have chicken broth, mix 1 tablespoons of Knorr Chicken Bouillon with 1 ½ cups of hot water.
- I know not everyone has a Latin store around the corner, and finding a Mexican cheese will not be your best option. You can use Parmesan cheese as a substitute.
Cherie
I’m so happy to find your recipe. My grandmother who was from San Miguel, Tinera, Mexico ( I hope I spelled this correct) cooked this fabulous dish often. She made homemade refried pinto beans, and oh the marvelous tortillas! Oh how I miss those foods but I do make a few but just not the same as grandma’s. I didn’t know what it was called until I saw your article. I will definitely make this.
Ted Martin
I lived with a Mexican family for a year in Sonora and had sopa seca almost every day either de arroz or fideo. (Sometimes it was chilaquiles.) Marielos would always add the water or caldo after sautéing the pasta in the savory mix which always included oregano and then pop a whole fresh spicy chile in the pan while soup absorbed the broth... qué rico! I make this dish quite often to impress friends with an authentic Mexican side. Even my fussy Italian friends like it.
Kelly Harris
This looks great! Thanks for sharing!
Mely Martínez
Hello Kelly,
I hope you cook this Sopa Seca de Fideo! Happy cooking!
Sean Cunningham
Great recipe that catches the flavor this dish is supposed to have! For mine, I add in ground pork, or left over pork chops diced into small pieces. When serving it, I stick a lime wedge in the side( adds a great flavor )and top with cotija cheese!
Alejandra Guel
First time I make this and it delicious! Just like my mom's.
We were thinking ricotta cheese would be another good substitute for panela if you can't find it 🙂
Happy cooking!
mmartinez
Hello Alejandra,
Thank you for trying the recipe. Love the idea of ricotta cheese!
Carolina
I tried out this recipe minus the chipotle and pork cracklings and loved it!
Roberto
San Antonio started making Fideo Loco popular. La sopa con frijoles pintos topped with carne picada. Yumm
Michael Keller
I'm from Monterrey, Nuevo León, México and we've always used the Knorr Caldo de Tomate, Con Sabor de Pollo, con otro sabor natural, ( Tomato Bouillon with Chicken Flavor, with other natural flavor ). I guess that must be a Regiomontana thing, because just about everyone else that I know uses it as well.
Esther
My mom always started with the chopped onion & oil, then once it softened, would add the fideo to toast.
I will try your recipe; I can taste the different flavors already!😁
Unknown
Yum! This looks just like the kind we had growing up except minus the chipotle. I'll have to make some soon!
Nicole Beadwright Campanella
This looks delicious.