This recipe will show you how to make sopa de fideo, a Mexican noodle soup in a tomato-based broth. This simple and frugal soup does not skimp on flavour and is just what you need to warm you up on a chilly afternoon!
This fideo soup is to me what chicken noodle soup is to non-vegans – the kind of soup that you crave when you’re sick because you know it’s sure to make you feel better! There’s something about the texture of the short fideos (noodles) that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
A basic sopa de fideo couldn’t be simpler: tomato, onion, garlic, stock or water and noodles. From there you can take it in a million and one different directions. Toss in some chopped up carrot, celery, zucchini, spinach, potato and flavour it with your favourite spice.
I always like a bit of sinus-clearing spice so I added one canned chipote pepper in adobo sauce. It gave it just the right amount of kick! You could also use a fresh jalapeño pepper, blend it with the tomato if you’re a serious spice lover or toss it into the pot whole for a milder spice.
So to make sopa de fideo you simply combine tomato, onion, garlic and chipotle in a blender. Because it’s winter and the fresh tomatoes are tasteless and pitiful I used canned tomatoes. If you’re making this is summer, however, you can replace the can of tomatoes with 4 – 6 fresh roma tomatoes.
Once that’s blending get a pot over medium heat and toast the noodles. If you’ve never had fideo noodles (yes, that’s redundant) before, they’re basically short cut vermicelli noodles. You can find them in Mexican and Spanish shops or you may have the Barilla fideo cut spaghetti in your supermarket.
If not you can use spaghetti or angel hair pasta and cut it into one-inch pieces. (If you want to see what else can be done with fideos, check out this Spanish recipe for mushroom fideua).
Once the noodles are golden and toasty, pour in the tomato puree and simmer it for a couple of minutes to cook out the raw onion and garlic. Then add vegetable stock, cover and simmer until the noodles are cooked through. That’s it, soup’s done and you can garnish it as you like!
When I add chipotle to anything, a bit of cool, creamy avocado is the perfect companion. So I topped my sopa de fideo with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radish and a slice of lime. This soup now has it all: a bit of spice, creaminess, freshness, sourness, and heartiness. This just might be the most perfect soup!

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
This recipe will show you how to make sopa de fideo, a Mexican noodle soup in a tomato-based broth. This simple and frugal soup does not skimp on flavour and is just what you need to warm you up on a chilly afternoon!
Ingredients
- 1 can (400 grams / 14 oz) whole tomatoes (use fresh tomatoes in summer)
- Half a small onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 chipotle pepper from a can (optional)
- 200 grams (7 oz) fideo cut noodles or spaghetti/angel hair pasta broken into 1 inch pieces
- 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock (or more for a thinner soup if you prefer)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 avocado, diced
- A small bunch of fresh cilantro
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 4 slices of lime
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic and chipotle in a blender and process until smooth. If you’re using fresh tomatoes you can strain the mixture of the skin and seeds once it’s blended. I didn’t bother doing that with canned tomatoes.
- Meanwhile heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat and add the noodles (you can also add a tablespoon of oil if you like). Toast the noodles, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add the pureed tomato mixture and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, to cook out the raw onion.
- Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for the length of time indicated on the noodle package or until the noodles are tender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want a thinner soup, add more vegetable stock or water. Serve into bowls and top with avocado, cilantro, radish and a slice of lime for squeezing over.
- If you have leftovers, the soup will thicken as it cools. Just add a bit of stock or water to loosen it up before reheating.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 bowlAmount Per Serving: Calories: 328Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 1181mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 12gSugar: 16gProtein: 12g
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Karly says
I just can't stay away! This soup looks INCREDIBLE! Definitely need to try!
Melissa says
Hope you like it!