Tomato soup with browned noodles, cumin, onion, garlic, and chicken stock. Sometimes just known as “sopita” sopa de fideos is a favorite among all the kids and grown ups!

The first time I remember having this soup was in Mexico. My husband’s cousin’s wife made it for lunch during one of our visits. I watched her as she toasted the pasta, blended the tomatoes and added it all to the frying pan. The smell was amazing! I could smell onions and cumin and the nuttiness of the toasted noodles.
I keep this soup made and ready to go pretty much at all times for those dinner nights we can’t agree on who’s eating what. I also pack it for my daughter’s lunch in a cute thermal cup.
What type of pasta should I use?
This soup is traditionally made with a semolina/wheat pasta. My local stores carry a brand called “La Moderna” and it comes in different shapes and sizes. My family prefers the shells or elbow shapes, but a lot of people make it with the vermicelli so it looks like a soupy spaghetti.
But these are the shapes you can use if you feel like changing it up:
- Elbow
- Shell
- Star
- Alphabet
- Vermicelli
- Melon Seed
- And probably more I can’t think of or that are available here
You could use a regular pasta noodle, they work fine, but for me, the taste just isn’t the same.
Step by Step Process
Chop your tomatoes into quarters and add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin, salt and chicken stock to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
You want to make sure that you have the liquid ready for when the pasta has been toasted and is golden brown because it will burn if you leave it and go blend.
To a pot add one tablespoon of oil. add your dried noodles and continue to stir the noodles until they are golden brown and are nutty smelling.
This process should take you no more than stay 5 minutes with continuous stirring on a medium to low heat.
once your noodles are golden brown go ahead and grab the liquid from your blender and poured it straight into the pot with the noodles. cover let it come to a boil and then bring down to a simmer about 10-15 minutes or until noodles are soft.
Take off the heat, serve, and enjoy garnished with optional cheese and cilantro.
Tips and Ideas
- If your chicken stock is already salted, stick to 1 teaspoon of added salt. If it is NOT salted add an extra teaspoon of salt for a total of 2 teaspoons of salt to your soup.
- You don’t have to use chicken stock, you can use water. If you are using water, add ½ tablespoon of chicken bouillon, BUT be careful with your added salt. Start with ½ teaspoon salt, taste and add more as needed.
- If you want your soup to be more liquidy, you can add 1 more cup of chicken stock or water. If you add water, make sure you add a bit more bouillon.
Sopa de Fideos Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Tomato soup with browned noodles, cumin, onion, garlic, and chicken stock. Sometimes just known as “sopita” it’s a favorite among all the kids!
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes or approx 1 lb
- 1 cup or 77g dry fideo noodles
- ¼ an onion or 1.5 oz
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 3 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Chop your tomatoes into quarters and add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin, salt and chicken stock to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- To a pot add one tablespoon of oil.
- Add your dried noodles to the oil and continue to stir the noodles until they are golden brown and are nutty smelling.
- This process should take you no more than 5 minutes with continuous stirring on medium-low heat.
- Once your noodles are golden brown go ahead and take the liquid from your blender and pour it straight into the pot with the noodles.
- Cover and let it come to a boil and then bring down to a simmer about 10-15 minutes or until noodles are soft.
- Take off the heat, serve, and enjoy garnished with optional cheese and cilantro.
Notes
- If your chicken stock is already salted, stick to 1 teaspoon of added salt. If it is NOT salted add an extra teaspoon of salt for a total of 2 teaspoons of salt to your soup.
- You don’t have to use chicken stock, you can use water. If you are using water, add ½ tablespoon of chicken bouillon, BUT be careful with your added salt. Start with ½ teaspoon salt, taste and add more as needed.
- If you want your soup to be more liquidy, you can add 1 more cup of chicken stock or water.
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