Sopa de Fideo
Sopa de fideo is a quick and comforting Mexican staple that is particularly good on a chilly weeknight. The acidity from tomatoes, the bold garlic flavor and the luscious strands of fideo, a thin noodle similar to angel hair that’s typically included in Mexican soups, make for a hearty dish. Toppings for sopa de fideo vary, but common garnishes include avocado slices, sautéed mushrooms, lime juice, queso fresco, cooked potatoes, Mexican cream — the list goes on!
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 4large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1pound beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
- ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1tablespoon ground cumin
- 1tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼cup neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed
- 8ounces 1-inch fideo (3 cups)
- 2celery stalks, whole
- 1carrot, whole
- 1dried bay leaf
Instructions
Step 1
Add the garlic, tomatoes, red-pepper flakes, cumin and salt to a blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside.Step 2
Heat a medium pot over medium, then add the oil. Add the fideo to the hot oil and cook until toasted and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Be sure to constantly mix the fideo so it toasts evenly.Step 3
Reduce the heat to low, then add the blended tomato mixture.Step 4
Add 5 cups of water to the pot, along with the celery, carrot and bay leaf. Mix and taste for salt, adjusting if necessary.Step 5
Increase to medium heat until simmering, then reduce to medium-low. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fideo is cooked through, the soup has melded together and the liquid has thickened.Step 6
Remove the celery, carrot and bay leaf, and discard. Serve soup in bowls and top with any of your favorite sopa de fideo toppings.