How to Make Sopa de Fideo Mexicana (Fideo Noodle Soup)
This simple Mexican fideo noodle soup is ubiquitous throughout Mexico, but is not very well known in the United States. While easy to make, sopa de fideo tiene su chiste, and there are a few tips and tricks to perfecting it, which I’m happy to share.
⭐️ FUN FACT: Sopa de fideo is a classic Mexican noodle soup made with fideo noodles and a flavorful tomato-infused broth. It’s comfort food in a bowl!
It’s such a simple soup, and yet it triggers complex nostalgic memories of my early childhood years spent in Mexico with my grandparents. My father’s mother, Mamá Goya, always had a pot of fideo on her stovetop. Always cooked to perfection – nice and soupy, and never too thick. Mamá Goya used to add celery leaves while it boiled to enhance the flavor.
Fast-forward a few decades and now this is a recipe I prepare every other week for my family (usually with quesadillas). As easy as it may seem to prepare, it does require some technique to get just right.
You see, I like my Mexican fideo soup, well, soupy and not thick. On a recent trip to Mexico City, I learned a few tips to prevent it from thickening as it cools, which tends to be the most common mistake for first-timers.
💡PRO TIP: To prevent your fideo noodle soup from thickening, the key is to fry the noodles in hot oil over low heat until they turn from their pale maize color to light brown, for at least 5 minutes. Skip this step and you’ll find that as the soup sits, the noodles will absorb the broth, resulting in a thick, somewhat mushy sopa de fideo.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
The ingredients you’ll need to make this sopa de fideo are simple: fideo noodles (you can find these at Mexican grocery stores), tomatoes (any variety will work), onion, garlic, celery leaves (optional), and chicken or vegetable broth.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Follow these steps (I’ve also included a few pro tips in the full recipe card below) and you’ll be well on your way to creating a delicious, authentic Mexican fideo noodle soup! I use chicken broth, but you can keep it vegetarian by using a well-seasoned vegetable broth.
Prepare sauce
- Blend tomatoes, onion, and garlic on medium setting until smooth, for about 60 seconds.
💡PRO TIP: This is essentially the base for my Mexican Tomato Sauce, which I use for recipes including my Mexican Red Rice, Fideo Seco, and Sopa de Albondigas and of course, this Sopa de Fideo.
Fry fideo noodles
- Prepare a heavy-bottom pot with a thin layer of oil over low to medium heat. Once hot (the oil must be hot when you add the noodles!), add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. You may need to reduce heat to the lowest setting to avoid burning the noodles. Be sure to stir frequently with a spatula to prevent the noodles from toasting too quickly. They should toast evenly, turning a mix of light golden brown and deeper brown when ready.
Add sauce to noodles
- Add the tomato mixture to the noodles and sauté together until the liquid absorbs completely and the mixture turns a deeper orange-red color.
- PRO TIP: This step is essential. If you add the broth to raw tomato sauce will result in a raw tomato tasting broth. Sautéing it until it reduces completely ensures that it is cooked and adds another layer of flavor.
Add broth and simmer
- Add chicken or vegetable broth and celery leaves and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Next, adjust heat to lowest setting, taste and adjust for salt if necessary, and cover. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy
- Enjoy hot with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice and your favorite salsa or crushed red peppers.
- I like to serve this sopita alongside warm quesadillas for an easy weeknight dinner. My father and sister love their sopa de fideo with a spoonful of mayonnaise. Don’t knock it until you try it!
LOOKING FOR MORE INSPIRATION?
Here are a few of my favorite Mexican soups and sides:
- Espagueti Rojo (Creamy Mexican Spaghetti)
- How to Make Fideo Seco
- How to Make Crema de Chayote
- Green Pozole de Pollo Recipe
- BEST Mexican Red Rice
- Arroz a la Primavera (Mexican White Rice)
- Arroz Verde con Cilantro (Mexican Green Rice)
- Arroz Blanco con Elote (Mexican White Rice with Corn)
- Arroz al Ajillo (Mexican Garlic Butter Rice)
Best Sopa de Fideo Mexicana (Fideo Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ onion medium white or yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 pound tomatoes about 3-4 medium Roma tomatoes, halved
- 8 cups broth chicken or veggetable
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 7- ounce package fideo pasta
- 3 celery stalks leaves and upper stalks only
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare sauce. Blend tomatoes, onion, and garlic with ½ of broth on medium setting until smooth, for about 60 seconds.💡PRO TIP: This is essentially the base for my Mexican Tomato Sauce, which I use for recipes including my Mexican Red Rice, Fideo Seco, and Sopa de Albondigas and of course, this Sopa de Fideo.
- Fry fideo noodles. Prepare a heavy-bottom pot with a thin layer of oil over low to medium heat. Once hot (the oil must be hot when you add the noodles!), add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. You may need to reduce heat to the lowest setting to avoid burning the noodles. Be sure to stir frequently with a spatula to prevent the noodles from toasting too quickly. They should toast evenly, turning a mix of light golden brown and deeper brown when ready.
- Add sauce to noodles. Add the tomato mixture to the noodles and sauté together until the liquid absorbs completely and the mixture turns a deeper orange-red color. 💡PRO TIP: This step is essential. If you add the broth to raw tomato sauce, this will result in a raw tomato tasting broth. Sautéing it until it reduces completely ensures that it is cooked and adds another layer of flavor.
- Add broth and simmer. Add chicken or vegetable broth and celery leaves and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Next, adjust heat to lowest setting, taste and adjust for salt if necessary, and cover. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy. Enjoy hot with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice and your favorite salsa. I like to serve this sopita alongside warm quesadillas for an easy weeknight dinner. My father and sister love their sopa de fideo with a spoonful of mayonnaise. Don’t knock it until you try it!
A Note from Lola
PRO TIPS FROM LOLA
- Toasting the noodles for long enough is the key to making soupy fideo that doesn’t thicken as it sits.
- Adding celery or cilantro toward the end of the cooking process is optional, but infuses a nice layer of flavor into the soup.
- Any style of dry Mexican noodles will work in this recipe. My children are fans of the estrellitas, conchitas, and letras! Fideo is a specific style of thin pasta commonly used in Mexican and Spanish cooking, it is not the same as vermecelli.
- When I make my sopa de fideo with homemade chicken broth, it comes out the best, but store-bought chicken or vegetable broth will also work. Be sure to taste and adjust salt to your liking.
- If you’re in a pinch or don’t have time to use fresh tomatoes, feel free to use canned diced or whole tomatoes (you’ll still want to blend with onion and garlic and sauté the sauce with the noodles).
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 7, 2021 and updated with step-by-step instructions and images on March 4, 2026.
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love, with no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustain the site.
Photography and Styling (excludes process shots): Cacey McReavy
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
