Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Vermicelli Soup)
Golden toasted vermicelli simmered in a tomato and chicken broth, a cheap weeknight soup that tastes like a Mexican grandmother's kitchen.
Made with Lime crema (Mexican soured cream sauce) and Mexican chicken stock (caldo de pollo). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.34 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Blend the tomatoes, onion and garlic with 100 ml of your ready made caldo de pollo (see the base recipe) until completely smooth.
- 2
Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Add the vermicelli and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden brown, taking care that it does not burn.
4 min - 3
Pour in the blended tomato mixture, which will spit, and stir for 2 minutes until it thickens and darkens.
2 min - 4
Add the rest of the caldo and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the pasta is soft.
7 min - 5
Ladle into bowls. Top each with a spoonful of lime crema, some crumbled queso fresco and coriander, and serve with lime wedges.
Tips
- Toast the fideo to the colour of a digestive biscuit, not paler. That nutty flavour is the whole point of the dish.
- The soup thickens as it stands because the pasta keeps drinking broth. Loosen with a splash of hot caldo if needed.
- Fideo is wheat pasta. For a gluten free bowl, use gluten free vermicelli or short gluten free pasta and watch the cooking time.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away because the pasta swells. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; cool quickly, add a splash of caldo when reheating, and heat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is the difference between sopa de fideo and sopa seca?
Sopa de fideo is a brothy soup. Sopa seca is the same toasted pasta cooked with less liquid so it ends up dry and saucy, like a Mexican pasta dish.
Can I use spaghetti instead of fideo?
Yes. Break spaghetti or angel hair into 3 to 4 cm pieces and toast it the same way. Fine thin pasta works best because it cooks quickly in the broth.
Is it suitable for egg or nut allergies?
With egg free vermicelli, yes: it has no egg or nuts. Always check the pasta label, as some dried vermicelli contains egg. It does contain wheat, milk in the crema and queso fresco.
More made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Alitas a la Diabla (Devilled Chicken Wings)
GFEFNFTacos de Pescado a la Plancha (Griddled Baja Fish Tacos)
GFEFNFBurritos Mojados (Smothered Bean and Cheese Burritos)
VEFNFSopes de Chorizo y Frijol Negro (Thick Corn Cakes with Chorizo and Black Beans)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.