Sopa de Fideo con Sabor a Hogar
La Comida (The Midday Guisado Pot)
Snap broken angel hair pasta into the skillet. The hot oil hisses, and the smell of toasted fideo sizzling in a Roma tomato puree is the smell of six o'clock on a Tuesday. Oaxacan cooks swap clear broth for a black bean base laced with smoky chili. This recipe builds that earthy depth using a standard supermarket blender, pureeing canned black beans to instantly replicate the slow-simmered broths. Pour the dark puree over the noodles, drop the heat to a simmer, and let the starch do the rest.
Before you start
Gather and measure all ingredients before you start toasting the pasta.
Fideo burns very quickly; having your blended puree ready to pour immediately is critical to stopping the toasting process before it scorches.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes3 med
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic cloves2 large
- canned chipotle pepper in adobo1 med
- canned black beans15 oz
- low-sodium chicken broth4 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- dry fideo pasta7 oz
- sprig fresh epazote or cilantro1 small
- quesillo or low-moisture mozzarella4 oz
- avocado1 med
- limes2 med
- Mexican crema1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, black beans, and two cups of chicken broth until completely smooth.
Blending the undrained beans directly into the tomato base creates the thick, luxurious texture that defines the Oaxacan style of this soup.
- 02
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and toast the dry pasta until deep golden-brown.
This takes three to five minutes. Stir constantly; the pasta goes from perfectly toasted to burnt in seconds, and this crucial step prevents the noodles from turning to mush.
- 03
Pour the blended bean puree into the hot pot with the toasted pasta and stir immediately.
Stand back slightly, as the liquid will aggressively sizzle and spit when it hits the hot oil. Cooking the puree in the oil for a minute or two cooks out the raw onion flavor.
- 04
Pour in the remaining two cups of broth, add the epazote or cilantro, and bring to a gentle boil.
Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer undisturbed for exactly eight to ten minutes.
- 05
Turn off the heat, check the noodles for tenderness, and let the soup rest for five minutes.
Remove the wilted herb sprig and adjust the salt if necessary depending on your broth.
- 06
Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls and garnish generously at the table.
Top each bowl with the pulled cheese so it melts into stretchy ribbons, diced avocado, a drizzle of crema, and a heavy squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
The chipotle in adobo is a smart, accessible substitute for the rare pasilla oaxaqueño.
It provides the essential deep, fruity smokiness native to the Oaxacan sierras without forcing you to hunt down specialty imports.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.