Sopa Seca de Fideo is a dry noodle soup (not actually like your usual liquid soup or broth) that is very common in Central Mexico, and the process for making it is similar to the one for making Mexican red rice. I know some cooks that also roast the tomatoes, onion and garlic, adding extra delicious flavor to the end result. Some variations cook the sauce with tomato and Ancho peppers, which gives it a darker color, and another recipe uses three different types of dried peppers. This time we will be making the basic recipe.

This dish is a comfort food for many people; it’s a meal that is traditionally eaten at home, or in small mom-and-pop eateries. At home, I serve it in the same way as I would spaghetti. In Mexico, it’s common for home cooks to use chicken bouillon instead of homemade chicken broth to enhance soup taste. Sometimes I receive readers’ emails telling me that they went to have dinner at a Mexican friend’s house and that his mom’s rice or fideo taste very different. In most cases, the secret ingredient is usually chicken bouillon!