Equipment
Ingredients
Bean & Tomato Base
- 425 g canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes, with juices
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 dried oregano
- 2 g ground cumin
Soup Solids
- 250 g mexican chorizo, raw, casing removed
- 150 g fideo noodles, dry
- 500 ml chicken stock
- salt
Garnishes (Optional)
- crema
- avocado, sliced
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 533 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 46 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 3925 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 22 mg
- Potassium
- 1063 mg
- Calcium
- 248 mg
- Iron
- 7.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 90 mg
- Phosphorus
- 181 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 150 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 49 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.32 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 106 mcg
- Water
- 366 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a blender, combine the drained black beans, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and 250ml of the chicken stock. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the raw chorizo (removed from casing) and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully browned and the fat has rendered. The internal temperature should reach at least 74°C/165°F.
Remove the cooked chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered orange fat in the pot. Reduce heat to medium.
Add the dry fideo noodles to the hot chorizo fat. Stir constantly to toast the pasta until it turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Do not let it burn.
Pour the black bean purée from the blender into the pot with the toasted noodles. It may splatter slightly. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in the remaining 750ml of chicken stock (the unused 250ml from the first batch plus the additional 500ml). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the noodles are tender.
Stir half of the crispy chorizo back into the soup. Taste and season with salt if needed (chorizo and stock are salty, so check first). Serve in bowls topped with the remaining crispy chorizo and optional garnishes like avocado, crema, and lime.
Chef's Notes
- If you cannot find 'Fideo' labeled pasta, angel hair or thin spaghetti broken into 3-4cm lengths works perfectly.
- The step of frying the noodles is non-negotiable; it creates a barrier that keeps the pasta firm in the hot liquid and adds a nutty flavor dimension.
- For a spicier version, blend a whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce with the bean mixture in step 1.
- This dish thickens significantly as it cools. It makes excellent leftovers but will essentially become a pasta stew rather than a soup the next day.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — The noodles will absorb liquid over time. Add a splash of water or stock when reheating to loosen the consistency.
Freezer: 2 months — Texture of noodles may soften slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding liquid as needed.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick or pasty
Cause: The beans thickened too much or the pasta absorbed too much liquid
Fix: Stir in additional hot water or stock 50ml at a time until desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Do not simmer longer than necessary
Noodles are burnt
Cause: Heat was too high during the toasting step or stirring wasn't constant
Fix: Discard the noodles and start the toasting step over; burnt taste will ruin the soup
Prevention: Watch the noodles closely; they transition from golden to black very quickly
Cultural Context
Sopa de Fideo is a staple in Mexican home cooking, often one of the first dishes children learn to love. While typically made with a tomato-based broth, this 'Enfrijoladas' inspired variation incorporates black beans for a richer, creamier base commonly found in central Mexico.
