Sopa Seca: Mexican Noodle Casserole

  4.4 – 62 reviews  • Easy Pasta Recipes
Made by lightly frying vermicelli noodles and then cooking them in a rich broth flavored with spices, chipotle and tomatoes, sopa seca is considered comfort food in Mexico. We added smoked turkey to the mix, topped the noodles with grated Cheddar, and finished cooking in the oven for a cheesy, bubbly finish.
Level: Easy
Total: 55 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan
  2. 12 ounces fideos (bundled vermicelli)
  3. 1 medium onion, chopped
  4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  6. 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  7. 1 teaspoon New Mexican chili powder
  8. 1 bay leaf
  9. 1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
  10. 1 to 2 chipotles en adobo sauce, minced
  11. 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade, or low-sodium canned
  12. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  13. Freshly ground black pepper
  14. 2 cups shredded smoked turkey
  15. 1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
  16. Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them with tongs, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bundles and any broken pieces to a plate. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crush the tomatoes over the pot with your hand and add them to the pot along with their juices. Add the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, breaking up the fideos with a spoon, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top. Copyright (c) 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 724
Total Fat 30 g
Saturated Fat 9 g
Carbohydrates 77 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugar 8 g
Protein 37 g
Cholesterol 81 mg
Sodium 1016 mg

Reviews

Austin Schmitt
Just like mamas! Tender fideo with a burst of complex Mexican flavors!
Daniel Rush
This was a big hit with our Sunday dinner group!
Goes together quick and easy. Inexpensive and feeds 6 adults.
I didn’t have smoked meat so used some smoked paprika instead, first time I’ve made this and will make it again.
Kathleen Maxwell
Yum, Yum, Yum. It takes some practice to brown the fideos just right (do not go easy on the olive oil), but other than that, this is one of those dishes you can do “some of this, some of that”. I’ve made it enough times that I just wing it. Do not, however, miss out on the freshly ground coriander, it makes it!
Courtney Spears
I took this to a potluck and everyone raved about it. Yes it is spicy but if you have ever used chipotle peppers, you know that they are hot but you can control how much heat you give your dish. Smoky, hearty, cheesy and the smoked turkey is an exceelent meat for this dish. Of course chicken, or pork would work just as well. Anyway, great recipe!
Amber Harris
AS A DIABETIC I WOULD ASK YOU TO PUT NUTRITIONAL VALUES SO WE DIABETICS MIGHT PARTAKE OF SOME OF THESE RECIPES. THEY SOUND AND LOOK SO GOOD BUT CARBS ARE NOT LISTED–SO?
THX
PETE
Michael Kim
Made this dish for my monthly book club meeting and it was a big hit. Did not use the cheddar but used only authentic Mexican cheeses and chicken vs. turkey. Used petite crushed tomatoes to save some time. Paired this dish with the Mexican chocolate cookies and the Margarita ice cream. Will make again and again.
Laura Pace
This dish is relatively easy to make and will impress your guests (or your family). Wow. Intense flavor. I’m vegetarian so I substituted the turkey for Morning Star Farms “fake meat” and it was fabulous. Wonderful! The Fideos were a bit tricky to find in the supermarket; look in the ethnic isle near the Goya products and it will be there. I highly recommend this recipe.
Gary Estrada
I loved the flavors of this dish! My family thought it was a little strange with the noodles so I made it again with rice and they loved it. Will definately make this again.
Dalton Nguyen
I’m a college student and I made this for some of my roommates and friends… they all loved it and are asking for the recipe! I will be making this again soon.
Mr. Jerry Wilson
1. This was spicier than I expected, but in a good way. I made it exactly as the recipe stated.
2. Next time I will make it without any meat. It was delicious with the smoked turkey, but would stand up very well without any meat at all.
3. Easy to put together, and improved as the days rolled by.
Yummo!

 

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