Fideo {Mexican Spaghetti}

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Mexican spaghetti topped with carne asada steak (or chicken) and all the right toppings make for the ultimate Fideo recipe! 

Overhead photo of prepared Fideo.

One of my family’s favorite places to eat is a local Mexican restaurant that serves the best sweet pork tacos. Whenever we go there, I end up ordering the same thing because I’m obsessed with it. However, a few weeks ago I finally branched out from trying the same thing and gave their “fideo” a try!

Fideo translates to “noodle” in Spanish.  Sopa de Fideo is a Mexican noodle soup made with a tomato-based broth. And the Fideo I’m sharing today (restaurant copycat) is essentially a Mexican version of chicken noodle soup with a lot less broth and topped with your choice of delicious toppings. Those topping options consist of meat, shredded jack cheese, Cheddar jack cheese, grated cotija, tortilla chip strips, cilantro, serrano pepper, pico de gallo, lime, and/or sour cream. Yum!

This Fideo recipe is incredible! If you’re unsure, give it a try and I’m sure you’ll love it! 

Overhead shot of the steak marinade.

But first, a little background:

What is Fideo?

Fideo is the Spanish word for noodle. For Mexican or Spanish dishes, the dry pasta is first toasted in oil. This adds so much flavor to the final dish and it’s easy to do!

The recipe I’m sharing today won’t be considered authentic but is more of an Americanized version. Since Fideo really just means noodle, we’re doing a Mexican spaghetti/noodle dish.

Toasted angel hair pasta in a pot.

Adding steak to the recipe

Below is a more time-intensive, but flavorful way to preparing steak to add to Fideo. See below for a simplified version, plus a recipe for adding chicken.

  • Ingredients
    • 1 pound flat iron steak (flank or skirt steak will also work)
    • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
    • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño
    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Instructions
    • PREPARE STEAK: Combine all of the marinade ingredients. Using a fork, poke holes about an inch apart all over the steak on one side only. Place the steak in a large freezer bag and pour all but 1/4 cup marinade over the steak. Massage marinade into the steak, seal the bag, and refrigerate. Chill for at least an hour and up to 8 hours, turning the steak at least once. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and let stand at room temperature.
    • COOK STEAK:
      • Skillet Option: Drain the marinade from meat and pat dry with a paper towel (we don’t want to stew the meat). Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steak for about 4-5 minutes per side or until steak is medium-rare (130-135 degrees F). Baste with the reserved marinade. Let the meat rest on a cutting board, tented with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes. Slice very thinly against the grain into strips.
      • Grill Option: Heat grill or grill pan to high heat. Clean and then lightly oil the grill grates (or ridges on a grill pan). I do this by pouring canola oil over a paper towel, wadding it up, holding it with tongs, and running it along the grates/ridges. Drain the marinade from the meat. Grill the steak for about 4-5 minutes per side or until steak is medium-rare (130-135 degrees F). Baste with the reserved marinade. Let the meat rest on a cutting board, tented with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes. Slice very thinly against the grain into strips.

All ingredients in the pot before we simmer it.

Adding steak or chicken (spice rub)

Here is a simplified way of preparing steak or chicken to add to Fideo. See above for a more time-intensive, but flavorful version of the steak.

Steak

  • Ingredients
    • 1 pound flat iron steak (flank or skirt steak will also work)
    • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Carne asada seasoning blend – I love this one
  • Instructions
    • Rub steak with olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle seasoning blend evenly over the entire steak and rub in. Follow the directions above to cook in a skillet or on a grill. 

Chicken

  • Ingredients
    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
    • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Carne asada seasoning blend – I love this one
  • Instructions
    • Halve breasts horizontally so they are an even thickness. Sprinkle seasoning blend evenly over chicken and rub in. Grill or cook chicken in a skillet (add 1-2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or generously grease grill/grill grates with oil) until cooked through (internal temperature 165 degrees F).

QUICK TIP

Carne Asada may sound exotic, but the translation from Spanish simply means grilled meat!

Finished Fideo recipe.

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Fideo

5 from 1 vote
Mexican spaghetti topped with carne asada steak (or chicken) and all the right toppings make for the ultimate Fideo recipe! 
Print Recipe

Fideo

5 from 1 vote
Mexican spaghetti topped with carne asada steak (or chicken) and all the right toppings make for the ultimate Fideo recipe! 
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword fideo, mexican spaghetti
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings
Calories 469kcal
Author Chelsea, inspired by Cafe Rio's Fideo

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup finely diced carrots (2 medium carrots)
  • 1/3 cup finely diced yellow onion (1/2 of a small onion)
  • 1/4 cup finely diced green onions (2 green onions)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
  • 2 teaspoons chicken boullion
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons EACH: ground cumin and ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely diced cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) angel hair pasta
  • 2 containers (32 ounces EACH) chicken broth divided

Toppings (not optional; these MAKE the dish!)

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or flat iron steak (Note 1)
  • Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese finely shredded
  • tortilla strips
  • sour cream (fat free works great)
  • chopped cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo
  • cotija cheese
  • Additional limes and cilantro optional

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing all of the ingredients: Peel and finely dice the carrots, yellow and green onions, mince the garlic, and open the can of diced tomatoes. Measure out all the seasonings into a bowl: the chicken bouillon, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon cracked pepper (hold off on the salt for now). Dice the cilantro and juice the lime. Now we're ready to start!
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pot that has a lid. Add the carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in both onions and garlic and cook until the veggies are fork-tender. Next, add in all of the spices. Toast the spices for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir constantly (or reduce heat as needed) so nothing burns. Remove the veggie/spice mixture back to that bowl you measured your spices in and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot. Reduce heat to medium- low. Break the angel hair pasta in half and add to the pot. Cook the dry noodles while constantly stirring for 3-5 minutes. (I use tongs to flip/stir the noodles since they're still quite long.) Cook until the noodles have turned golden brown and are slightly blistered. Turn off the heat; add in the entire can of diced tomatoes (undrained), cilantro, lime juice, cooked veggies and spices (from step 1), and 6 cups of chicken broth; stir. Turn heat on to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until the noodles are soft and have soaked up most of the broth. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and it's ready to serve!
  • While the noodles are cooking, prepare the toppings. Finely shred Monterrey jack and Cheddar cheese. Set out tortilla strips and sour cream. Chop some cherry tomatoes or make a quick pico de gallo. Set out additional lime wedges and/or cilantro. Prepare the steak or chicken topping - see the last two paragraphs in the post for directions.
  • Assemble by serving up the pasta and broth into large bowls. Add your favorites in this order: cheese first (so it can melt well), meat next, sour cream, tomatoes/pico, cilantro, lots of tortilla strips, cotija, and a few squeezes of fresh lime. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: to prepare the chicken or steak there are a few options (marinate steak or use a carne asada rub to rub over chicken/steak and then cook or grill). Read the last two paragraphs in the blog post for directions.
Nutritional information is calculated using chicken thigh for the meat portion.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2802IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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