It is a rainy and cold day where I am today and all I can think of is soup! There is nothing like a bowl of HOT Steamy soup when you have been out in the cold all day and today was definitely one of those days.
This particular recipe is one of those “quick to whip up” soups that packs in so much flavor, without cooking it for hours and hours. Another exciting aspect about this soup is that it can also be made in a pressure cooker/multi-cooker. Just use the settings for soup on your particular model.
Now back to the soup and all of it’s delicious ingredients! You can honestly add anything to this soup when it comes to vegetables but there are some exceptions. I wouldn’t go willy nilly adding in something like celery or broccoli as it can definitely change the flavor to this soup. But, anything like potatoes, yuca, sweet potatoes, green plantains… all very acceptable items to add into this delicious soup. You can also add in parsnips, turnips, and some root/tubers that you may not be all that familiar with. So, head over to your local Hispanic or Asian market and look for the following if you want to add in something you’ve never had:
Ñame, Batata, Yautia (white or pink) and Taro Root. All of these can be used in place of potatoes if you like.
Lastly, in this soup is also the magical base of most Puerto Rican Creole dishes! The goodness of the SOFRITO which is what starts to give this dish the delicious aromas and flavors from the moment it all hits the pot. (click here to learn more about Sofrito ) Combined with the sofrito, sazon and all of the ingredients, this is one to add into your recipe book for the winter month or honestly ANY day of the year!
Puerto Rican Beef Noodle Soup/Sopa de Fideos con Carne de Res
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Cubed Beef If you'd like you can also add in beef soup bones but, it's optional
- 1 tsp Each Salt and Pepper
- 1 packet Unsalted Beef Bouillon
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Sofrito or Recaito If you buy the jars of sofrito and recaito, you can use 1 Tbsp of each
- 1/2 tsp Powdered Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Powdered Onion
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 packet Sazon with coriander and annatto
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 8-10 oz Goya Fidelini Pasta (or Fideos) You can also use thin angel hair pasta
- 6-8 Cups Water
- 3 Ears of corn, split into 4 round slices 3/4 inch slices
- 1 Cup Diced potatoes
- 3 Large Carrots, Sliced into thirds
- Sliced Avocado Optional
Instructions
- Heat a stock pot over medium to high heat, add oil. While the pot is heating, pat dry the beef and season with salt and pepper. Add beef to hot oil and saute until beef is lightly golden brown on outside. (3-4 minutes)
- Make room in pan so that you can see the bottom of the pan, add in the Sofrito/Recaito to the bottom of pan and heat for 1 minute. Mix with meat and saute for another minute.
- Add in tomato paste, garlic, onion powder and dried coriander. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Carefully add in the water, 1 Cup at a time. You may or may not need to use all 8 cups as you don't want to overfill the pot (start with about 5 cups). Reserve any remaining water in case you need to add in more later.
- Mix well and add in the beef bouillon and the packet of sazon. Stir and bring soup to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Let soup simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally .
- Uncover and add in the potatoes, carrots and the corn. Cover and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- Once the potatoes, carrots and corn are tender, you can add the pasta, cook for another 6 minutes or until pasta is tender. *Tip: you can also cook the pasta separately, according to the directions on the packaging and just add to the soup later. This is a good practice if you are saving for leftovers, so that the pasta doesn't clump up the soup later.
- Serve hot and top with avocados. Serve with a side of french bread.
Notes