If ever there was a comfort food invented, it’s fideo. Easy to make, quick and filling most of us in South Texas have fond memories of fideo. And for those of you that aren’t familiar, the name doesn’t rhyme with video. It’s pronounced fi-DEH-yo.
Fideo is a Traditional Comfort Food
There are so many different ways to prepare fideo that I had trouble deciding which one I would share. The most typical is with stew meat and potatoes. In my opinion, the stew meat never cooks long enough to tenderize because the thin vermicelli noodles cook so quickly. Albondigas, or meatballs, seem to be a better fit because ground beef is already tender. And yes, most albondigas are made with uncooked rice, but again, this dish can’t be stewed all that long because the noodles might fall apart.
The noodles are usually pan toasted before the stewing liquid is added, which helps the noodles hold up while the fideo stews. Even so, stewing for 10 minutes is not enough time for rice embedded in a meatball to cook, nor for a cube of stew beef to tenderize. This is my favorite recipe for all of the practical reasons mentioned above.
A Very Versatile Dish
If you are trying to jazz up yesterday’s roast chicken or pork, simply cube the leftover protein and add it to the pan after you add the broth. If you want a meatless fideo, simply skip the meatball prep, and add the full 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil to the pan and toast your onions and noodles as directed. Vegetarians can use vegetable broth and may opt to add some cubes squash or carrots. The recipe is incredibly versatile.
I usually top my fideo with chunks of avocado, or even a little crumbled queso cotija. It’s especially good for a quick hot lunch. And of course, the kids love it.
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