Costa Rican Sopa de Fideos with Picadillo

Name: Costa Rican Sopa de Fideos with Picadillo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 whole (150 g) red bell pepper, finely diced; 1 pound (450 g) ground beef (80/20); 1½ teaspoons (7½ g) ground cumin; ¾ teaspoon (3¾ g) ground coriander; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste; 1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned diced tomatoes with juice; 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth or stock; 2 medium (400 g) chayote squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes; 1 whole (180 g) medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes; 2 ounces (55 g) thin pasta (fideos, vermicelli, or broken spaghetti); to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional); 1 whole (50 g) fresh lime, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warming Costa Rican noodle soup built on a sofrito base with seasoned ground beef picadillo, tender chayote, tomatoes, and thin pasta. This humble but deeply flavored soup is comfort food at its best—served steaming with fresh lime and hot sauce on the side.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 6 servings (about 2 cups each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 whole (150 g) red bell pepper, finely diced
1 pound (450 g) ground beef (80/20)
1½ teaspoons (7.5 g) ground cumin
¾ teaspoon (3.8 g) ground coriander
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned diced tomatoes with juice
4 cups (950 ml) beef broth or stock
2 medium (400 g) chayote squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 whole (180 g) medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 ounces (55 g) thin pasta (fideos, vermicelli, or broken spaghetti)
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
1 whole (50 g) fresh lime, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

Equipment (4)

Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5–6 quart)
Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
Sharp knife and cutting board
Measuring spoons and cups

Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you begin simmering
Use freshly ground cumin and coriander for the best flavor
Choose thin pasta like fideos, vermicelli, or broken spaghetti

1
Brown the ground beef
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (5–6 quart) over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned, no longer pink, and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
- Pour off excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
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Ready when: Beef is browned with no pink, internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Break the meat into small, even pieces so it distributes well throughout the soup.
2
Build the sofrito base
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the tomato paste, cumin, and coriander, stirring well to coat the vegetables and deglaze any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Cook for 1–2 minutes until the spices bloom and become fragrant.
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Ready when: Vegetables are soft, spices are fragrant, tomato paste deepens in color
Tip: Toast the spices in the oil and paste briefly to awaken their flavors and prevent raw-spice taste.
3
Deglaze and season
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon.
- Add the diced tomatoes with their juice and stir well.
- Let this simmer for 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors slightly.
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Ready when: Mixture darkens slightly and reduces a touch
Tip: Scraping the pot releases fond (caramelized bits) that deepen the flavor.
4
Add broth and vegetables
- Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the cubed chayote and potato.
- Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.
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Ready when: Chayote and potato can be easily pierced with a fork but still hold their shape
Tip: Don't skip the chayote—it's essential to authentic Costa Rican sopa de fideos and adds subtle sweetness and tender texture.
5
Cook the pasta
- Stir in the thin pasta, breaking it into 2–3 inch pieces if needed.
- Bring back to a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the pasta is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente).
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Ready when: Pasta is tender but not mushy, broth is slightly thickened by starch
Tip: Stir the pasta a few times to prevent sticking to the bottom and to ensure even cooking.
6
Taste and season
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Remember that the beef and Worcestershire sauce are already salty, so add conservatively and taste after each addition.
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Ready when: Soup is well-seasoned and balanced
Tip: Taste as you go—it's easier to add salt than remove it.
7
Serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro if using, and serve with lime wedges on the side.
- Guests can squeeze lime juice into their bowls to brighten the flavors.
- Serve hot with hot sauce or salsa on the side if desired.
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Tip: Fresh lime and cilantro are essential finishing touches that lift the entire dish.

Good to know

Tips

This soup is even better made a day ahead—the flavors meld and deepen overnight, making it an ideal make-ahead meal.
Chayote is milder and more delicate than squash; if you can't find it, zucchini or yellow squash work, but the traditional flavor profile is unique to the chayote.
Worcestershire sauce is essential to the picadillo flavor—don't skip it or substitute soy sauce, which will alter the taste significantly.
For a thicker, more stew-like soup, reduce the broth to 3.5 cups; for brothier results, increase it to 4.5 cups.

Make ahead

You can make this soup up to 2 days ahead. Prepare it fully, cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot through (about 10 minutes). The flavors deepen as it sits, making it even better the next day.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container (the pasta will soften slightly upon thawing, but the soup remains delicious). To reheat from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm gently on the stovetop or in a microwave.

Substitutions

chayote squash → zucchini or yellow squash. Cut into similar ½-inch cubes. Zucchini cooks slightly faster, so add it in the last 8–10 minutes of simmering to avoid mushiness.
ground beef (80/20) → ground pork or ground turkey. Use the same weight. Ground pork adds richness; ground turkey is leaner. Adjust seasoning to taste if you prefer a milder or more robust flavor.
thin pasta (fideos, vermicelli, or broken spaghetti) → regular broken spaghetti or campanelle. Any thin, short pasta works. Avoid large shapes, which don't fit the broth-to-pasta ratio.
beef broth or stock → vegetable broth or chicken broth. Use vegetable broth for a lighter soup or chicken broth for a slightly different but still delicious flavor. You may need to add a pinch more salt.