Panama Sopa de Fideos with Seafood and Culantro

Name: Panama Sopa de Fideos with Seafood and Culantro
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Panamanian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon (3 g) achiote (annatto) powder; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil; 1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely diced; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, finely diced; 2 medium (200 g) plum tomato, diced; 6 cups (1440 ml) fish or seafood stock; 2 cups (480 ml) water; 8 ounces (225 g) thin pasta (fideos or angel hair); 1 pound (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 8 ounces (225 g) lump crab meat; ½ cup (15 g) fresh culantro leaves, finely chopped; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped (optional); 1 whole (50 g) fresh lime, cut into wedges; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant Panamanian noodle soup loaded with shrimp and crab, flavored with achiote, culantro, and sofrito. The thin fideos pasta absorbs the rich seafood broth while fresh herbs brighten each spoonful. This is comfort food that reflects Panama's coastal and Caribbean influences.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 2 cups each)

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Steps

Before you start

Have all seafood prepped and ready before you start cooking—it cooks quickly
Make sure your culantro is fresh; if unavailable, cilantro works but use less (start with half) as it's milder
Use a 5–6 quart pot so the broth has room to simmer without boiling over

1
Toast achiote and bloom oil
- In a 5–6 quart pot, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat.
- Add 1 teaspoon achiote powder and stir constantly for 30–45 seconds until fragrant and the oil turns deep orange-red.
- Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
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Ready when: Oil is deep orange-red and smells toasted
Tip: Achiote burns easily; keep the heat at medium and stir without stopping
2
Build the sofrito base
- Add diced onion and bell pepper to the achiote oil and cook, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes until softened and slightly golden.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in diced tomato and cook for 2–3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.
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Ready when: Vegetables are soft, tomato is breaking apart, and mixture is aromatic
Tip: Don't rush this step—the sofrito base builds the soup's flavor foundation
3
Add stock and water
- Pour in 6 cups fish or seafood stock and 2 cups water.
- Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes so the broth absorbs the achiote and sofrito flavor.
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Ready when: Broth is boiling and turns a warm orange hue
Tip: Use fish stock if you can find it; chicken stock works in a pinch but won't be as authentic
4
Add pasta and cook
- Gently break the fideos into bite-sized pieces (2–3 inches long) and add to the simmering broth.
- Stir to separate the strands and prevent sticking.
- Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender but still has a slight bite.
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Ready when: Pasta is tender but retains a slight firmness when bitten
Tip: Thin pasta cooks fast; check at 6 minutes to avoid mushy noodles
5
Add shrimp and crab
- Add 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp and 8 ounces lump crab meat to the pot.
- Stir gently to combine and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, just until the shrimp turns opaque and firm and the crab is heated through.
- Do not overcook or the seafood will toughen.
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Ready when: Shrimp is opaque and curled; crab is hot throughout
Tip: Large shrimp cook in 3–4 minutes; add crab at the same time since both are quick
6
Season and finish
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in chopped culantro and optional cilantro.
- Taste the broth and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Squeeze lime juice into each bowl just before serving for brightness.
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Ready when: Herbs are mixed in and soup tastes balanced and bright
Tip: Add lime at serving—not before—so it stays fresh and aromatic

Good to know

Tips

Achiote powder is key to authentic Panamanian flavor; it's worth seeking out in a Latin market or online rather than substituting
If your shrimp or crab is previously frozen, thaw completely and pat dry before adding to keep the broth from becoming watery
For a richer broth, you can make your own seafood stock by simmering shrimp shells, fish frames, or crab shells with onion, carrot, and celery for 20 minutes, then straining
Serve hot with lime wedges and crusty bread to soak up the aromatic broth

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pasta will soften further as it sits. Reheat gently over medium heat, adding a splash of water or stock if needed. Do not freeze; the pasta and seafood texture will suffer. For best results, make fresh.

Substitutions

fresh culantro leaves → cilantro. If culantro is unavailable, use half the amount of cilantro (about ¼ cup / 5 g), as cilantro is milder and more delicate
lump crab meat → sea legs or imitation crab, flaked. Use the same weight; flake well before adding so it doesn't clump
fish or seafood stock → chicken stock or vegetable stock. The soup will be less briny but still delicious; use all 6 cups and skip the extra water, using only 1 cup
thin pasta (fideos or angel hair) → thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, broken into 2–3 inch pieces. Cook time may vary slightly; check for tenderness starting at 6 minutes