Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Mely Martínez

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This Alphabet Soup is really easy to prepare and is loved by everyone, young and old. I know it is a particular favorite with children since they like to play with their imagination and form words with all those letters floating in the bowl! At home, we still make this soup, even though we don’t have little ones anymore.

Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras

This is a Sponsored Post by IMUSA®, I had been using their products at home for several years.

Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (1)

I know this is sentimental, but I like to make this soup in myIMUSA® Blue Enamel pot since it reminds me of when I was a kid playing in the kitchen with grandma, as she always had a big blue enamel pot sitting on her wooden stove.

Later on, I found out that the blue enamel pot was a staple in many houses, and was used for things like tamales or even to make coffee like my grandma did. She would keep the pot of coffee next to the cooking hearth so it would be warm and ready to serve any unexpected visitors.

I use mine to make tamales, cook corn on the cob or for nixtamal, and to make batches of soup, like today’s alphabet soup. In case you’re wondering where you can get a nice enamel pot like this one, I got mine fromIMUSA®. I own several of their products, from my espresso maker to my little egg frying pan. Their products are safe and easy for cooking.

Now let’s make some Alphabet Soup!

How to make Alphabet Soup Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Notes:

  • Homemade chicken broth can be substituted for store-bought chicken broth or chicken bouillon mixed with water.
  • Some cooks like to add a sprig of cilantro to the soup while it is simmering the Alphabet soup (Sopa de Letras).
  • This soup freezes well.
Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (2)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Chop the tomato, onion, and garlic and place in your blender or food processor with one cup of the chicken broth. Process until the ingredients form a smooth sauce, then set aside.
Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (3)
  • Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the alphabet soup pasta and fry until slightly brown.
  • Pour in the tomato sauce using a strainer, bring to a boil, and cook.
  • Add the rest of the chicken broth, season with salt, place lid on the pot, and simmer for 8-10 more minutes. Check pasta for doneness. Remove promptly from the heat to avoid overcooking.
Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (4)
  • Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Buen Provecho!

Mely Martínez,

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📖 Recipe

Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (5)

Alphabet Soup

Mely Martínez

This Alphabet Soup is really easy to prepare and is loved by everyone, young and old. I know it is a particular favorite with children since they like to play with their imagination and form words with all those letters floating in the bowl!

4.70 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Soups

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Calories 465 kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. plum tomatoes
  • ¼ of a medium size white onion
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pkg. 7.5 oz. alphabet soup
  • 8 cups of chicken broth*
  • Salt to taste

OPTIONAL FOR GARNISH:

  • ½ avocado diced
  • ½ cup of Mexican Queso Fresco
  • Lime wedges
  • Mexican cream

Instructions

  • Chop the tomato, onion, and garlic and place in your blender or food processor with one cup of the chicken broth. Process until the ingredients form a smooth sauce, then set aside.

  • Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the alphabet soup pasta and fry until slightly brown (stir often to avoid burning the pasta). This step will take about 2 minutes.

  • Pour the tomato sauce using a strainer, bring to a boil, and cook for 4-5 minutes.

  • Add the rest of the chicken broth, season with salt, place lid on the pot, and simmer for 8-10 more minutes. Check pasta for doneness (this pasta cooks really quick). Remove promptly from the heat to avoid overcooking.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Homemade chicken broth can be substituted for store-bought chicken broth or chicken bouillon mixed with water.
    • Some cooks like to add a sprig of cilantro to the soup while it is simmering the Alphabet soup (Sopa de Letras).
    • This soup freezes well.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowlCalories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 57gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 381mgSodium: 1911mgPotassium: 1353mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 580IUVitamin C: 38.1mgCalcium: 107mgIron: 13.9mg

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Mexican Soups

    • Mexican Pasta Soup with Spinach
    • Bread Soup from Chiapas
    • Squash Vine and Shoots Soup
    • Mexican Potato Soup

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jen

      Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (10)
      This soup is incredible. I’ve made it MULTIPLE times, and eat until I’m beyond the point of full 😂. I like to save Parmesan rinds and drop them in the last stage of cooking for the extra touch of flavor. Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply

    2. Jessica

      Hola. Im wondering how can I avoid the letters (or fideo) from absorbing all the water? Eh tratado de hacer esta sopa hirviéndola solamente y también como usted sugiera friéndola antes de agregar el agua y siempre me pasa que el fideo/letras se toman el líquido. Al final termino con una sopa seca, aún si le apague al fuego antes. I've seen my mom make it and she doesn't have my problem. What am I doing wrong? Gracias!

      Reply

      • mmartinez

        Hello Jessica,
        Follow this recipe to a 'T", and when you arrive at the part of simmering the soup, do not overcook. I used to have this same problem when making pasta soups when I was a newlywed. A neighbor was kind enough to show me the trick to avoid dry pasta. Cook the paste in very low heat, cover the pot where you are cooking the pasta soup, and as soon as you see that the paste is done, remove from the burner or heat immediately. You can make any pasta soup, including this alphabet soup that way.

        Reply

    3. Olga Lopez

      Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (11)
      Yum! Thank you for this recipe! It brings back memories of my dear tia Eva Garza (singer). She made it for me in 1965 when I was 5, and visiting her in Mexico. I've always wondered how she mad that delicious alphabet soup. Now I savor the delicious flavor with loving memories.

      Reply

      • mmartinez

        Hola Olga,
        Thank you for sharing about your aunt Eva, I hope you make the soup and enjoy it!

        Reply

    4. Patricia J Cruz

      I remember traveling to Monterrey, NL to visit my mother's clan. Tia Inez & Tia Blanca would always prepare sopita de fideo in small porcelain bowls. Mine always had the rooster, painted, in the center. 😊

      Reply

    5. Anonymous

      Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (12)
      My kids love this!
      I sometimes add diced carrots, peas, celery, calabacitas to it! Yum!

      Vicky T

      Reply

    Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes (2024)

    FAQs

    Alphabet Soup Recipe │Sopa de Letras │Mexican Food Recipes? ›

    You'll have Mexican Sopa on the table in about 30 minutes and with just a few ingredients as well. You start with toasting the pasta in some oil, then add in the onion. After the pasta is toasted, add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, beef bullion cube. Garnish with plenty of cilantro when serving.

    What is a Mexican sopa made of? ›

    You'll have Mexican Sopa on the table in about 30 minutes and with just a few ingredients as well. You start with toasting the pasta in some oil, then add in the onion. After the pasta is toasted, add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, beef bullion cube. Garnish with plenty of cilantro when serving.

    What is alphabet soup made of? ›

    What is alphabet soup made of? This Alphabet Soup recipe is incredibly simple and satisfying. It calls for a package of alphabet pasta noodles, as well as celery, onion, carrots and garlic. The recipe uses chicken stock, but you can swap it for vegetable stock if you want to make it a Vegan Alphabet Soup.

    What is Mexican soup made of? ›

    Tortilla soup is Mexican soup. Name from fine corn tortilla pieces submerged in a broth of tomato ,garlic, onion,and chili de Arbol and epazote. Served with sour cream fresh avocado, fresh cheese cubes, and pieces of pasillia chilies.

    What is Campbell's alphabet soup? ›

    Hearty potatoes, diced carrots, sweet corn and green beans with tender macaroni in a rich tomato puree.

    What is Mexico's signature food? ›

    Guacamole is undoubtedly one of Mexico's most popular dishes, but few people know that this traditional sauce dates back to the time of the Aztecs.

    What are 3 of the most common ingredients in most Mexican dishes? ›

    The Most Important Ingredients for Mexican Cuisine
    • Corn (maize) Popol Vuh, which is the sacred book of the Mayas, says that men were made of corn. ...
    • Chili. In Mexican cuisine, the use of chili is a must. ...
    • Cocoa.
    Mar 16, 2024

    What is an example of alphabet soup? ›

    In the United States, the federal government is described as an alphabet soup on account of the multitude of agencies that it has spawned, including the NSA, CIA, FBI, USSS, ATF, DEA, EPA, NCIS, IRS and INS.

    How do you use alphabet soup? ›

    TO PLAY • The youngest player goes first, and play passes to the left. On your turn: • Spin the spinner and move the mover clockwise around the board that number of spaces. up and look at the letter printed on the space: If it MATCHES, turn the chip picture-side-up, and leave it there.

    How many letters are in alphabet soup? ›

    As you may have guessed, this record entails fishing out the letters A-Z from a can of alphabet soup and placing them in alphabetical order in the quickest time possible. The 26 letters were laid out on a piece of card on top of that same printed letter.

    What is the most popular soup in Mexico? ›

    Sopa de Tortilla

    One of the most ubiquitous soups from Mexico, this classic originated in the central region of the country. The soup itself is open to many variations, but don't skip the fried tortilla strips and lose that crunchy texture.

    What is Mexican soup with blood in it? ›

    It is probable that the source of the name fritada for the Guam dish came from a dish of the same name in Monterrey, Mexico where it refers to a stew made with the innards and blood of a young lamb. The origin of this Mexican dish is chanfaina from Extremadura, Spain.

    What Mexican food is cooked in blood? ›

    Moronga, rellena, or morcilla is a sausage related to chorizo: it is made from a variety of spices (such as oregano and mint); it is encased in the pig's intestine; it is a classic Mexican dish—a delicacy, even. What makes Moronga more unique is that it is made of the pig's blood and boiled in the casing.

    What happened to alphabet soup? ›

    Alphabet Soup raced in 1997 at age six, his best effort coming in defense of the San Antonio Handicap when he finished second to Gentlemen. He was euthanized due to chronic kidney disease, at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement in Georgetown, Kentucky, on January 28, 2022, at the age of 30.

    Why is it called alphabet soup? ›

    Roosevelt's New Deal platform created an incredible number of federal agencies to carry out new policies and regulations. Almost all of these agencies had an acronym like the CCC, TVA, or HOLC. Therefore, they came to be known as FDR's "Alphabet Soup Agencies" or just "Alphabet Agencies."

    Who makes alphabet soup? ›

    In the 1920s, Camden, New Jersey-based Campbell Soup Company ran into texture and bite-quality issues when developing pasta for their famed Alphabet Soup.

    What does sopa mean in Mexico? ›

    [ saw-pah ] show ipa. nounSpanish. soup.

    What is the difference between caldo and sopa? ›

    Caldo refers to the liquid resulting from the boiling of the meat and sopa includes the meat, vegetables and trimmings.

    What is sopa de tortilla made of? ›

    Traditional / "Sopa Azteca"

    Traditional tortilla soup is made of fried corn tortilla pieces, submerged into a broth of tomato, garlic, onion, and epazote. It is served with pieces of pasilla chiles, chicharrón, avocado, queso panela, lime, and Mexican crema.

    Is caldo and sopa the same thing? ›

    Caldo | Compare Spanish Words - SpanishDictionary.com. "Sopa" is a noun which is often translated as "soup", and "caldo" is a noun which is often translated as "broth". Learn more about the difference between "sopa" and "caldo" below.

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