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    Home » Soup » Sopita (Sopa de Conchas): Mexican Shells and Cheese

    Sopita (Sopa de Conchas): Mexican Shells and Cheese

    Published on Apr 28, 2022 Modified: Apr 22, 2022 by Melissa Torres This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Sopita Pinterest Image middle design banner
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    Sopita is a popular and simple Mexican soup recipe made using shell pasta, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. It is affordable, versatile, and so easy to make! 

    A couple of bowls of sopa de conchas with grated cheese sprinkled on top.

    “Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”

    Recipe Origins

    Literally translated, “sopita” is Spanish for “little soup”. It is a popular recipe in Mexican homes with a popularity that matches Chicken Noodle Soup here in the United States. 

    It is a stock-based soup that is formed by cooking shell pasta in chicken broth and tomato sauce, and then topped with cheese (sometimes). 

    Many think that Sopita was invented in Spain. In the Spanish version, the pasta is added towards the end of the recipe to avoid the shells from getting soggy. In the Mexican version, the pasta is browned in oil before any liquid is added. 

    Other Names for Sopita

    This recipe is called Mexican Sopita, but there are many other names to call this or similar recipes. You may also hear: 

    • Sopa de Conchas (if using pasta shells)
    • Sopa de Fideo (if using Fideo or angel hair pasta) 
    • Sopita de Estrellas (if using star pasta) 
    • Sopa de Codos (if using elbow pasta) 

    Most of these recipes are made in exactly the same manner with the major difference just being the type of pasta used. 

    Why Make this Recipe

    1. Simple and Cozy: If you want a belly full of warm soup, this recipe is the way to go! It’s simple and easy to make with big rewards of a warm and cozy soup belly once you get to sit down to enjoy. 
    2. Cheap: You can make this recipe using very affordable pantry staples, including pasta, 1 seasoning, oil, and tomato sauce. If you need to feed a lot of people while on a tight budget, this recipe is the way to go (you can even double it for the same cost!) 
    3. Taste of Mexico: This is a popular recipe to make in Mexican and Mexican American families. I loved trying this new recipe to give me a taste of Mexico! 

    What Do I Need to Make this Recipe

    Ingredients 

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    1. Pasta: You can use many different types of pasta in this recipe. Most recipes call for using small shells, but I couldn’t find any so I used medium shells instead. You can also use star pasta. 
    2. Tomato Sauce: Some recipes call for blending up fresh tomatoes and using the resulting juice, but I actually like the flavor of canned tomato sauce better for this recipe. 
    3. Chicken Bouillon Powder: You can find chicken bouillon powder in the grocery store. I recommend the powder as opposed to the chicken bouillon cubes or the gel, because the powder dissolves best in the liquid. Some recipes call for the tomato flavored chicken bouillon. Either will work. 
    4. Toppings: You can get lime juice or queso fresco as toppings for the individual bowls. 

    Tools

    1. Medium Pot: With lid
    2. Wooden Spoon

    How to Make this Recipe

    Step 1: Toast the Pasta

    Shell pasta added to a saucepan to make sopa de conchas.
    Browning shell pasta in a saucepan to make sopa de conchas.

    In a medium-large pot, heat the oil to a medium high heat. Then add the uncooked pasta. 

    Stir the pasta until it toasts and turns brown, making sure to not let it burn. 

    Step 2: Boil the Pasta

    Liquid ingredients added to the browned pasta to make sopa de conchas.

    Once the pasta is toasted, add 4 ½ cups of water, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to combine. 

    Cover the pasta and bring the water to a boil. Then boil the pasta for about 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked all the way through. 

    Step 3: Serve

    Sopa de conchas finished cooking in a saucepan.

    Spoon the soup into a bowl, squeeze some fresh lime juice (optional) over the top, and enjoy! 

    Expert Tips

    Sopa de conchas in a bowl with cheese sprinkled over it and a spoon tucked in.
    • Some recipes add corn kernels or diced yellow onion into the sopa de conchas along with the dry pasta when you are toasting. You can add this or any extra vegetables that sound good (see below for more suggestions). 
    • If you are using smaller shells or a different shape of pasta, your cook time may differ. Check the back of the box for approximate cook time. 
    • For some extra protein, we like to add some cooked ground beef into the bowls with the sopa de conchas. It reminds us of one of our favorites, this Creamy Beef and Shells recipe.

    Other Vegetable to Add

    Most traditional sopa de conchas recipes don’t call for additional vegetables. BUT why should that stop you?! If you want to pack some extra veggies into your recipe, try choosing from one (or many) of these: 

    • Peas
    • Zucchini 
    • Broccoli 
    • Carrots
    • Potatoes 
    • Bell Pepper
    • Garlic Cloves

    Other Additions to Sopa de Conchas

    Most recipes for Sopita call for very similar ingredients, but there are a few outliers here or there. Some other things you can add are: 

    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Queso Fresco 
    • Hot Sauce 
    • Mexican Blended Cheese
    • Chicken broth instead of water + chicken bouillon 

    Recipe FAQs

    Small bowl of sopa de conchas with a spoon in it.
    Where is Sopita From? 

    Sopita is a popular and easy recipe in Mexican and Mexican American cuisine. It is also eaten in Spain. 

    How to Store Leftovers

    If you have leftovers, you can easily store them in an airtight container in the fridge! Leftovers will stay good for up to 5 days.

    How to Reheat Leftovers

    Because of the way this dish is made, you will notice that the shell pasta in the leftovers will easily suck up much of the extra broth.

    This means that when you serve your dish the second time, you may need to add a bit more water and bouillon powder to the bowl in order to make the perfect soupy texture again. 

    You can reheat leftovers using either a microwave or in a pot on the stove. 

    Did you enjoy this Sopa de Conchas recipe? If so, check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

    • Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
    • Instant Pot French Onion Soup
    • Chickpea Stew Recipe from Algeria
    • Black Bean Soup from Guatemala

    If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!

    And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.

    Sopita (Sopa de Conchas): Mexican Shells and Cheese

    Sopita is a popular and simple Mexican soup recipe made using shell pasta, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. It is affordable, versatile, and so easy to make!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 250kcal
    Author: The Foreign Fork

    Equipment

    • Medium Pot
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 2 ½ cups Medium shell pasta , 8 oz, (you can also use small shells)
    • 4 ½ cups water
    • ½ cup tomato sauce
    • 2 ½ tbsp chicken bouillon powder
    • 1 lime, optional for topping
    • Queso Fresco, optional for topping (can substitute parmesan cheese if necessary)

    Instructions

    • In a medium-large pot, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil to a medium high heat. Then add 2 ½ cups uncooked pasta.
    • Stir the pasta until it toasts and turns brown, making sure to not let it burn.
    • Once the pasta is toasted, add 4 ½ cups water, ½ cup tomato sauce, and 2 ½ tbsp chicken bouillon powder. Stir to combine.
    • Cover the pasta and bring the water to a boil. Then boil the pasta for about 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked all the way through.
    • Spoon the soup into a bowl, squeeze some fresh lime juice (optional) over the top, and enjoy!

    Notes

    Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
    • Pasta: You can use many different types of pasta in this recipe. Most recipes call for using small shells, but I couldn’t find any so I used medium shells instead. You can also use star pasta.
    • Tomato Sauce: Some recipes call for blending up fresh tomatoes and using the resulting juice, but I actually like the flavor of canned tomato sauce better for this recipe.
    • Chicken Bouillon Powder: You can find chicken bouillon powder in the grocery store. I recommend the powder as opposed to the chicken bouillon cubes or the gel, because the powder dissolves best in the liquid. Some recipes call for the tomato flavored chicken bouillon. Either will work.
    • Toppings: You can get lime juice or queso fresco as toppings for the individual bowls.
    • Some recipes add corn kernels or diced yellow onion into the pot along with the dry pasta when you are toasting. You can add this or any extra vegetables that sound good (see below for more suggestions).
    • If you are using smaller shells or a different shape of pasta, your cook time may differ. Check the back of the box for approximate cook time.
    • For some extra protein, we like to add some cooked ground beef into the bowls with the soup. It reminds us of one of our favorites, this Creamy Beef and Shells recipe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!

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    Comments

    1. Mora B says

      November 17, 2022 at 10:00 pm

      Looks good and I’ll try it, but I’m from Spain and this is not at all a dish from Spain, I assure you. I have never heard of it or seen it anywhere.

      Reply
    2. Matt says

      May 19, 2022 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is so simple and so delicious! I even added some ground beef when I made it and it was the perfect comfort meal!

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        May 19, 2022 at 1:36 pm

        So glad you liked it Matt 🙂 It sure is delicious!

        Reply
    3. Alexandria says

      May 19, 2022 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was so good! Very simple but is 100% a comfort food.

      Reply

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