This Sopita Recipe is a popular and simple Mexican soup recipe made using shell pasta, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. It is affordable, versatile, ready in 30 minutes, and so easy to make!
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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).
Literally translated, “sopita” is Spanish for “little soup”. It is a common recipe in Mexican homes with a popularity that matches Chicken Noodle Soup here in the United States. Many children in Mexico grew up eating Sopita as a comfort food when they were sick or when their parents needed an easy meal to make.
Whether you are running low on time and need something fast, a parent in need of an easy meal, a college student on a budget, or just someone looking for a warm and comforting lunch, this Sopa de Conchitas (and also this Fagioli Soup recipe) has you covered.
I tested this recipe 3 times before it was ready to share with you! I can’t wait for you to try it.
Why Make this Recipe
- 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 warm and cozy vibes once you sit down to enjoy.
- Cheap: You can make this recipe using very affordable pantry staples, including pasta, 1 seasoning, olive 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!)
- Taste of Mexico: This is a popular Mexican food amongst Mexicans and Mexican American families. I loved trying this new recipe to give me a taste of Mexico! You can also try out my homemade guacamole recipe, sincronizadas, picaditas, and my article on how to make arroz con leche for more tastes of Mexico.
Ingredients for this Sopita Recipe
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Pasta: You can use many different types of pasta in this recipe. Most recipes call for using small shells, but if you can’t find any, medium shells will work.
- Tomato Sauce: Some recipes call for blending up fresh tomatoes and using the resulting juice, but for an easy recipe, I use canned tomato sauce.
- 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, queso fresco, or cotija cheese for the individual bowls. In a pinch parmesan will be a delicious, if not authentic, substitute.
Variations
This recipe is a very basic and traditional Sopita recipe, but there are other variations you can try! Choose from one (or many) of these suggestions to add a twist on your recipe:
- Add Vegetables: Zucchini, Broccoli, Carrots, Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Corn Kernels, Peas (Check out my Instant Pot Creamed Peas while you’re at it)
- Spices: Garlic powder, Onion powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin
- Protein: 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. You can also add chicken, ground sausage, or shrimp.
- Flavorings: Hot Sauce, Chicken broth instead of water + chicken bouillon
- Cheese: You can stir some cheese into the Sopita and allow it to melt before serving. For this, try adding Pepper Jack or a Mexican Blended Cheese. If that sounds good to you, you’ll also love my Instant Pot Goulash!
How to Make this Recipe
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Step 1: Toast the Pasta
In a medium-large pot, heat the oil to a medium high heat. Then add the uncooked pasta.
Add the white onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute until fragrant.
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
Once the pasta is toasted, add the water, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to combine.
Bring the water to a boil, then boil the pasta for about 7-8 minutes or until the noodles are cooked all the way through.
Step 3: Serve
Spoon the Sopa de Conchas into a bowl, squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top, add some crumbled queso fresco, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you are using larger shells or a different shape of pasta, your cook time may differ. Check the back of the box for approximate cook time. I’ve made this with medium shells and it was also delicious!
- Toast your pasta on a lower heat so that the onions don’t burn while you are waiting for the shells to brown!
- If you want even more flavor, feel free to add more chicken bouillon powder into the pot. Proceed with caution, as the bouillon powder is rather salty…. I made that mistake once. Start small and add more as desired.
Recipe FAQs
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. You can freeze leftovers for 3 months in an airtight container.
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/bouillon powder and tomato sauce into the bowl in order to make the perfect soupy texture again. Make sure you have extra on hand for this purpose!
You can reheat leftovers using either a microwave or in a pot on the stove.
Yes! Just use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken bouillon.
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.
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.
Did you enjoy this Sopita 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 tried this Sopita Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Sopita Recipe (Sopa de Conchas)
Equipment
- Pot(s)
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ cup white onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz small shell pasta (2 cups)
- 5 cups water
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 lime, optional for topping
- Crumbled Queso Fresco cheese, optional for topping
Instructions
- In a medium-large pot, heat the oil to a medium high heat.
- Add the white onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the uncooked pasta. Stir the pasta until it toasts and turns brown, making sure to not let it burn.
- Once the pasta is toasted, add the water, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to combine.
- Bring the water to a boil, then boil the pasta for about 7-8 minutes or until the noodles are cooked all the way through.
- Spoon the soup into a bowl, squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top, add some crumbled queso fresco, and enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta: You can use many different types of pasta in this recipe. Most recipes call for using small shells, but if you can’t find any, medium shells will work.
- Tomato Sauce: Some recipes call for blending up fresh tomatoes and using the resulting juice, but for an easy recipe, I use canned tomato sauce.
- 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, queso fresco, or cotija cheese for the individual bowls. In a pinch parmesan will be a delicious, if not authentic, substitute.
- If you are using larger shells or a different shape of pasta, your cook time may differ. Check the back of the box for approximate cook time. I’ve made this with medium shells and it was also delicious!
- Toast your pasta on a lower heat so that the onions don’t burn while you are waiting for the shells to brown!
- If you want even more flavor, feel free to add more chicken bouillon powder into the pot. Proceed with caution, as the bouillon powder is rather salty…. I made that mistake once. Start small and add more as desired.
Kimberly says
This is most definitely going in the rotation! Especially during the fall and winter. I was looking for easy recipes to have during Lent, and this was right up my alley. I cheated on the onions though, I used a frozen seasoning blend so my time was a little longer but oh my goodness. Easy and delicious as is, next time I might add in either shredded chicken or browned beef.
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
So glad you enjoyed the Sopita Kimberly! Yes, my husband and I LOVE it with browned ground beef!
Jennifer says
I doctored this a little bit with some chili powder, trying to duplicate a soup I had at a Mexican restaurant. Maybe its not authentic but it was a good addition. I used your recipe because it had tomato sauce as I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes. It did need quite a bit of salt for my taste.
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
So glad you liked it Jennifer! The chili powder sounded like a great addition 🙂 Thank you for leaving a review!
Andrea McDermett says
I had this many times growing up, and I have also made it many times as an adult. I thought I would try perusing for a new recipe, and I’m really glad that I found this one. It’s flavorful and the starch with the tomato sauce thickened the liquid to a perfection. It was delicious.
The Foreign Fork says
Im so glad you loved it Andrea, and that it compares to what you had as a child!! Thank you for the review 🙂
Mora B says
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.
Jennifer Palmer says
It’s from Mexico.
Kerry says
The recipe repeatedly says it’s from Mexico. No one said anything about Spain.
Matt says
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!
The Foreign Fork says
So glad you liked it Matt 🙂 It sure is delicious!
Alexandria says
This recipe was so good! Very simple but is 100% a comfort food.