Fideos is Spanish for noodles – but not just any noodles. They are vermicelli-like noodles, golden in color, and are short – cut into 1-2 inch pieces and taste best when browned in a skillet. You do not need to boil them like regular pasta. I promise they will be your new favorite noodles!
I first came across a recipe for Chicken Soup Fideos which I posted here. There are also many recipes for Fideos with Chicken which are amazing, but I wanted a Vegetarian version, so I started working on this a few months ago and am really happy with the results.
Browning the Fideos in a cast iron skillet is key to bringing out their flavors. You can use butter if you like, but I have found that Pam cooking spray mixed with Veggie broth will work just as well. The key is to keep stirring and replenishing the liquid so they do not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. I use a metal spatula for this and all you have to do is keep stirring and scraping, and the noodles will turn a beautiful deep golden brown. This recipes takes a bit longer than most, but it is well worth the time and you will have leftovers to last all week.
We absolutely love this dish and hope you do, too.
FYI, as always my pink links are clickable and will direct you where to purchase on Amazon.
Crispy Skillet Fideo Noodles with Summer Vegetables
Ingredients:
2 – 3 cups veggie broth
1 7-ounce package Fideos (these are my favorite)
Cooking spray
10-15 grape tomatoes or other miniature variety – all pierced with a knife
1 zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced,
2 cups broccolini florets cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips (I love the yellow and orange peppers)
2 cups spinach
4 garlic cloves, mined
1 -2 tsps. smoked paprika
The juice and zest from 1 lemon
a pinch of red pepper flakes
optional salt and pepper (no salt for heart healthy dieters!)
A handful of chopped herbs such as parsley, cilantro or basil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To a cast iron skillet, add about 1/4 cup veggie broth and spray generously with cooking spray. Turn heat to medium, and add the Fideos. Cook over medium high heat and continually stir, turning the noodles over so they can brown on all sides. If you find they are sticking to the pan, add more cooking spray and broth. You do not want too much liquid in the skillet or they will not “brown up”. I let mine get very dry, then add spray, and if that does not help I will add just a splash of broth until they are not sticking. Cook until they are browned and golden. Turn off heat and remove Fideos from the skillet to a bowl or plate.
In the same skillet, add a splash of veggie broth, more cooking spray, and add the tomatoes that have been pierced, zucchini, onion, broccoli and pepper strips and sauté over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Continue to sauté until veggies are soft. ( Feel free to sub other veggies of your choice! I always use tomatoes because they provide a nice base for the dish.)
Add the fideos back to the skillet with the veggies, along with 2 cups of broth. Add in two cups of spinach. Cook over medium low heat for about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for about 15 -20 minutes. This will take out most of the liquid and crisp up the noodles a bit.
Turn the broiler on low, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.
Remove from oven. Add the lemon zest and juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.
Serve right out of the skillet.
Enjoy!
Crispy Skillet Fideo Noodles with Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 – 3 cups veggie broth
- 1 7- ounce package Fideos
- Cooking spray
- 10-15 grape tomatoes or other miniature variety – all pierced with a knife
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 onion diced,
- 2 cups broccolini florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 bell pepper cut into thin strips (I love the yellow and orange peppers)
- 2 cups spinach
- 4 garlic cloves mined
- 1 -2 tsps. smoked paprika
- The juice and zest from 1 lemon
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
- optional salt and pepper no salt for heart healthy dieters!
- any chopped herbs you have on hand
Instructions
Instructions:
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-
To a cast iron skillet, add about 1/4 cup veggie broth and spray generously with cooking spray. Turn heat to medium, and add the Fideos. Cook over medium high heat and continually stir, turning the noodles over so they can brown on all sides. If you find they are sticking to the pan, add more cooking spray and broth. You do not want too much liquid in the skillet or they will not “brown up”. I let mine get very dry, then add spray, and if that does not help I will add just a splash of broth until they are not sticking. Cook until they are browned and golden. Turn off heat and remove Fideos from the skillet to a bowl or plate.
-
In the same skillet, add a splash of veggie broth, more cooking spray, and add the tomatoes that have been pierced, zucchini, onion, broccoli and pepper strips and sauté over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Continue to sauté until veggies are soft. ( Feel free to sub other veggies of your choice! I always use tomatoes because they provide a nice base for the dish.)
-
Add the fideos back to the skillet with the veggies, along with 2 cups of broth. Add in two cups of spinach. Cook over medium low heat for about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
-
Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for about 15 -20 minutes. This will take out most of the liquid and crisp up the noodles a bit.
-
Turn the broiler on low, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.
-
Remove from oven. Add the lemon zest and juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.
-
Serve right out of the skillet.
