Mexican Noodle Soup with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

Known as sopa de fideos, this much-loved Mexican soup is pure comfort food. Thin noodles (vermicelli or capellini pasta) are lightly browned in oil, then simmered in chicken broth seasoned with onion, garlic and jalapeño. Traditional recipes often call for roasting fresh tomatoes before adding them to the soup; to mimic those flavors, we opt for canned fire-roasted tomatoes. If you have only regular canned tomatoes (whole or diced) in the pantry, they’ll work fine but will lack the smoky subtleties. To easily break the noodles before browning them, place in a zip-top plastic bag and seal, then snap them into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Garnishes will lend lovely color and texture, so choose from the suggestions below to enhance your soup.