Peruvian Beef Noodle Soup (Sopa Criolla)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups diced Spanish onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch kosher salt to taste
• 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
• 8 cups beef broth
• 1 (8 ounce) package fideo pasta
• 2 1/2 cups 1/4-inch pieces carrot
• 1/2 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut in 1/4-inch slices

Directions

Heat oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Cook about half the beef in hot oil until completely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove beef with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Repeat with remaining beef.

Cook and stir onion and garlic in the oil remaining in the pot until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Return beef to the pot; add tomato paste and stir to coat beef in paste. Stir oregano and bay leaves into the beef mixture; season with kosher salt and pepper. Cook and stir the mixture just until the oregano is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour beef broth into the pot, cover the pot, and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer liquid until the beef is very tender, about 90 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fideo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Stir carrot and zucchini into the liquid; cook until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season again with kosher salt and pepper. Stir fideo into the broth; cook until the noodles are hot, about 1 minute.