American Chop Suey Recipe
When you ask someone to picture "chop suey," it's possible everyone has a slightly different dish in mind. There are myriad variations of the Chinese-American dish. This particular version of the comfort classic leans more on staples found in a typical American pantry, which would explain why it's also known as American-style goulash. It comes complete with macaroni, ground beef, and a wonderful sauce that is great for kids and adults alike. If you have tried it, welcome back, and if you haven't? It's definitely time to give it a shot because it's been around for years — just ask your parents.
Registered dietitian Kristen Carli is the brains behind this recipe that will undoubtedly leave you wanting more. She has plenty of good things to say about it, but for her, it's a childhood fave. "This dish is a classic American pasta casserole," Carli raves. "I love it because I grew up eating a lot of it! It is nostalgic for me." We are all about turning nostalgic dishes into staples in other households and that seems to be Carli's aim here.
Keep reading to find out how to whip up this weeknight-friendly main course.
Gather the ingredients
Are you ready to get started? The first and most important ingredient is the elbow macaroni. You will also need some unsalted butter. Moving down the list, be sure to pick up a yellow onion and ground beef.
The dish also requires diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and tomato paste. To complete your shopping list, you will also need dried oregano, salt, and pepper, for the seasonings, and if you like cheese, you'll want to grab some grated Parmesan for topping off the final dish.
Cook the pasta
Okay, now it's time to get down to the actual business of cooking!
Take out a large pot and fill it up with water. Place the pot over your burner and crank up the heat, bringing the water to a boil. Each pasta brand will have slightly different cooking instructions, so follow the directions on the back of the box to cook the macaroni. When you finish cooking it, strain the water and set the macaroni to the side.
Add the onion and beef
Grab another large pot and add your butter first. Turn the heat on and wait for the butter to melt. Once it does, toss in the onion (diced) and let it cook. It will take about 8 minutes to sauté the onion at which point it will turn translucent, indicating that it's good to go.
Next, add the ground beef to the same pot. Be sure to use a wooden spoon to break it into smaller pieces, as you would do with most other recipes. Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink. This should only take about 8 more minutes. Then, add a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.
Pile on the tomatoes and macaroni
There's a whole lot going on in the pot already, and it's just a matter of putting on the finishing touches, aka the sauce. This step has us seeing a lot of red, which means it's time for the tomatoes to go in. First, add the diced tomatoes followed by the tomato sauce. Then, throw in your last remaining tomato-related ingredient — the tomato paste. Finish things off with the dried oregano and a little bit of salt and pepper. You can also add the cooked macaroni in at this time.
Now, the only thing that's left for you do is stir everything to combine all the ingredients.
What to serve with American-style chop suey
American Chop Suey Recipe
This American chop suey puts another fun spin on an Asian classic while making it totally unique and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Optional Ingredients
- grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a separate large pot, add the butter. Once melted, add the onion. Sauté for 8 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried oregano, cooked pasta, and remaining salt and pepper to the pot.
- Stir well until combined.
- Top with Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 550 |
| Total Fat | 18.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.3 g |
| Trans Fat | 1.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 58.8 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 70.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 10.6 g |
| Sodium | 791.6 mg |
| Protein | 25.8 g |
How can you store leftover chop suey?
Unless you're feeding a small crowd, there's a good chance you'll have some leftover chop suey when you're finished. Not to worry: So long as the food is kept in an airtight container, it'll stay fresh in the fridge for up to four days.
If you're the kind of person who likes to cook big batches of things and eat them slowly over time, you can freeze this dish in an airtight, freeze-safe container like a freezer bag or something similar. When stored this way, it should remain edible for three months. As with most frozen leftovers, the quality of the dish will deteriorate as time goes on. For best results, consume quickly.
When you're ready to eat leftovers, your best bet is to reheat it in a pan over medium heat with a splash of oil or butter. Make sure to take the chop suey out of the freezer and into the fridge the night before so it's thawed out.