American Chop Suey
American chop suey is an easy dinner recipe made with juicy ground beef and veggies cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce with elbow macaroni. Ready in around 30 minutes, this cozy and delicious meal is perfect for weeknight meals.
Why do I call this comforting dish American chop suey when it’s called American goulash in other states? Because this is New England and we do some things… differently. But never fear, this is the same fun-to-eat, delicious comfort food you ate as a kid, no matter what it’s called.
Helpful tips
- Cook everything at the same time: Bring the water to boil and cook your elbow macaroni noodles while you sauté the vegetables and meat.
- For even faster cook time, use two sauté pans: one for the veggie and one for the meat.
- Even though the taste of this comfort dish is fabulous the day you cook it, the flavors are even better leftover the next day
- This stores well both in the fridge and in the freezer. Place any leftovers in an airtight container and it will last over a week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.
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How to make American chop suey
Pre-step
Fill a large pot with water, salt it, and set it over high heat. Once the water boils, add a pound elbow macaroni and set a timer for 8 minutes.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – ground beef, green bell pepper, large onion, and garlic.
Step two
Chop the bell pepper and onion in chunks and crush the garlic.
Step three
Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan on medium. Add oil and once that heats up, add onion, and bell pepper and sauté for 10 minutes.
Step four
Add garlic, cook for 2 more minutes and set aside. (A)
Step five
Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan or large skillet on medium. Add oil and once that heats up, add ground beef. Use a metal spatula to break apart the beef. (B)
Step six
Gather the rest of the ingredients – 2, 28-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, herbs and spices, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. (C)
Step seven
Add diced tomatoes to the pan of veggies, heat on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then add ground beef. (D)
Step eight
When the elbows are done, drain them, add them to the tomato-veggie mixture and stir it all together.
Time to plate some chop suey and call Christopher so we can eat. He runs like the wind to the table. Boy, that man is fast when he’s properly motivated!
I hope you enjoy this American chop suey recipe.
Other popular pasta recipes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
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American Chop Suey
Ingredients
Veggies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 – 3
- 1 onion large, chopped
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Meat Preparation
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound elbows
- 56 ounces diced tomatoes 2 cans
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with water, salt it and set it to boil
- Heat a medium stock pot on medium heat, add olive oil and heat that up
- Add onion and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, add garlic and sauté for 2 additional minutes. Take off heat and set aside
- Add elbows to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes (or until they are done), but as you're doing that. . .
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and add ground beef and break up to little pieces. Add oregano, basil, parsley, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté for 5 – 8 minutes
- Add the tomatoes to vegetable mixture
- Add ground beef to tomato mixture
- Drain elbows and dump them in a large stock pan
- Add the tomato-meat mixture in with the elbows and mix until incorporated
- Serve
- Eat
- Smile
- Enjoy
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Cook everything at the same time: Bring the water to boil and cook your elbow macaroni noodles while you sauté the vegetables and meat.
- For even faster cook time, use two sauté pans: one for the veggie and one for the meat.
- Even though the taste of this comfort dish is fabulous the day you cook it, the flavors are even better leftover the next day
- This stores well both in the fridge and in the freezer. Place any leftovers in an airtight container and it will last over a week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Originally published November of 2016. Updated photos and methods.
