American chop suey is an easy and satisfying dish consisting of tender macaroni noodles and a perfectly seasoned beef and tomato sauce. It's great for weeknight family dinners, and the leftovers are delicious! Sometimes you just crave a hearty, homecooked meal, and this is sure to hit the spot!
Easy American Chop Suey Recipe
When you think of chop suey, you may think of Chinese takeout, but this American chop suey is an entirely different dish. While American chop suey does feature meat and noodles, that's where the similarities end!
American chop suey is a hearty and satisfying pasta dish consisting of seasoned ground beef and a vibrant tomato sauce. The ingredients are simple and inexpensive, but the results are incredibly delicious!
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🥘 Chop Suey Ingredients
It may seem like a long list of ingredients, but everything is fairly inexpensive and easily accessible. You can use 5 fresh tomatoes instead of the diced canned tomatoes, but you may need to add a little broth or water to replace the juices from the can.
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a butter substitute.
- Yellow Onion - 1 chopped medium yellow onion (or use white onion).
- Bell Pepper - 1 chopped medium green bell pepper.
- Garlic - 2 teaspoons of minced garlic (about 2 cloves).
- Ground Beef - 1 pound of ground beef.
- Dried Oregano - 1 teaspoon of dried oregano or a dried oregano substitute.
- Dried Basil - 1 teaspoon of dried basil or a dried basil substitute.
- Black Pepper - ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt (more or less to taste).
- Tomato Paste - 3 ounces of canned tomato paste.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes - 14.5 ounces of canned diced tomatoes (undrained).
- Tomato Sauce - 14.5 ounces of tomato sauce or a tomato sauce substitute.
- Elbow Macaroni - 16 ounces of elbow macaroni noodles, uncooked.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make American Chop Suey
Chop suey makes a wonderful family dinner because it's almost made entirely in one pot, other than boiling the noodles. To get started, you'll need a skillet, a large pot, a wooden spoon or spatula, and a colander.
One pot of chop suey makes 8 hearty servings, so it's perfect for serving a crowd or for planning leftovers!
- Saute the veggies. Melt 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add 1 chopped yellow onion (110 grams) and 1 chopped green bell pepper (119 grams). Cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add 2 teaspoons (6 grams) of minced garlic and cook for one minute longer.
- Brown the beef. Add 1 pound (453.59 grams) of ground beef to the skillet along with 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon (0.1 grams) of dried basil, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon (12 grams) of salt. Use your spatula to break up the beef as it cooks until there is no pink remaining.
- Simmer. Add a 3-ounce can (85 grams) of tomato paste to the pan and stir to brown the paste a bit, then add 14.5 ounces (411 grams) of canned diced tomatoes and 14.5 ounces (411 grams) of tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Boil the pasta. Fill a large pot with salted water and boil the 16 ounces (453.59 grams) of elbow macaroni noodles to al dente as instructed on the package.
- Drain the pasta. When the macaroni has finished cooking, turn off the heat and pour it into a colander to drain, then return it to the pot.
- Stir to combine. Add beef and tomato mixture to the macaroni and stir to combine. Serve while hot.
🥗 Sides
American chop suey is traditionally served with buttered white bread; however, I love to pair mine with some warm garlic bread! Lighter sides like a fresh Caesar salad or some Instant Pot artichokes are a great way to balance the heaviness of this dish. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- You want to cook the pasta just until it is al dente because it will cook slightly more when combined with the hot meat sauce. This keeps your noodles from becoming too mushy.
- Try adding a splash of your favorite hot sauce or some red pepper flakes for a little kick!
- You can sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar or Parmesan cheese over the top before serving if desired.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let leftover chop suey cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing American Chop Suey
You can put leftovers into an airtight freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Let frozen chop suey thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating American Chop Suey
Individual portions of chop suey can be reheated in the microwave in 30-minute increments. You can reheat larger portions on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
The traditional pasta choice is elbow macaroni, but that's not to say you couldn't try other kinds of pasta! Any short pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli would work.
Typically, no, but some versions of the recipe do include cheese. I like to make it optional at the table and let my dinner guests or family add shredded cheese to their warm bowls if desired.
Yes! Chop suey reheats beautifully and tastes even better when the flavors have had time to marry in the fridge overnight. You can even freeze it for up to 3 months!
🍝 😋 🍽️ More Tasty Pasta Dinners
- Creamy Prawn Pasta - This 30-minute shrimp pasta dinner is a fan favorite amongst seafood lovers!
- Taco Pasta - Tender pasta shells loaded with corn, beans, salsa, taco-seasoned ground beef, and cheese!
- Cajun Sausage Pasta - Zesty Cajun seasoning and smokey andouille sausage give this pasta a punch of flavor!
- Tuna Salad with Pasta - Tuna salad with pasta makes an excellent lunch or dinner, and the creamy Greek yogurt dressing ties everything together!
- Bechamel Pasta Bake - The rich bechamel white sauce in this pasta bake steals the show!
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole - This super indulgent spaghetti bake includes a rich and cheesy sauce and lots of savory Italian sausage!
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📖 Recipe Card
American Chop Suey
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped, or use white onion)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 3 oz can tomato paste
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 14.5 oz tomato sauce
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add 1 medium yellow onion and 1 medium green bell pepper. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add 2 teaspoon garlic and cook for one minute longer.
- Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet along with the 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your spatula to break up the beef as it cooks until there is no pink remaining.
- Add 3 oz can tomato paste to the pan and stir to brown the paste a bit, then add 14.5 oz diced tomatoes and 14.5 oz tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Fill a large pot with salted water and boil the 16 oz elbow macaroni noodles to al dente as instructed on the package.
- When the macaroni has finished cooking, turn off the heat and pour it into a colander to drain, then return it to the pot.
- Add beef and tomato mixture to the macaroni and stir to combine. Serve while hot.
Notes
- You want to cook the pasta just until it is al dente because it will cook slightly more when combined with the hot meat sauce. This keeps your noodles from becoming too mushy.
- Try adding a splash of your favorite hot sauce or some red pepper flakes for a little kick!
- You can sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar or Parmesan cheese over the top before serving if desired.
- To store: Let leftover chop suey cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: You can put leftovers into an airtight freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Let frozen chop suey thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Individual portions of chop suey can be reheated in the microwave in 30-minute increments. You can reheat larger portions on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
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