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    The BEST Easy American Chop Suey Recipe (Made In 25 Minutes)

    by Brendan Cunningham 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This American chop suey recipe is the ultimate comfort food dinner. It combines seasoned ground beef with tender veggies, macaroni noodles, and a sweet and savory sauce that's out-of-this-world delicious. Plus, it's super quick and easy it is to make too. In fact, you can have this American chop suey recipe done and on the table in under 30 minutes!  

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best American Chop Suey
      • Ingredients
        • Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions
      • How To Make American Chop Suey
        • Step 1: Cook The Noodles
        • Step 2: Cook The Beef And Veggies
        • Step 3: Make The Sauce
        • Step 4: Add The Noodles And Serve
      • How To Store American Chop Suey
        • How To Reheat American Chop Suey
      • FAQs About This American Chop Suey Recipe
        • What's in American Chopsuey?
        • What is the difference between chop suey and American Chopsuey?
        • What is the difference between goulash and American Chopsuey?
      • Wrapping It Up
    • More Comfort Food Recipes
    • The BEST Easy American Chop Suey Recipe (Made In 25 Minutes)
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best American Chop Suey

    If you've never heard of American chop suey before, get ready to discover your new favorite pasta recipe! Macaroni noodles are mixed with seasoned ground beef, tender cooked veggies, and a seasoned tomato sauce to make a dish that's to die. It's a little savory, a little sweet, and a whole 'lotta delicious.

    Also, just like this cheeseburger casserole recipe, it kind of reminds me of Hamburger Helper but definitely taken up a notch. The biggest difference comes from the homemade sauce that you just can't get anywhere else. Honestly, it's so good I could eat it by itself with a spoon!

    In addition to tasting incredible, this American chop suey recipe is also a breeze to whip up. You basically just have to cook the pasta, beef, and veggies, then add your sauce ingredients to the skillet and let it all cook to perfection. 

    Oh, and since this recipe comes together so quickly, you can effortlessly whip up something to go with it - like these Texas Roadhouse rolls. They're delicious dipped in the rich homemade tomato sauce that comes along with this recipe.

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.

    Ingredients

    As if this easy dinner recipe couldn't get any better, it's made with all really common ingredients. Honestly, you probably have most - if not all - of them in your pantry or kitchen already!

    Anyway, here's what you'll need to make it:

    • 8oz. elbow macaroni
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • ¼ cup onion, diced
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 0.5lb. ground beef
    • ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
    • 8oz. can chopped tomatoes, with juices
    • 8oz. tomato sauce
    • 2 ½ tbsp tomato paste
    • ½ tbsp sugar
    • ½ tsp dried oregano
    • ½ tsp dried basil
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

    Pretty simple stuff, eh?

    By the way, if you're looking for more ground beef recipes, I definitely suggest you check out this ground beef vegetable soup or this epic beef lasagna recipe next! You can use a few of the ingredients from this American chop suey recipe to make 'em.

    An assortment of ingredients including tomato sauce, tomato paste, raw ground beef, dried elbow macaroni, diced bell peppers, diced onion, spices, and butter.

    Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

    Now, when I make this chop suey recipe, I always use the ingredients listed above since I just think it tastes best that way. However, you definitely can make some adjustments to it if you'd like to put your own spin on it.

    For instance, this recipe calls for ground beef, but if you'd rather use ground turkey or ground chicken instead, then you certainly can. It will taste a little different than classic American chop suey, but it'll still turn out just as delicious!

    Now, I think this recipe is already loaded with flavor, but if you want to pack even more into it, then you easily can. I suggest adding grated parmesan cheese, diced tomatoes, fresh herbs, or crushed red pepper flakes. Just remember to go easy on the additional ingredients so they don't overpower the American goulash.

    A grey skillet with a wooden handle and onions sautéing in oil.

    How To Make American Chop Suey

    Now it's time for the fun part, it's time to make some American chop suey!

    And, again, this recipe couldn't be easier to make. Honestly, you've probably cooked all of the components in this recipe a bunch of times before, so it'll be a breeze to put together.

    Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

    A grey skillet with a wooden handle filled with cooked ground beef and diced bell peppers.

    Step 1: Cook The Noodles

    First things first, you'll want to begin by cooking the elbow macaroni noodles according to the package directions. Then, when they're done, you can drain the pasta and set it aside while you continue to work on the rest of the recipe.

    A grey skillet with a wood handle filled with cooked ground beef, diced peppers, spices, tomato sauce and tomato paste. None of the ingredients have been mixed together yet.

    Step 2: Cook The Beef And Veggies

    While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare the meat and veggies. Begin by melting butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has fully melted, you can add the onions and cook 'em for about 4 minutes until they're tender and slightly translucent.

    Then, you'll want to add the ground beef and garlic powder to the skillet with the onions. I recommend breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon once you add it to the pan. Also, just so you know, you'll want to cook everything together until the beef has just started to brown slightly on all sides. Once it does, you can add the green bell pepper to the skillet and cook everything for an additional 5 minutes or until the bell peppers are soft.

    A grey skillet with a wood handle filled with coked brown beef and diced peppers in a thick tomato sauce.

    Step 3: Make The Sauce

    Now that you've cooked the beef and veggies, you can add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper to the skillet. Then, you'll want to give everything a mix so it combines into a sauce, and continue to cook everything together until the sauce warms up.

    A large pot filled with American chop suey.

    Step 4: Add The Noodles And Serve

    Last but not least, you can add cooked pasta to the skillet with the rest of the ingredients and give it all a big mix to combine. For what it's worth, I usually transfer everything to a large pot - it just makes everything way easier to mix.

    Finally, you'll want to serve your American chop suey warm.

    Enjoy it!

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the foreground is a second serving of American chop suey.

    How To Store American Chop Suey

    This recipe for American chop suey makes 4 servings, but I honestly wouldn't expect to have any leftovers. It's that good! 

    However, if you do happen to end up with leftovers, you can store 'em in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

    Alternatively, if you want them to last longer, you can freeze your American goulash in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.

    How To Reheat American Chop Suey

    Once you're ready to enjoy your leftovers, they're definitely best warmed up.

    So to reheat your leftover American chop suey, I recommend using the oven or stovetop. If you want to use the oven, put the leftovers in a baking dish and warm them at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature.

    As I mentioned, you can also reheat your leftovers on the stovetop. Simply put a large skillet over medium heat,  then add the chop suey to it along with a little water or beef broth, and warm the pasta for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally to reheat it evenly.

    Lastly, to warm it up even quicker, you can use your microwave. Just heat it up in 1 minute increments until it's hot.

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.

    FAQs About This American Chop Suey Recipe

    What's in American Chopsuey?

    Traditionally, American chop suey is a pasta dish made with macaroni noodles, ground beef, and a seasoned tomato sauce, along with some veggies like peppers, onions, and diced tomatoes.

    What is the difference between chop suey and American Chopsuey?

    American chop suey is typically made with ground beef and macaroni noodles in a sweet-and-savory tomato sauce. Regular chop suey is more like a stir-fry, made up of meat and noodles with vegetables like bean sprouts, baby corn, cabbage, and broccoli.

    What is the difference between goulash and American Chopsuey?

    Technically speaking, American goulash and American chop suey are two names for the same dish. Both are made with macaroni noodles and seasoned ground beef in a flavorful tomato sauce. The only difference is goulash is usually topped with some sort of cheese.

    Overhead view of two bowls of American chop suey. One bowl is atop a white plate and in the corner is a plate with a two forks and mini salt and pepper shakers on it.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to make American chop suey!

    As far as comfort food recipes go, it honestly doesn't get much better than this. The combination of flavors is flat-out delicious, and when you see how easy it is to make, I just know you'll love this recipe!

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this American chop suey recipe as much as I/we do.

    As always, if you give this recipe a try, let us know how it goes in the comments below.

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.

    More Comfort Food Recipes

    If you liked this pasta dish, we have plenty more easy comfort food recipes on the blog for you to try next!

    Check these out:

    • Ham loaf
    • Chicken divan
    • John Wayne casserole
    • Loaded baked potato casserole
    • Chicken and rice casserole

    Oh, and if you're looking for even more delicious recipes, be sure to check out our TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. We post new recipes on 'em every day!

    Print

    The BEST Easy American Chop Suey Recipe (Made In 25 Minutes)

    A bowl of American chop suey atop a white plate with a fork next to the plate. In the background is a second serving of American chop suey.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    This American chop suey recipe is the ultimate comfort food dinner. It combines seasoned ground beef with tender veggies, macaroni noodles, and a sweet and savory sauce that's out-of-this-world delicious. Plus, it's super quick and easy it is to make too. In fact, you can have this American chop suey recipe done and on the table in under 30 minutes!  

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    8oz. elbow macaroni

    1 tbsp butter

    ¼ cup onion, diced

    1 tsp garlic powder

    0.5lb. ground beef

    ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped

    8oz. can chopped tomatoes, with juices

    8oz. tomato sauce

    2 ½ tbsp tomato paste

    ½ tbsp sugar

    ½ tsp dried oregano

    ½ tsp dried basil

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
    2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    3. Add onions and cook until tender, for 4-5 minutes.
    4. Add ground beef and garlic powder. Cook the ground beef until browned.
    5. Add the green bell pepper and cook until soft, for 5 minutes. 
    6. Add the canned chopped tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until evenly heated. 
    7. Stir in cooked pasta and serve while still warm.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 365
    • Fat: 11
    • Carbohydrates: 49
    • Protein: 20

    Keywords: American chop suey, American chop suey recipe, how to make American chop suey, best American chop suey, easy American chop suey, American chop suey recipe easy, American goulash, American goulash recipe, American chop suey ingredients

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Denise

      March 15, 2023 at 2:45 pm

      My oh my this was so good.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Roman

      March 15, 2023 at 11:00 pm

      Outstanding!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Fiona Terrance

      March 16, 2023 at 12:10 pm

      I have never had a chop suey this good before it was spectacular!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Ted

      March 17, 2023 at 8:18 am

      Everything in this was superb.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Rich

      March 21, 2023 at 10:11 pm

      Holy smokes this chop suey was 🔥

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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