American Chop Suey is a delicious and easy dinner recipe made with ground beef, tomato, onion, green pepper, macaroni, and spices.
Pure comfort food made on the stovetop in just 30 minutes and makes a great weeknight dinner when served with dinner rolls and butter!
I’m not sure if it’s a New England thing because I could probably eat my weight in American Chop Suey. Maybe it’s the fact that its pure comfort food, or maybe it’s the perfect balance of flavor, but either way, I freaking love Chop Suey!
So I wanted to share my recipe with all of you in the hopes that you’ll love it too!
We call it American Chop or Chop Suey here in New England, but you may have also heard of it called goulash or macaroni hamburger and tomato depending on where you live.
So either way, the recipe has the same basic components and is a classic dinner most of us grew up eating.
Why I Love American Chop Suey!
I love chop suey because when it’s cold, I want comfort food and I think this is a super cozy dish and it’s really easy to make too!
The dish is also similar to American goulash but the most noteworthy difference between the two is that Chop Suey doesn’t include paprika, or, at least not the way I make it.
Some people also call it Chili Mac, but I don’t make mine spicy either. But there is one key ingredient that can’t be left out, the sugar.
In my opinion, the best chop suey is one that has a slightly sweet tomato sauce, the sauce should be loose enough to coat, but thick enough to stick to the noodles.
The sugar sweetens up all that tomato goodness and makes for a really delicious sauce. The green pepper and onions should always be sauteed ahead of adding any of the tomato-based ingredients!
This recipe makes a huge batch of food, so it’s great for big families and it also reheats well in the microwave.
Where it’s just the two of us in my house, I love making this recipe on Sunday afternoons, especially in the fall and winter, and then I reheat it for lunch all week long.
What Is In American Chop Suey:
American Chop is traditionally made with the following ingredients:
- ground beef
- elbow macaroni
- green bell pepper
- white onion
- garlic
- tomato sauce
- tomato juice
- diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- salt
- pepper
How To Make American Chop Suey:
This is one of those great recipes to make not just because it tastes delicious but because it’s quick and easy!
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. *You can either finish cooking the pasta and leave it in a colander and use the same pot for the sauce or you can start making the rest of the recipe in a separate pot while the pasta is cooking.
Step 2: In a separate pot or the one from the pasta (see the note above), add the butter and onion to the large pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.
Step 3: Add the garlic to the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Step 4: Add ground beef and cook until browned, you can cook this in a separate pan if you’d like less fat and add it to the onions after cooking.
Step 5: Add green pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 6: Add the diced tomatoes, sauce, juice, paste, sugar, spices, and Worcestershire Sauce. Cook until evenly heated.
Step 7: Stir in the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or package up and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is delicious all on its own, no side dishes required. However, it does pair well with homemade yeast rolls and butter.
Package up any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I would not recommend freezing this dish. Once thawed and reheated, the pasta will be mushy.
If you must freeze it, I would recommend undercooking the pasta slightly to help it maintain it’s structure when you reheat.
Then, prepare the rest of the recipe according to the directions and then package in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Try These Recipe Variations:
- Ground Turkey – If you’re looking to lighten things up? You can try swapping ground beef for ground turkey.
- Cheese – If you’re used to cheese in your chop suey, you can simply stir in some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, about 2 cups or so should do just fine.
- Peppers – Green bell peppers are a staple in this classic recipe, therefore I wouldn’t remove them completely, but feel free to try out red, orange, or yellow instead.
- Mushrooms – So you’re a mushroom lover, are ya? Well, you can easily add them in. You can use either a small can or 1 cup of fresh chopped mushrooms, just add and saute them with the green peppers because you’ll want them to be nice and soft.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes:
- Creamy Mac and Cheese
- Marinara Mac and Cheese
- Homemade Baked Ziti
- Chicken Parm Pasta Skillet
- Turkey Florentine Pasta
- Baked Spaghetti Pie
American Chop Suey
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American Chop Suey
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 14 ounce diced tomatoes
- 5.5 ounces 100% tomato juice
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, salt the water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. *You can either finish cooking the pasta and leave it in a colander and use the same pot for the sauce or you can start making the rest of the recipe in a separate pot while the pasta is cooking.
- In a separate pot or the one from the pasta (see note above), add the butter and onion to the pot and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, you can cook this in a separate pan if you’d like less fat and add it to the onions after cooking.
- Add green pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, sauce, juice, paste, sugar, spices, and Worcestershire Sauce. Cook until evenly heated.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and stir to coat and add salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Serve immediately or package up and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- I would not recommend freezing this dish. Once thawed and reheated, the pasta will be mushy.
- Recipe Variations:
- Ground Turkey – If you’re looking to lighten things up? You can try swapping ground beef for ground turkey.
- Cheese – If you’re used to cheese in your chop suey, you can simply stir in some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, about 2 cups or so should do just fine.
- Peppers – Green bell peppers are a staple in this classic recipe, therefore I wouldn’t remove them completely, but feel free to try out red, orange, or yellow instead.
- Mushrooms – So you’re a mushroom lover, are ya? Well, you can easily add them in. You can use either a small can or 1 cup of fresh chopped mushrooms, just add and saute them with the green peppers because you’ll want them to be nice and soft.
Scott R says
Great recipe! I grew up in Massachusetts and this was one of our regular family meals, as well as, pot roast and boiled dinner. I love this recipe and so do all my grandchildren. I retired from the military and have been living in Virginia since 1998 and am always trying to introduce New England recipes to my family. I plan on moving back to New England someday soon but for now, I’ll be content with great recipes like this one. I have to agree with the comments regarding soy sauce. I would never add soy sauce to this recipe. For me, it will always be Worcestershire sauce in this dish. I just finished making a pot of this recipe and the family is all enjoying it very much.
Fran says
I am going to make this for a soup kitchen. Can you tell me the size of each portion?
Rebecca Hubbell says
It would be about 1 – 1 1/2 cups per person. You can go on the lower end if you are also serving this with dinner rolls or other sides.
Teresa G Tyler says
Thank you for this yummy recipe!! I have tried and made various versions over the years and this one is ranks very high on my list. I love the consistency!
I grew up in Michigan and my mother’s version of goulash had macaroni, beef, bell pepper, onion, salt, pepper, and her home canned stewed tomatoes. So simple, but so tasty. I don’t can so I miss adding those to my goulash.
Thank you again!
Cath says
I grew up in Massachusetts and live in NH. My mother, aunts, cousins, all make my grandmothers recipe which always has soy sauce in it. ALWAYS.
Brian says
Soy sauce is NOT used in American Chop Suey. It’s an ingredient in Chop Suey – the one made with veggies and bean sprouts. Soy sauce in American Chop Suey would taste awful.
Ray says
I Ike adding Italian sausage to mine….I like hot my wife likes sweet..
Jared L Parkhurst says
I was born in Nashua NH, raised in Manchester NH, and spent summers on the family farm in ME, but I’m shackled to the AZ desert for 3119 more days! I miss the food from home, but there is some wicked good Southwest eats I cannot get back East. My daughters are always watching me cook and I find it a great stress reliever. I’ve started to incorporate more East coast dishes now that their starting to get into the teens and their pallets have developed a bit more. I’ve made American Chop Suey twice in the past 30 day by demand! This recipe is spot-on from the way Ma made it! I made some minor deviations. I use fresh oregano and basil. Back home we use pine cone tomatoes in a can. I cannot get that here in the desert. A great substitute has been fire roasted tomatoes. I slow roast my garlic in oil for many dishes this one is no exception. I work in sports medicine with a few doctors from the East Coast as well. One from Connecticut the other from Boston Mass. I brought both of them two separate recipes that I had made. One with beef the other with mild Italian ground sausage. We spent the rest of the day talking about our misspent youth in New England! This is a great recipe and a wicked great taste of home! A wicked thank you!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Jared, Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful comment and sharing this recipe with your friends and coworkers, I’m so glad it was able to bring you all a little taste of home and that your daughters enjoyed it as well! Take care!
Bob Crocker says
This recipe is awesome
Rebecca Hubbell says
So glad you enjoyed it, Bob!
Terri Bailey says
I would like to mention here that this recipe is missing an ingredient that is imperative to making it American chop Suey, as the name Implies.. otherwise in my family it would be goulash. The missing ingredient is Soy sauce.. I was born and raised in Connecticut and grew up on this.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Terri, I grew up on it too and have never used soy sauce. Goulash is just another name for this dish. Originally, the only seasoning for American Chop Suey was salt and pepper, nothing else, and families have adapted it over time. I’ve always added Worcestershire Sauce to mine, maybe your family used soy sauce instead.
Brian S says
Nope! I grew up in Mass and we never put Soy Sauce in it. I have relatives in Maine and they never put Soy Sauce in it. I have lived in NH for decades and have never met anyone here who put Soy Sauce in it. Some call it American Chop Suey; some refer to t he same dish as Goulash.
Paula says
Terri and Cath – Sorry but you’re mistaking American Chop Suey for Chop Suey which are two totally different things – google it. American Chop Suey originated in New England and has more similarities with goulash that it does Chinese food. It used to be served with rice instead of pasta which is the only nod to the Chinese sounding name. Definitely use Worcester sauce over soy sauce – soy sauce just sounds nasty in this.
Brian says
Yep! You are correct. Soy sauce in American Chop Suey would be as bad as adding hot sauce to whipped cream! Bleh!!!
Lori says
I enjoy making this as I had it as a child in New England. I added all of these ingredients plus mushrooms but the only thing we do different is we fry up salt pork and cook the onions and peppers in the grease after removing the salt pork. It adds a lot of flavor to the recipe. I freeze half of the sauce without the macaroni.. Then mix the macaroni with the leftover sauce.
Barb McStravick says
Excellent!! Reminded me of my childhood, easy recipe and tasty!
Followed the recipe exactly! Everyone loved it. Great as a leftover as well;)
Johanna Newbury says
Can I freeze this? It makes soooo much! Thanks!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Johanna, It does make a lot, but I’ve never tried freezing it, sorry.
Brian S says
I freeze this all the time. It freezes well.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Thanks for letting us know, Brian, this is very helpful!
Kay says
I made it tonight and it was a hit! I made it as is as I always do a recipe the first time I try one and would keep it just as is. As I am writing this I guess I take that back, I was out of plain diced tomatoes but had a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Still very delicious!!!
Rebecca Hubbell says
So glad you enjoyed it! And you can never go wrong with fire roasted tomatoes!
Beth Shaw says
Delicious!!!!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, beth!
jon campo says
Rebecca, this recipe is superb. One of my first cooking jobs in Boston was for an eccentric millionaire who only liked very simple food. I had to go to New Hampshire and get recipes from his Mom who gave me lessons, and this was the first. I had forgotten the recipe and found yours, this is most certainly NOT goulash. I was so happy that this recipe exactly replicated the dish I remembered, thanks a lot. Jon in Connecticut.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Jon, I’m so glad this is close to what you remembered and that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the kind comment!!!
Donna says
I’m from Mass originally and loved the American Chop Suey that we had growing up.
This recipe is pretty much like the one my mother used and is just as awesome!
Sidebar: Bill should “Read a Book” on manners and dignity…
Great recipe, Rebecca!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Donna, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and it brought back some fond memories! Thanks so much for your kind words!