This easy American chop suey recipe is full of beef, onions, peppers, spices, and macaroni. It's a classic, hearty pasta dish that leaves you full and satisfied.
I love anything involving ground beef and pasta. This recipe is one of my favorites because it's a bit like homemade Hamburger Helper.
Easy American Chop Suey Recipe
This was inspired by my other chop suey recipe on this site and pairs well with this amazing icebox cake recipe for dessert.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can find easily at your local grocery store. There's nothing fancy here, and that's great.
- Ground beef
- Olive oil
- Chopped onion (white or yellow)
- Chopped green bell pepper
- Minced garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Chopped parsley
- Worcestershire sauce
- Diced tomatoes - undrained
- Elbow macaroni
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Instructions
This easy recipe comes together quickly. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps.
Step 1: Cook the Noodles
Prepare the macaroni per the box directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Ground Beef
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add olive oil and ground beef. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up while you cook, for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables
Add the chopped onions, green peppers, and garlic to the meat and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Step 4: Add Spices and Worcestershire
Add the oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and Worcestershire sauce and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5: Add the Tomatoes
Add the diced tomatoes with the juice, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Add the Pasta
Add the pasta to the pan and gently toss. Then cover and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon into bowls and enjoy!
Hint: It's important that you don't overcook the noodles or they'll become soft as you heat the dish for the final time.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this easy American chop suey.
- Ground Turkey - You can use ground turkey in place of ground beef if desired.
- Any Short Noodle - Use any short noodle. Penne and other similar noodles work well.
Variations
Want to personalize this easy American chop suey recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Spicy - Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Mushrooms - Mushrooms are a great addition to this recipe.
- Saucy - Add tomato sauce and a pinch of sugar for a saucier version.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this slow cooker cheesy taco beef hash.
Equipment
You'll only need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment for this recipe.
- Measuring spoons
- Pot
- Skillet
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon
- Strainer
Storage
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze this for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Tips
Even recipes as easy as this one have some little tricks to help make them even better. I'm sharing those below.
- Never cook your noodles past al dente. They need to be slightly firm so they'll be perfectly cooked after simmering in the rest of the ingredients.
- It's important to drain the grease off of the ground beef before adding the vegetables so your chop suey isn't overly greasy.
- If you have a cast-iron skillet, I highly recommend using it for this recipe.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this easy American chop suey? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this easy American chop suey recipe.
It's a pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni, and seasoned tomato sauce.
Although influenced by Italian dishes, this recipe is usually called American chop suey because it was originally made with rice, a base ingredient in Chinese food.
It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Place the chilled chop suey in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Place the leftover chop suey in a saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through.
More Pasta Recipes
Do you like pasta? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Easy American Chop Suey
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Easy American Chop Suey Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped (white or yellow onion)
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes not drained
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Get out your vegetables.
- Chop and dice.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare macaroni as directed on the label …watch your timer,.do not over cook, usually 7 minutes, drain. Meanwhile……..
- Heat a large fry pan on medium, add olive oil and ground beef, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks, 2-3 minutes (some pieces should still be pink.) drain off the grease.
- Add chopped onions, green pepper and garlic to the meat, stirring every few minutes.
- Cook 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Add oregano,
- basil, parsley, salt and
- Worcestershire sauce. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with juice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add cooked and drained pasta and gently toss.
- Cover and simmer 2-3 more minutes.
- Ladle into warm bowls.
- Serve.
- Enjoy every bite!
Ruth W. Thomas
This recipe is truly amazing. I tried it, and it turned out very nice. I will definitely make again. Thank you
Karin and Ken
As always you’re most welcome! We still have this recipe in our regular rotation! We love it too. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin