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    Home » Blog » Main Courses

    Easy American Chop Suey

    Published: May 19, 2022 · Modified: May 19, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    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.

    Bowlful of easy American chop suey garnished with chopped parsley. Another bowl of chop suey in background.

    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.

    Overhead shot of forkful of easy American chop suey over bowl of more chop suey

    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.
    Closeup shot of forkful of easy American chop suey. The fork is held above a bowl of American chop suey. Another bowl in the background.

    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.

    What is American chop suey?

    It’s a pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni, and seasoned tomato sauce.

    Why do they call it American chop suey?

    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.

    How long is this recipe good?

    It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    How do you freeze American chop suey?

    Place the chilled chop suey in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

    How do you reheat this dish?

    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.

    • Pasta Napoletana
    • Steak and Shrimp Pasta
    • Bistro Shrimp Pasta

    Easy American Chop Suey

    Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

    Easy American Chop Suey Recipe

    This easy American chop suey recipe is total comfort food loaded with pasta, ground beef, veggies, and a seasoned tomato sauce.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 8 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 117 kcal

    Equipment

    • saucepan
    • skillet
    • ladle
    • wooden spoon

    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.
      Closeup photo of ingredients needed to make American chop suey.
    • Chop and dice.
      Overhead photo of macaroni, diced tomatoes, onion and bell pepper.
    • 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. 
      Chopped onions and bell pepper added to a frying pan of cooked ground meat.
    • Cook 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
      A spoon is stirring the onions, bell peppers and ground meat.
    • Add oregano,
      Spoonful of oregano over a the frying pan.
    • basil, parsley, salt and
      Adding basil, parsley and salt to the frying pan. A closeup of dried basil in a spoon.
    • Worcestershire sauce.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.
      Adding Worcestershire sauce into the frying pan. A closeup of Worcestershire sauce in a spoon.
    • Add tomatoes with juice.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
      Added and mixed the diced tomatoes with their juice into the frying pan.
    • Add cooked and drained pasta and gently toss.
      Pouring elbow Macaroni into the frying pan.
    • Cover and simmer 2-3 more minutes.
      Elbow Macaroni mixed into the meat and vegetables.
    • Ladle into warm bowls.
      Overhead photo of finished American Chop Suey served in two bowls and garnished with chopped parsley.
    • Serve.
      Overhead photo of a forkful of American chop suey. The fork is held above a bowl of American chop suey.
    • Enjoy every bite!
      Closeup photo of a forkful of American chop suey. The fork is held above a bowl of American chop suey.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword american chop suey
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Welcome!

    Ken and Karin

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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