American chop suey, also known as goulash or macaroni and beef with tomatoes, is a popular American comfort food. It’s one of my favorite dishes, and I make it frequently. It’s a versatile dish, too. You can change it up by adding garlic or spicy ingredients, or make it with mushrooms.
Recipe Variations
- Add extra tomato flavor juiciness with about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce or a few tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic, minced, along with the ground beef.
- Spice it up with 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a minced jalapeno pepper.
- Sauté mushrooms with the onions.
- Replace the ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or pork.
- Make vegetarian American chop suey with a ground beef substitute.
- Make it with ditali or mini penne pasta instead of macaroni.
- Sneak some veggies into the dish. Sauté diced celery and shredded carrots with the onions.
How To Store American Chop Suey
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy them within 4 days.
- To reheat, melt a tablespoon of butter or oil in a skillet. Add the chop suey to the skillet with a splash of broth or water and cook until heated throughout.
- To microwave, transfer leftover American chop suey to a microwave-safe container and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to cook and stir in 30-second intervals until hot.
Basic American Chop Suey
American chop suey is one of America’s favorite comfort foods. Add this tasty pasta and ground beef dish to your mealtime roundup.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta, Ground Beef
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces macaroni, cooked and drained
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes (diced)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Shredded cheese, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the ground beef and bell pepper continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
- Add tomatoes to the skillet along with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the macaroni following package directions.
- Add the drained macaroni to the tomato and beef mixture and blend well.
- Garnish with shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese or fresh herbs if desired. Enjoy!
