Description
American Chop Suey is a hearty and comforting one-pot pasta dish featuring ground beef, vegetables, tomato sauce, and elbow macaroni. This classic American comfort food is savory, flavorful, and easy to prepare, making it a perfect family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. ground beef, 85% lean
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth, or beef broth
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
Instructions
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the grease thoroughly.
- Add Seasonings and Tomato Paste: Stir in Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and tomato paste to the cooked beef.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion, green pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes until softened. Then add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Add Tomato Sauces: Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine evenly with the meat and vegetables.
- Add Worcestershire and Tomatoes: Stir in Worcestershire sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, and chicken broth.
- Add Macaroni and Boil: Add uncooked elbow macaroni and stir well. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Cover and Simmer: Cover the pot and cook for 4 minutes. Then uncover and use a silicone spatula to gently lift any pasta or sauce that may have settled to the bottom.
- Partial Cover and Continue Cooking: Partially cover the pot and boil gently for another 4 minutes. Again, stir along the bottom gently with the spatula.
- Final Cooking: Continue heating for 2 to 3 more minutes until the macaroni is fully cooked. Taste a noodle to check doneness. Turn off the heat; the pasta will absorb remaining liquid.
- Add Cheese and Serve: If desired, gradually sprinkle in shredded cheddar cheese, stirring to melt and combine. Serve hot and enjoy your American Chop Suey!
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of flour into the ground beef after browning and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in a dab of softened cream cheese at the end for a creamy texture.
- Add a dash of hot sauce to give the dish a zesty kick.
- Combine ground beef with Italian sausage for deeper flavor complexity.
- Feel free to add frozen vegetables like carrots, peas, corn, or jalapenos for extra nutrition and color.
- If using the slow cooker, reduce broth by half initially, then add remaining broth as needed.
- Use freshly shredded cheese rather than packaged shredded cheese for better melting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
