The American Chop Suey is a treasured dish born from simplicity and love. This cozy classic combines tender elbow macaroni with savory ground beef and a rich tomato soup base for a dish that’s nostalgic and deeply comforting. It’s easy to prepare, uses ingredients you likely already have, and feeds a hungry family with warmth and satisfaction.
This recipe is the epitome of mid-century American comfort cuisine. Whether you’re recreating a childhood favorite or discovering it for the first time, its straightforward approach and rich, homestyle flavors make it an enduring dinner favorite. Best of all, it can be easily customized with spices, veggies, or cheese to suit your preferences or pantry!
Full Recipe:
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1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
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1 pound lean ground beef
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1 onion, chopped
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2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
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While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and chopped onion. Sauté for 5–10 minutes until the beef is browned and crumbly, and the onions are soft. Drain excess fat.
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Add the tomato soup to the beef-onion mixture and stir thoroughly until combined. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
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Return drained macaroni to the pot, pour in the meat and tomato mixture, and stir until evenly combined.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Kcal: 664 kcal | Servings: 5 servings
The History and Evolution of American Chop Suey
American Chop Suey is a beloved comfort food that has graced dinner tables across the Northeastern United States for generations. Despite its name, it bears no real resemblance to Chinese chop suey. In fact, its moniker is a linguistic twist—a nod to the melting pot of culinary influences in early 20th-century America. Rather than being Asian-inspired, this dish is purely American: a skillet combination of elbow macaroni, ground beef, and tomato-based sauce, often condensed tomato soup, which together create a warm, nostalgic, and hearty meal.
Originally gaining popularity in New England, American Chop Suey is also known by other names such as “Goulash” in the Midwest or “Slumgullion” in other regions. Each household has its own version, making it a highly adaptable and cherished staple. Over the years, it has evolved not only in name but in flavor profiles as home cooks have incorporated regional ingredients and personal flair.
Why American Chop Suey Remains a Staple Today
What makes American Chop Suey endure through the decades is its beautiful simplicity. It’s affordable, uses pantry staples, and requires very little cooking skill—making it a favorite among beginner cooks and seasoned home chefs alike. During hard economic times such as the Great Depression, dishes like these provided sustenance without straining tight budgets.
Today, American Chop Suey remains just as relevant. With rising grocery costs and the increased desire for quick, nourishing meals, it satisfies the modern need for practical recipes. Whether you’re cooking for a family of five or meal prepping for the week, this dish delivers on flavor, ease, and versatility.
A True Nostalgic Classic
For many Americans, this dish is more than food—it’s a time machine. It evokes memories of school cafeterias, family gatherings, church potlucks, and weeknight dinners around a small kitchen table. The smell of sautéed onion and simmering tomato soup can bring a rush of childhood recollections. It’s a humble dish, but it has an emotional weight that makes it unforgettable.
It’s also often passed down through generations. Grandmothers who cooked it for their children now have grandchildren requesting the same recipe. Each spoonful represents not only nutrition but also tradition.
How the Ingredients Work Together
While we won’t list the ingredients here, it’s worth understanding how the components of American Chop Suey interact to create its signature taste and texture.
The base of elbow macaroni provides a tender but toothsome chew, while ground beef brings savory depth and richness. Onion adds aromatic sweetness, and the use of tomato soup instead of traditional marinara sauce introduces a slightly creamy, tangy component that distinguishes it from Italian-American pasta dishes. The result is a balanced, homey, umami-laden skillet meal that’s hard to stop eating once you start.
What makes this even better is how it reheats—the flavors often deepen and meld, making leftovers just as delicious (if not more so) than the first serving.
Regional Variations Across the United States
Despite its strong roots in New England, American Chop Suey has traveled far beyond its origin and taken on different identities. In the Midwest, it’s typically called “American Goulash.” While very similar, Midwest versions might use canned diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, or garlic powder for added depth.
In some Southern kitchens, you’ll find cheese added on top and baked for a crispy crust. West Coast versions might substitute ground turkey for a lighter variation, while health-conscious cooks nationwide may opt for whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, or sneak in vegetables like bell peppers or zucchini.
No matter where it’s served, this dish adapts to suit local preferences without losing its comforting soul.
Customization: The Ultimate Pantry-Friendly Dish
One of American Chop Suey’s most endearing qualities is its adaptability. If you’re short on one ingredient, there’s likely a substitute on hand. Don’t have elbow macaroni? Use shells or rotini. Out of ground beef? Ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based meat works beautifully. Want a kick? A dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes does the trick.
You can also toss in chopped vegetables such as green bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach to boost the nutritional value. Some cooks love topping it with shredded cheese and placing it under the broiler for a bubbly finish.
These customizations mean that American Chop Suey can be made dozens of different ways, but still hold true to its roots.
Why Kids Love It
Parents across America have another reason to keep this recipe on rotation: kids absolutely love it. The mild, familiar flavors, easy-to-chew textures, and lack of exotic ingredients make it a winner among picky eaters. It also offers a great opportunity to sneak in vegetables if finely chopped or blended into the sauce.
For busy parents, it’s a dream come true—just one skillet and one pot, and dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes.
A Recipe That Ages Well
While food trends come and go, from avocado toast to oat milk lattes, American Chop Suey is the kind of dish that always finds its way back into our kitchens. Its enduring popularity proves that simple, well-balanced meals never go out of style. And because it uses pantry items, it’s the perfect fallback meal when the fridge is empty, and the grocery store run is still a few days away.
From weeknight rushes to rainy-day cravings, it’s a recipe that ages well, adapting gracefully to time and taste.
Pairing Suggestions and Serving Ideas
While the dish is perfectly filling on its own, you can easily round out the meal with a side salad, garlic bread, or steamed vegetables. A crisp cucumber salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the richness of the meat and tomato sauce. For drinks, a cold glass of iced tea or lemonade complements the homey nature of the meal.
If you’re entertaining, American Chop Suey can be prepared in advance and kept warm in a slow cooker—making it a fuss-free crowd-pleaser at potlucks or casual get-togethers.
Meal Prep and Storage Benefits
Another reason this dish has won over the hearts of home cooks is its incredible convenience when it comes to storage and reheating. American Chop Suey stores well in airtight containers for up to four days in the refrigerator, and it freezes beautifully for up to three months.
When reheating, a quick splash of water or tomato sauce will revive its creamy texture. You can also microwave it or reheat it on the stovetop with equally tasty results. This makes it perfect for meal prepping lunches for work or school.
American Chop Suey in Today’s Food Culture
With the rise of nostalgic comfort food trends, American Chop Suey is making a comeback. Food bloggers, YouTube chefs, and TikTok creators are showcasing their spins on this classic, celebrating its simplicity and encouraging the next generation of cooks to rediscover it.
It’s also appearing more frequently on diner menus and in meal delivery kits, bringing its humble charm to a new, modern audience. This resurgence proves that while trends shift and palates evolve, some dishes stand the test of time by offering comfort, warmth, and a sense of home.
Conclusion: A Comfort Food Hero
American Chop Suey is more than just a meal—it’s a tradition passed from hand to hand, plate to plate, over the course of generations. It’s easy to make, infinitely customizable, budget-friendly, and crowd-pleasing. While the ingredients may be humble, the flavor and sentiment behind this dish are anything but.
Whether you’re making it for the first time or revisiting it after many years, American Chop Suey delivers that special combination of warmth, nostalgia, and satisfaction that only true comfort food can provide. It represents the heart of American home cooking and proves that, sometimes, the simplest meals are the most enduring.
