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The One-Pot American Chop Suey You’ll Make on Repeat

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posted: 05/17/26

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

American Chop Suey is a perfect one pot 30 minute meal that the whole family can get behind. It is simple to make, but everyone will love it.

Bowl of American Chop Suey recipe with fork

While the name American Chop Suey may be a little outdated and odd, this dish really does stand the test of time. It comes together in one pot and is full of delicious flavor. It’s a hearty dinner recipe that your family will want you to make over and over again.

How to Make Chop Suey

Here is a brief overview of how this American chop suey comes together. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and directions.

Cook the Ground Beef

Break the ground beef up in a skillet as it cooks. Once the meat has just started to brown, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper, and cook until the onion and bell peppers are soft.

Add the Tomatoes

Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the elbow macaroni noodles and bring everything to a roaring simmer. Cook covered for nine to twelve minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

Overhead of skillet of American Chop Suey recipe ingredients

Add the Shredded Cheese

Stir in the cheese so it melts into the dish. Enjoy!

Overhead of skillet of American Chop Suey topped with shredded cheese

Substitutions and Variations

  • Change the pepper from green to red. We used a green bell pepper here because it is more budget-friendly and traditional for this dish. But we love the taste that a red bell pepper brings to recipes.
  • Switch up the cheese. We used the classic cheddar here, but there are so many great cheeses that would melt well into this dish at the end. Two other options are Colby or Monterey Jack.
  • Top with cheese. At the end of the recipe, we are stirring the cheese in for simplicity. But you could also cover the whole dish in cheese and put it into a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. I always think the more cheese the better.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover American Chop Suey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat until heated through.

Overhead of skillet of American Chop Suey with wooden spoon, sliced baguette sitting beside

What to Serve with American Chop Suey

  • Garlic Bread: The crisp texture of buttery garlic bread is perfect to go with this comforting dish.
  • Honey Roasted Carrots: Made hands free in the oven, this is a great side dish for any stove top meal.
  • Beet Salad: This delicious salad is full of bright colors and will be a great addition to the table.

If you make this American Chop Suey recipe or any of my other recipes, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Bowl of American Chop Suey recipe with fork
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American Chop Suey

Author: Lisa Longley
Serves: 6 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
American Chop Suey is a perfect one pot 30 minute meal that the whole family can get behind. It is simple to make, but everyone will love it.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or 3/4 table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 15 ounce tomato sauce see note 1
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese see note 2

Instructions

  • In a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Once the meat is broken up and just started to brown, about two minutes, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion and bell peppers are soft, about five to seven minutes.
    1 medium yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the macaroni. Cover and turn up the heat to medium high. Bring everything to a roaring simmer. Cook covered for nine to twelve minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring often, scraping the bottom of the pan so the noodles don't stick there.
    15 ounce tomato sauce, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 8 ounces elbow macaroni
  • Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.
    1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Notes

  1. You are looking for canned tomato sauce that is just pureed tomatoes without any seasoning, not a pasta sauce.
  2. I like to shred my cheese while the dish is simmering in step three.
Serving: 1.6cups Calories: 468kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 42g (14%) Protein: 25g (50%) Fat: 23g (35%) Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 74mg (25%) Sodium: 1030mg (45%) Potassium: 853mg (24%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 8g (9%) Vitamin A: 721IU (14%) Vitamin C: 32mg (39%) Calcium: 220mg (22%) Iron: 5mg (28%)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Bowl of American Chop Suey recipe with fork

did you make this

American Chop Suey

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Lisa is the founder of Simple Joy. Lisa, is a self taught cook and avid lover of all things food, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the last 10 years Lisa has been reading cookbooks, experimenting in the kitchen, and learning everything she possibly can about cooking. The result has been the ability to create recipes, both classics and new twists, that readers fall in love with and make with ease. Lisa loves not only providing delicious and easy recipes, but also giving the why behind what we are doing in the kitchen. She gets such great joy in sharing my love for food.

Lisa has been featured in many media outlets. These outlets include Country Living, Real Simple, Today, Parade, Good Housekeeping, Buzzfeed, Delish, Elle, and many others.

Prior to becoming a food creator, Lisa was a social worker. She received her master’s in social work from the University of Milwaukee and worked in child welfare.

Lisa is the mom to four amazing kids: Gavin, Elliot, Quinn, and Piper. Gavin, Quinn, and Piper are happy, amazing kids she loves spending time with.

Her husband, Nathan, is her partner in life and in business. He is her rock in more ways than one and supports all of her crazy dreams.

Lisa and Nathan lost their second child, Elliot, when he was 8 days old. If you want to know more about Elliot, you can read it here. If you want to read more of Lisa’s experience of grief, you can read this post.

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