American chop suey

For the Chinese American dish, see Chop suey. For other uses, see Chop suey (disambiguation).
American chop suey
American chop suey
Alternative namesAmerican goulash
CourseMain dish
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateNew England
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsMacaroni, ground beef, tomato-based sauce, various vegetables (usually green peppers and onions).
Similar dishesBeefaroni, cheeseburger macaroni, chili mac, Johnny Marzetti, macaroni with beef and tomatoes

American chop suey is an American pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni and a seasoned tomato sauce,[1] found in the cuisine of New England and other regions of the United States.[2][3][4] Outside New England it is sometimes called American goulash or Johnny Marzetti, among other names.[5] Despite its name, it has only a very distant relation to the chop suey of Chinese and American Chinese cuisine.[4]

Though this comfort food is influenced by Italian-American cuisine as well as older New England quick and practical meals like the "potato bargain" and "necessity mess," it is known as "American chop suey" both because it is a sometimes-haphazard hodgepodge of meat, vegetables and Italian seasonings,[6] and because it once used rice, a base ingredient in Chinese cuisine, instead of pasta.[4]

Standard American chop suey consists of elbow macaroni and bits of cooked ground beef with sautéed onions in a thick tomato-based sauce.[7] The dish can be served on a plate or in a bowl, usually accompanied by bread and often Worcestershire sauce.

  1. ^ Mendelson, Anne (29 November 2016). Chow Chop Suey: Food and the Chinese American Journey. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231541299. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. ^ Bedell, Malcolm. "Classics: American Chop Suey". From Away. fromaway.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  3. ^ "American Chop Suey Casserole". New England Today. newengland.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b c KENJI LÓPEZ-ALT, J. "American Chop Suey: The Cheesy, Beefy, Misnamed Stovetop Casserole That Deserves a Comeback". Serious Eats. seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  5. ^ Vargas, Sally Pasley (September 3, 2019). "Recipe: American chop suey is beloved comfort food served by families all over the country". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  6. ^ Smith, Andrew F. (2007). The Oxford companion to American food and drink (illustrated ed.). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-530796-2. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  7. ^ "What is American chop suey?". Ochef. Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2013-10-28.