American Chop Suey
By America's Test KitchenPublished on April 4, 2013
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni Salt and pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped fine1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine2 celery ribs, chopped fine2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 cup water 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Before You Begin
Our favorite elbow macaroni is made by Barilla. Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes are our taste-test winner. Spice up your chop suey by serving it with hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Drain again and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, and cooked ground beef. Bring to simmer and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in reserved pasta, cover, and let sit until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Ingredients
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Ingredients
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Why This Recipe Works
For our American Chop Suey, we used 90 percent lean ground beef to get rid of the grease. To bump up the flavor, we used a large onion, plenty of celery, and high heat to get both the vegetables and meat nicely browned. Three types of tomato products—paste, sauce, and diced—added rich tomato flavor and body. Parboiling the macaroni and then allowing it to finish in the sauce prevented it from overcooking and becoming blown out.
Before You Begin
Our favorite elbow macaroni is made by Barilla. Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes are our taste-test winner. Spice up your chop suey by serving it with hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Drain again and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, and cooked ground beef. Bring to simmer and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in reserved pasta, cover, and let sit until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.
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