Get my Cookbooks! American Chop Suey (American Goulash)
This Classic American Chop Suey Recipe is easy to make in One Pot, the Crock Pot, or the Instant Pot! The flavors blend together perfectly for a traditional comfort food that your family will love.
See recipe notes for how to convert this from a One Pot recipe to a Crock Pot or Instant Pot recipe!
American Chop Suey
If you live outside of New England, it’s very likely that you know this classic comfort food as “Goulash” vs. American Chop Suey. Today, I’m sticking to my roots and calling it the latter.
The truth is, they’re really one in the same. (Unless you’re talking about Hungarian Goulash, which is made with Chuck Roast or Stew meat.)
No matter what though, this nostalgic recipe is one of my all-time favorites, it’s so easy to make in One Pot.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Brown the ground beef and drain excess grease. Mix in tomato paste and seasonings. Add onions, peppers, and celery.
Cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Add macaroni.
Bring to a gentle boil. Stir occasionally until the liquid is reduced and pasta is cooked through. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese if desired and serve!
Crock Pot + Instant Pot Method
This recipe can be easily converted to cook in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot, see the notes section in the recipe card for full instructions.
Pro Tips
- For slightly thicker sauce, mix 1 Tablespoon of flour into the ground beef and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in a dab of softened cream cheese at the end for a hint of creaminess
- Add a dash of hot sauce for an added kick.
- A combination of Ground Beef and Italian Sausage adds great depth of flavor.
- Feel free to add frozen carrots, peas, corn, or jalapeno peppers.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 163!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days -leftovers taste even better the next day!
- You can also freeze for up to 3 months. This recipe freezes well!
Try These Next
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- Homemade Hamburger Helper
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- Chicken Stew
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- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
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- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
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- Ground Beef Pasta
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Tried This Recipe?
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American Chop Suey
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
- Note: if adding cheese, shred it from a block and set aside before you begin. It shouldn’t be cold when added to the pot. Refrain from packaged shredded cheese if possible as it contains cellulose which prevents it from melting well.
- Cook and crumble the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain grease.
- Add seasonings and tomato paste.
- Add in onions, peppers, and celery cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato sauce and stir until combined.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, and chicken broth.
- Add the uncooked macaroni, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Cover for 4 minutes. Uncover and run a silicone spatula along the bottom. Gently lift up anything that is settled on the bottom.
- Cover partially and boil gently for 4 more minutes. Run a silicone spatula on the bottom again.
- Heat for 2-3 more minutes or until macaroni is cooked through. Taste-test a noodle for doneness before proceeding. Turn off heat. The pasta will continue to absorb remaining liquid.
- If desired, gradually sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Pro Tips:
- For slightly thicker sauce, mix 1 Tablespoon of flour into the ground beef and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in a dab of softened cream cheese at the end for a hint of creaminess
- Add a dash of hot sauce for an added kick.
- A combination of Ground Beef and Italian Sausage adds great depth of flavor.
- Feel free to add frozen carrots, peas, corn, or jalapeno peppers.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 163!
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 163!
Crock Pot Method
- Use half the amount of broth and only add the rest if desired.
- Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Transfer everything except the macaroni and shredded cheese to the Crock Pot.
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5.
- Add the macaroni and shredded cheddar and cook for 30-45 minutes, watch carefully so the pasta doesn't overcook and become mushy.
- Add remaining broth if desired and serve!
Instant Pot Method
- Use half the amount of broth and only add the rest if desired.
- Cook ground beef on sauté mode until browned and cooked through. Drain grease.
- Mix in seasonings and tomato paste.
- Add in onions, peppers, and celery cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix in the tomato sauce until combined.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, undrained diced tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Stir in the macaroni. Secure the lid and close the pressure seal valve.
- Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Flip the quick release valve.
- Add the remaining broth if desired and stir in the cheese. The macaroni will continue to absorb the liquid and will thicken upon standing.
Nutrition information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
Very excited to make this dish this week! And being in a New England girl this definitely hits HOME! I do have one question can you cook the macaroni separate and then add it in afterwards. My experience with cooking pasta in a dish like this is that it pasta overcooks and becomes mushy! TY!
Hi Gretchen! Glad to hear from a fellow New Englander! 🙂 The amount of liquid in this recipe is designed to be absorbed by the pasta while it cooks, so the macaroni can’t be cooked on the side for this particular recipe. I don’t have issues with the macaroni becoming mushy in this one, just pay close attention to how long the pasta is cooking for. I hope you love it!
This was delightful thank you so much for sharing it. It brings back a whole lot of memories.
Wonderful, I love when recipes bring back memories! 🙂 This is definitely a nostalgic one. Thank you so much for the review!! 🙂 -Stephanie
Made this last night for the second time. It really is very good! There are only two of us so we had some for dinner and I have 4 portions to put in the freezer for another time. Froze some last time I made it and was surprised at how well it froze. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it Paula! I LOVE when I have this in the freezer. And the leftovers are even better the next day too! So glad that you liked it. Thank you!