What is your go-to recipe for a busy week, the one you can make with your eyes closed at 7 PM when everyone is clamoring for dinner? American Chop Suey is exactly that—the dish Americans have perfected since the 50s without ever feeling the need to complicate it. Ground beef, macaroni, tomato sauce. Simple. Effective.
Ingredients :
- Ground beef — Go for at least 15% fat content. 5% gives a sandy result that sticks to the roof of your mouth. The fat melts into the sauce and gives it body—it’s the real flavor enhancer here, not the spices.
- Elbow macaroni — The shape really matters. Short elbow macaroni catches the sauce both inside and out. Fusilli will work, but you lose that effect where each piece of pasta is a little sauce capsule.
- Canned crushed tomatoes — Don’t use fresh ones here; they lack concentrated flavor outside of summer. Two 400g cans with their juice. If you have a tube of tomato paste lying around, a spoonful of it adds depth without changing the texture.
- Green bell pepper — Not red, not yellow. Green. Its slight vegetal bitterness balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and gives this dish its authentic American character. Once melted into the sauce, you’ll barely see it, but you’ll feel its absence if you forget it.
