As a kid growing up in New England, one of my favorite comfort foods was my mom’s American Chop Suey. It’s a casserole made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a seasoned tomato sauce. Folks outside of New England call it goulash. I’ve seen other versions that add cheddar cheese, cinnamon, or soy sauce – but this recipe is the original, the classic!
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 red or green pepper, diced in small pieces
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 16 oz box of elbow macaroni
- In a large sauté pan, warm up the olive oil, then add ground beef until it is cooked through. Transfer the beef to a bowl, leaving a bit of the the oil in the pan. Add the onion and peppers, and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, add the beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Boil water, and cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Drain, and add to the tomato/beef mixture. Serves six.
