Beef Chop Suey is an easy recipe for a delicious meal of tender beef strips, fresh bean sprouts, and a savory sauce. And it's made without pork or shellfish, so it's kosher too.
This simple version of Chinese-American beef chop suey is quick to make in just one pan. It's a budget-friendly "takeout fakeout" version of the classic.
It is easily customizable-simply add whichever stir-fry vegetables you like!
And, since this recipe contains no dairy, pork, or shellfish ingredients, it's kosher.
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Chinese fakeout takeout!
Chinese food is an American favorite, whether you enjoy it with chopsticks or a fork and knife, at a restaurant or at home. Making it yourself can take a little longer than placing a takeout order, but it can still be quicker than waiting for delivery-and it can save money, too.
If you keep kosher, you may find that eating at kosher Chinese restaurants can get expensive. Making Chinese-American favorites at home is a more budget-friendly option, and you can customize them to your own tastes.
You might be surprised to learn that much of the "Chinese" food we enjoy in the United States is actually Chinese-American cuisine, developed here by Chinese immigrants. Whether a dish is traditional or Americanized, recipes can sometimes call for a long list of ingredients. This chop suey keeps things simple without sacrificing flavor.
It's also adaptable, so feel free to add your favorite stir-fry vegetables. It's a great way to use up vegetables that are starting to wilt in the fridge, too!
What is needed to make this easy beef chop suey recipe?
I hardly ever meal plan, so I like to keep a cupboard full of flour, seasonings, spices, veggies, and canned goods in my kitchen to use whenever the mood strikes.
But these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe even last minute!
steak beef
bean sprouts
celery
onion
soy sauce
stir-fry veggies, optional
And making this dish is so easy!
First, fry the onions and celery in a little bit of cooking oil.
Then and the meat and lightly fry that too.
Add the soy sauce and water.
Then, add the bean sprouts and cook them too. If you want your bean sprouts to be a little crunchy, then make sure not to overcook. We don't like crunchy, so we cook thoroughly.
Doesn't that look SO GOOD??
You can add stir-fry vegetables too! Those sides can be cooked right into the dish before you add the bean spouts (so the bean sprouts won't get mushy while you are cooking the others).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is beef chop suey?
Beef chop suey is a Chinese-American stir-fry made with beef, vegetables, and a savory sauce. It's an easy homemade dish that can be customized with the vegetables you like.
What kind of beef is best for chop suey?
Tender cuts of beef that cook quickly work best for chop suey. Slice the beef thinly against the grain so it stays tender and cooks evenly.
What vegetables are used in beef chop suey?
Chop suey is very flexible, so you can use a variety of stir-fry vegetables. This recipe can be made with your favorites or with vegetables you already have in the refrigerator.
Can I use ground beef for beef chop suey?
Yes, ground beef can be used to make chop suey, although the texture will be different from using thinly sliced beef. If substituting ground beef, cook it thoroughly before adding the vegetables and sauce.
Is beef chop suey the same as beef stir-fry?
Beef chop suey is a type of beef stir-fry, but chop suey traditionally combines meat with a variety of vegetables in a savory sauce. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably for American-style Chinese dishes.
What do you serve with beef chop suey?
Beef chop suey is delicious served over steamed white rice, brown rice, or noodles. The rice also makes a simple way to turn it into a filling meal.
What is Chinese-American Food?
Chinese-American cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine that developed in the United States as Chinese immigrants adapted their cooking to local ingredients and American tastes. As a result, many Chinese-American dishes differ significantly from traditional dishes of China.
Chinese immigrants began arriving in the United States in large numbers in the mid-19th century, including people who came during the California Gold Rush and to work on the Central Pacific Railroad. Many settled in Chinatowns and established businesses, including restaurants.
Early Chinese restaurants often served miners, railroad workers, and other American customers. As Chinese restaurant owners adapted their cooking to the ingredients available to them and the tastes of their American customers, new dishes and variations developed.
Over time, these adaptations became part of a distinct Chinese-American culinary tradition. Familiar dishes such as chop suey, chow mein, and American-style fried rice became popular in the United States.
Chinese-American cuisine isn't simply traditional Chinese food served in America. It grew from Chinese cooking while also reflecting the ingredients, tastes, and dining culture of the United States.
What Is Kosher Chinese food?
It is well known that Jews, especially those with ties to New York, love Chinese food. You can find kosher Chinese restaurants in many predominantly Jewish neighborhoods. In Cedarhurst, New York, for example, there are two within a couple of blocks-both excellent. And don't even get me started on Brooklyn.
There's even a popular joke about the Jewish love of Chinese food:
"According to the Jewish calendar, the year is 5749. According to the Chinese calendar, the year is 4687. That means for 1,062 years, the Jews went without Chinese food."
The joke dates back to at least 1989, although no one seems to know exactly when it originated.
The connection between Jewish and Chinese food goes back to New York's Lower East Side in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Jewish and Chinese immigrant communities lived and worked in close proximity. Chinese restaurants became increasingly popular with Jewish New Yorkers, and that tradition became an enduring part of Jewish-American culture.
By the early 20th century, Chinese restaurants were well established in New York's Jewish neighborhoods. They were affordable, often open on Sundays, and offered a type of food that was different from the traditional Jewish restaurants and delis of the time. The fact that Chinese cooking generally used little dairy also made some dishes seem more compatible with Jewish dietary traditions, although Chinese restaurant food was not actually kosher.
But what about Jews who did keep kosher?
In 1959, Sol Bernstein, the son of kosher butcher and deli owner Schmulka Bernstein, began serving Chinese food at Bernstein-on-Essex, his kosher delicatessen on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Bernstein is often credited with pioneering kosher Chinese food in the United States.
Sol adapted Chinese dishes to meet kosher requirements, using kosher beef, veal, and chicken in place of pork and leaving shellfish off the menu. His restaurant offered traditional Jewish deli foods alongside Chinese dishes, creating a unique combination that became enormously popular.
Schmulka Bernstein had operated a kosher butcher shop and smokehouse on the Lower East Side for decades. Sol's deli, which opened in the late 1950s at 135 Essex Street, became known as Bernstein-on-Essex, although many people simply called it Schmulka Bernstein's after his father.
The restaurant's slogan was "Where kashrut is king and quality reigns," and Bernstein-on-Essex became a destination for Jewish diners looking for Chinese food they could enjoy while keeping kosher.
Sol Bernstein continued operating the restaurant until his death in 1992. His contribution to the history of kosher Chinese food remains part of the fascinating connection between Jewish and Chinese food culture in New York-and helps explain why dishes like beef chop suey have a natural place in kosher Chinese cooking today.
Chinese-American takeout at home!
If you love Chinese-American beef dishes and want them pork-free (and kosher), you should try these!
Beef Chop Suey Recipe
Delicious and easy to make beef chop suey, made without pork or dairy.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds of steak beef*, cut into bite-size pieces (approximately 1"x1")
- 1 pound bean sprouts (or more, if desired)
- ½ cup celery, sliced thinly horizontally (approximately 1 medium stalk or use more if desired)
- 1 medium onion diced small
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional
- cooked carrot sliced into small strips
- baby corn cut into pieces
- mushroom slices or pieces
- cooked (or par-cooked) green beans
- chopped broccoli
Instructions
- Sauté the onions and celery in a large frying pan on medium heat, mixing occasionally.
- Add the pieces of meat and saute them as well until just cooked through.
- Add the water and soy sauce.
- Make a slurry by placing the cornstarch in a bowl and adding a couple of tablespoons of the sauce. Mix until completely combined and place back into the pan and mix well.**
- Add the bean sprouts and cook the entire thing until the bean sprouts are just halfway soft (if you are adding any of the other (pre-cooked or par-boiled) vegetables, add them at the same time as the bean sprouts).
- Serve over rice.
Notes
*Use a meat that cooks quickly, such as ribeye or sirloin
**If you want a thicker sauce or if your sauce is too thin because vegetables released too much liquid, make another slurry with another ½ tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix it back into the sauce in the pan.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1081Total Fat: 63gSaturated Fat: 25gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 335mgSodium: 1951mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 97g
