This is the fast and easy chop suey recipe that my mother always made, and we love it 'as is',  but you could substitute a can of Chinese mixed vegetables for the bean sprouts if you like more color and texture. Serve over hot rice, topped with chow mein noodles and soy sauce, if desired.

Chop Suey

shortening

pork loin

onion

celery

water

salt

black pepper

(14.5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained and rinsed

cornstarch

soy sauce

white sugar

Heat shortening in a large, deep skillet. Sear pork until it turns white, then add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add celery, hot water, salt and pepper. Cover skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sprouts and heat to boiling.


In a small bowl combine the cold water, cornstarch, soy sauce and sugar. Mix together and add to skillet mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened to taste.


I was looking for my moms chop suey recipe, and couldn't find it.  I looked on here, and this is the same one!  It's delicious!  I did use a can of chicken soup stock along with the water though, and added more ground pork.

I'd have to say this is the best chop suey!  I like it better than I get in the restaurant even!  I made it 1 time and have made it over and over again.  I'm revisiting the site today to print out another copy because mine has been used so much it gets a little crinkled more every time.  My family loves it too.  The only thing I do different is make a double batch because we all love it, and 1 just doesn't seem to be quite enough for a family of 4.

I thought this was great. Definitely four stars. I used chicken broth instead of plain water and I also used frozen stir fry veggies in it as well as finely chopped garlic and added some crushed red pepper to my own plate. Very good. Very easy. Thanks.

This was terrific!  I made the recipe as written.  I was a little nervous about using the shortening, but it really needs to be a part of the recipe.  I used diced chicken instead of pork.  Tastes like the chop suey my mom made when I was a kid.  I will make this one again!

Well, just made this for dinner. Here are my suggestions: 1-2 T. oil rather than shortening, saute a couple of cloves of garlic with the diced pork (who said ground pork?!), a couple of ounces of soy sauce (or ponzu), and last but not least - 2 T. molasses! That was the missing ingredient!   I did chop some red bell pepper and saute also with the vegetables. Instead of bean sprouts, I used a can of fancy mixed Chinese vegetables, which also contained bean sprouts.  Now, that's chop suey!

I've made this for the second time today.  I made 4 time the amount because the last time it was all gone in an hour.  I chop everything in my food processer and used olive oil instead of shortening. My husband and his brother say it's better than Moms.  YEAH!!!

Very much like the chop suey you order in Chinese restaurants! I made a vegetable version that was delicious; omitted the pork, added mushrooms, bok choy and broccoli. I didn't have shortening, so I sauted the onions in about 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil. My husband and I both really enjoyed it. Next time I might even add scallops for a variation.

My boyfriend hates Chinese food, but I love it.  When I came across this recipe I thought it would be something he would eat and would also satisfy my craving for Chinese.  He not only liked it, but requested that I make it again a few weeks later!  The only modification I made is that I threw in some water chestnuts.  Thanks for the recipe!

When I first glanced at this recipe, I thought it was too simple to be flavorful, but upon reading the reviews, I decided to give it a go.  I, too, changed the water to chicken broth, added minced garlic and a smidgen of ginger; also, about a tablespoon each of white wine, oyster sauce, soy, and sesame oil.    The veggies I used were all fresh:  thinly sliced carrot, cabbage, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts.  The result?  Perfectly splendid flavor!  I was very pleased with this foundation to build upon.  Thank you!  :)

My husband and I both likes this recipe and it was very easy to make.  I substituted a few ingredients as I didn't have celery on hand but did have sugar snap pead.  I also threw in a can of baby corn and bamboo shoots.  Next time I will add a little more soy sauce.

This is the BEST!!!  I use my food processor to chop everything.  I make a triple batch and it is gone in 2 days.  I've even have used chicken instead of pork and that's great too.

Pretty good, I used oil instead of shortening though.

We really loved this!  I used leftover pork loin roast diced up and I did as others suggested and used 2 Tblsp. of canola oil to saute the onion and celery, along with some minced garlic and sliced baby bella mushrooms.  I also used a can of fancy chinese vegetables instead of just bean sprouts and some extra water chestnuts.  In the cornstarch mixture I used twice as much soy sauce plus 2 Tblsp. of molasses.  It was divine and like so many others have said, "just like my mother used to make."  What a treat!  And, it is quick and easy.  Thanks for the basic recipe.  It is a definite keeper!

good basic recipe.  i used tofu instead of meat, and added zero calorie shiritake noodles.  i also used chicken broth instead of just water. very simple and comforting.  thank you!

I wish I could rate this more than 5, it was so delicious! However, I did make some modifications that others might want to try. Instead of plain hot water, I subbed a hot mix of stock with some white wine and a little water.  I sauteed the onions along with the pork.  After 5 minutes of this, I also added minced ginger and garlic and sauteed the pork for an additional minute before I added the hot stock mix.  All this really deepened the flavors to unreal levels!  Then, I had mushrooms, green beans, and carrots I added along with celery just to use them up and add color.  Still, it was very quick easy to make and probably the most delicious Chinese dish I have ever made at home.  Thanks for the great idea!

I made this with a leftover pork tenderloin and it was very quick and easy.  I doubled the soy sauce and added a can of Chinese vegetables in addition to the bean sprouts. I also subbed chicken stock for the cup of water and the 1/3 cup of water and it gave it a great flavor.  I will definitely make this again and think it would also be good with chicken, beef, or even just vegetables. Thank you!

This is so what I remember chop suey to be, like I enjoyed as a kid. The 1st time I made it I used shortening....after that NOT! A little veggie oil will do. Wonderful w/ shrimp or chicken as well. Thanks for a great simple blast from the past!

If you want to try this in your slow cooker... I left out the shortening and placed the pork, onion, celery, water(I subbed chix broth and left out salt), and pepper in my slow cooker on high for 1 hr. Then I cooked on low around 4 hrs. Then I added the sprouts and cornstarch paste and returned the heat to high for about 30 mins. To serve I added sriracha and cooked rice with Baked Egg Rolls (also from here) . The hubs requested I make it again. Next time I will add the celery/ onions further along the cooking process because I like them a bit crunchier.

Sorry.  Very bland.  Added more soy sauce and a bit of Hoisin Sauce.  Still bland.  Also, not enough sauce.  Had to add water and that probably contributed to the blandness.  Wish I had watched how my mother-in-law used to make this.
Update:  I made this again and liked it much better.  Didn't change anything.  Maybe the pork had more flavor.  Don't know.  But I would make it again.

Very very good! I used butter instead of shortening, but other than that followed the recipe exactly. The only thing I would do different next time is to double (maybe triple) the recipe because it went fast.

We tried something different with this recipe.  Using all the ingredient except for shortening substituted with veg.oil, added 3 stalks of bok Choy, fresh bean sprout; one large bag, a can of bamboo shoot and water chestnuts and lastly a whole 16 oz of mushrooms...for the liquid we did swap out the water for chicken broth which put a different twist to the flavor of the broth added more soy to accommodate.  The different textures of vegetables were awesome.  Certainly was a win with hubby!  Thanks for laying the foundation. Excellent flavor!!!!  Will do again soon.

I've made this recipe a few times now, and I love it! The combination of flavors (the sugar surprised me) have a very nice complexity that I was not expecting. I've thought about adding other vegetables into this recipe, but it's just great as it is. I made this with pork the first time, since I had an extra boneless pork chop on hand. After that, I made it with chicken, and it's just as good. Thank you for this recipe! Now we're reallyl cooking!

It's been a long time since I had this. My mom used to make it and this is very close to her recipe. The only changes I made are: a double batch, using brown rice (1 to 2 - rice to water - 1 hour low flame) which adds a nutty flavor and makes it healthier, instead of shortening using a 2 Tbsp of olive oil,  adding an ample Tbsp of molasses, increasing the soy sauce to 2 Tbsp and reducing the water by that amount. I like using fresh organic bean sprouts and celery instead of the canned stuff. I can eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and then in my dreams.

I really love this!  In place of the can of sprouts, I use a can of chow mein vegetables.

This is surprisingly simple and delicious.UPDATE: I have made this many times and prefer the simplest version. I have experimented with chicken, chicken stock, red bell pepper, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, canned chop suey veg. But the very best way is to use pork and the simple veg in the original recipe: celery, onion, bean sprouts. We did add salt, substituted molasses for the sugar, and increased the amount of liquids and cornstarch. We like it with rice.

Mom's chop suey...how did you swipe her recipe?  We loved it.  Thank you for sharing.

I marinated my pork in "Mama Sita's BBQ Marinade" (store-bought) while I prepped everything else. As veggies I used onion, garlic, radishes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and canned mini corn cut up. Used olive oil instead of shortening. Skipped celery, bean sprouts and hot water. Made the rest of the recipe as stated. Very tasty, I'd say almost restaurant quality. Served over basmati rice.

This is what my Mom made, except she used beef. I love it with mushrooms and water chestnuts. This is a versatile recipe. Add, remove whatever you want to.

We both love chinese but found this to be very blah for chop suey.

Thank you for such an awesome recipe! I've used this site for 5+ years religiously and this is by far my favorite entree! Everyone loved it! It is just like what you would get at a restaurant and probably even better. The only change I made was I added water chestnuts and pea pods! Oh my! Delish!

It was okay. It tasted kind of bland so I added hoisin sauce and chili garlic paste. I also added a bag of frozen asian vegetables and left out the bean sprouts because I didn't have them.

This was an excellent recipe.  I added water chestnuts and used beef instead of pork over brown rice.  I also substituted olive oil for the shortening and used less than the recommended amount to cut down on the fat and calories.  I also let cook for about 10-15 minutes to get the celery softer.

Love this!!!! So quick,easy and delicious! Used Olive oil instead of shortening as another reviewer had mentioned they used it...I also added Bok Choy when adding the celery just for some color and it was terrific!  Thanks for the great recipe!

Hit the spot! I love me some Chicken chop suey. Next time I make this, I want to add two cans of bean sprouts. My hubby doesn't like celery, the texture mainly, so added celery salt instead to keep the flavor. I also used chicken broth instead of the 1 cup of hot water to bring out the flavor of the chicken I used in the dish. I'ma keepin this recipe!

For our chinese food night, I made this Chop Suey, Sweet and sour pork and Egg Rolls.
My husband not being one to like chinese type foods, loved this!!!
I added water chesnuts, carrots and cabbage.
This will be remade again with more pork and no waterchestnuts for the hubby.
Thank you for sharing this easy and great tasting recipe.

this is very close to the chop suey recipe that my mother made me for years... and now my children make it for my grandchildren...   you might want to add water chestnuts, and you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts.  we serve it with oriental crispy noodles, over rice

Wow this was good, and easy to make.  I can't have msg - migraines - so finding a good easy to prepare chinese recipe is not easy.  I used roasted chicken - thanks Costco - instead of pork and cut the cooking time down quite a bit.  I couldn't find canned bean sprouts so I used fresh.  Turned out perfect  The family loved it and it tasted great the next day.

A tiny bit bland but still worth the efforts. Next time will add julienned bell peppers, sliced onion, angle-sliced celery... Dicing doesn't seem to suit the dish!

I have made this several times &amp; LOVE IT. The only change I make is to sear the pork in either 1-2 Tbsp. of butter or vegetable oil. And I usually double the recipe.

This is great if you really like Chop Suey. I used Chicken instead of Pork. It certainly must be healthy for you with the ingredients.

I used a small amount of olive oil, chicken, fresh bean sprouts and added zucchini. We really enjoyed it and it will become one of my regular meals.

Love this recipe!  It is super easy to substitute the pork for cubes of chicken- you cook it the same as the pork.  You can add other vegetables (broccoli and shredded carrots are popular at my house).  This is a delicious recipe!!! My whole family loves it!

Delicious.  Just like i made for all the years my children were growing up.  I learned from this version to shorten cooking time for the pork and the vegetables.  And of course I added Grandmas molasses in lieu of sugar.  I used Mother Hubbard molasses for years.  I also add water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms, and used fresh bean sprouts.   Serve over organic rice if gluten sensitive.

It's a bit bland, but pretty authentic tasting. Adding some cabbage and water chestnuts fills it out as a fuller dish.

I didn't really like this....kind of a bland recipe.  I don't think it's the recipe's fault -- just my tastebuds!!

Absolutely great recipe !! everyone loved it !! took me right out of a lunch rush !! i just made a couple of changes to it by replacing the pork with shredded chicken,added bok choy, broccoli, and mushrooms.. the perfect chop suey !! :D Thanks !!

I have a freezer full of frozen food- a diced celery/onion/carrot mixture, broccoli florets, and chicken breasts. Didn't know what to do and decided to find a recipe for chop suey. Random huh?

I read a lot of complaints about it being bland but for me, it was perfect! Maybe because I'm big on seasoning, and I season food to my taste. I didn't have pork, so I cut up the (thawed) chicken breasts and cooked them in olive oil. The chicken was seasoned with seasoning salt, paprika, and pepper. I added my vegetables after the chicken was done and used low-sodium chicken broth as the substitute for the hot water. Added a dash of salt and pepper and even then, the mixture already tasted great. I used fresh bean sprouts instead of canned, but I'm sure that it wouldn't make a difference. Made the cornstarch mixture according to the directions, and was originally worried about the taste of the mixture. After adding it to the stirfry however...wonderful. Perfect amount of salt and sweet. (I later added red pepper flakes-- gotta have a little spicy!)

It is a very simple, fast recipe and I recommend it for anyone who wants to make a restaurant-quality meal in a short time period. I think maybe using the chicken broth will help with those who said it was bland, but in the words of Chef Ramsay "Taste, taste, taste!" No recipe is perfect.

Will DEFINITELY cook again!

Love this recipe.  It's great for my husband who is on a renal diet.  I added one or more of the following, canned mushrooms, water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots.  Didn't hurt it a bit.  Loved how easy and fast it is too.
Judy

This recipe is just like my mom's! Everyone loves it. I used chicken broth and added diced chicken along with the pork.  I also added water chestnuts. I did use chinese mixed veggies for the bean sprouts and it was really delicious....will make again!

Awesome I added water chestnuts, mini corn, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and pea pods. I would make this dish over and over again.

the family loved this and it tastes like the chop suey my mom used to make back in the 70s

I just made this for a 2nd time -both times have just followed the recipe to the T. I must say, I am happy with it as is... the only thing I might try differently next time is to add the Chinese mixed veggies that everyone has suggested. Other than that, it's a great. The sauce is perfect consistency &amp; not too salty... My 12 yr old son loved this over white rice, so I think this will be added to my meal rotation now. Thanks for sharing!

Great! the whole family loved it. I used a pork roast and added a can of chinese veggies instead of the sprouts. Keeper!

This chop suey tastes very authentic and delicious ! My family loved it! I substituted fresh green beans for the bamboo shoots as we are huge green bean fans.

This is a good basic recipe for a good way to deal with leftover meat and vegetables. You can replace the pork with any meat (but not fish) and you can use a lot of different vegetable combinations. Also, I leave out the sugar. Depending on the vegetable combination, you probably don't need it. I serve with both white rice and chow mein noodles. But if you're looking for something that will knock your socks off, this isn't it.

Wonderful! I tried this with beef stew meat and also added a can of chinese vegetables. Was great, will definitely keep cooking this. My husband wants me to add more waterchestnuts next time.

I followed this recipe to a "T".  I thought it was great~!  My 3 year old helped make it and she really enjoyed it as well.  I was surprised at how easy, quick and tasty it was.  I served it over chow mein noodles.  I will be making this again.  Thanks for the recipe!

My go to dinner when pushed for time or have left over chicken, pork or beef.  I do not use the corn starch or sugar.  We like the juicy broth and do not need the added sugar.  Love this meal.

I used ground beef in place of the pork and I added mushrooms.  I also used fresh bean sprouts.  It was very good.  Will definitely make this again.

Loved this recipe..Of all the chop suey recipes I have tried, this by far the best one I ever made..I used left over meat in mine. I just added it after the veggies finished steaming and right before I added the cornstarch mixture..just to re-heat it..Yummers..Thanks
PS.. I also used beef broth instead of plain water and omitted the salt..because I was using left over steak..

I really liked this and will make it again.  Used chicken &amp; coconut oil instead of shortening for a subtle flavor. Cut salt in half. Used low sodium tamari, as well.

So simple and easy and so tasty!  I don't know why this tasted different than my normal stir frys, but it was really good.  Used Chicken stock rather than water.  Added pea pods and red bell pepper but just because I had some!

A great Recipe!  finally my Chop suey has the texture you would expect it to have a chinese resturant!

Used 2 tablespoons olive oil instead of shortening.  Added chopped water chestnuts for texture. Substituted chicken for pork. Used low sodium soy sauce. Substituted no sodium chicken stock for water. Left out the sugar. Adjusted for taste with about 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt. Served over crunchy chow mein noodles. It is a good base recipe for chop suey. Easy to modify to taste. I'll definitely use it again to avoid high sodium, high fat, MSG-laden stuff from a restaurant.

Thank you for the recipe!  I really loved it.  I added baby corn, water chestnuts, and mushrooms, but kept everything else the same.  I will definitely make this again.

I made this tonight, my husband has been asking for me to make it for sometime now.  The only thing I did different was I used olive oil and added water chestnuts and used 1/2 pork and 1/2 beef. It's my first time eating chop suey, I have to say it's not bad, however, I think next time I will add some garlic as others have indicated, as it taste like it's missing something.  My husband says it taste just like the one his mother use to make when he was a kid.

This is a good base recipe,  I did add  a few things that my Mother taught me for hers. Add an  1/8 teas.ground ginger ( or a 1/2 in piece of whole ginger)  Bean sprouts, water chestnut and the Molasses,about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I used chicken stock instead of water. This is a good way to try different vegetables.....boc choy ,baby corn, mushrooms,and snow peas.

A little bland; i would use beef or chicken stock next time instead of water

Very good and simple.  Tastes fresher than a can but oddly similar.  Will become one of our rotating meals.


This is a very tasty recipe.  I used the boneless chicken I had on hand and substituted chicken broth for the hot water (personal preference).  Otherwise, I made no changes. I did all the chopping and organizing for this dish before I started cooking - so much easier when company is present.

I used cut up beef chuck steaks (cheap on sale) instead of pork, and i used a few tablespoons of wok oil instead of artery buster shortening. flavor was outstanding. very easy to make.

Excellent and a hit with the kids.  I followed the suggestions to use chicken broth instead of water and to double the recipe.  It was a good recipe to cook with my 10yr old son and have him do most of the prep &amp; cooking.

Pretty close to take-out! We doubled the sauce and added pea pods, water chestnuts, bok choy, diced carrot, 1 large garlic clove. My husband and I added a little extra soy sauce.

This a good start-off recipe for Chop Suey.  I used beef instead of pork, just for preference.  I added 2 minced garlic cloves along with the celery to give it a little more flavor.  I also used a large can of stir fry veggies to the mix to make it a more colorful dish overall.  Towards the end, I tasted the sauce and ended up adding more soy sauce to enhance the flavor a bit more.  I probably needed to adjust it because of the additional veggies I added to the dish.  I would make this dish again--but adjust the sauce to try different flavors.

sauteed pork with 2 tsp garlic and dash of soy sauce.  
When adding water, also added chicken broth/stock.  instead of bean sprouts, added cup of frozen vegetables since what I had on hand.  Otherwise would prefer fresh-carrots, brocolli, mushrooms, water chestnuts. etc.

I 've made it twice now for my parents, who really like it, and say it's "almost as good as" what my grandmother used to make. I added lots more Chinese veggies--bamboo shoots, water chestnuts--and a can of button mushrooms because that's what my grandmother did. I also greatly reduced the amount of fat, substituting a little olive oil for the shortening, and used chicken broth in place of water for more flavor.

Loved this recipe, very easy to prepare. I used a can of Keystone heat and serve pork... also added water chestnuts. Served over rice. On the table in less than 30 minutes. Next time I will double the recipe, everyone had seconds! Thank for the recipe!

This was delicious and so easy. I made it exactly as written.

I was looking for the Chop Suey I used to have in grammar school.  It had a brown colored gravy. For a regular chop suey recipe, I thought this was very good and just like the one you get from the restaurants.  I also used oil instead of shortening and only about 2 tablespoons.  It was very easy to make!!  

I changed it up a bit used skirt steak not pork, and did not have Sherry so used a splash of wine vinegar, but the concept and cooking instructions were a great help.  First attempt and it was great.

This recipe was super easy and was exactly the taste I was looking for.I used beef and added sliced red peppers.
Served over white rice - the family loved it. This is a recipe I will use often.
Thank you very much!!!!!

Fantastic~ I doubled the recipe, but next time I think 3 Tablespoons of Cornstarch in a double batch will be plenty.  Excellent recipe DKOSKO, thank you :)

This was SOO GOOD! I doubled everything except the celery and bean sprouts. This worked perfectly because it gave enough sauce to cover the rice that I topped with the chop suey. Really yummy sauce. Anyone that says it was bland is out of their mind, to add more soy sauce would make it WAY too salty. Perfect as is. Thanks!

Came out fair only because it did not have much flavor.  I added garlic and chicken broth instead of water but something else is needed.

Used chicken.  I Tried both leftover chicken from roaster and CANNED chicken - came out great both ways.  Also added mushrooms.

This is a great recipe! I used oil instead of shortning and added broccoli. My husband and 4 kids loved it as well.

I looked for this because chop suey was in today's crossword, and really happy I did!  I also used oil, water chestnuts, and since I was short on celery, added green peppers. Also a little short on ground pork, so added some bacon! DELISH!! Will prepare often--good way to eat your vegetables!! YUMMY!!

i boil the diced pork loin for few minutes or until pork is tender. set the broth aside and use it instead of adding just plain water.  it also saves me money for buying chicken/beef broth.  been done in my country for generations.

Yumm... thanks! I used what I had on hand and it turned out great!   So, we used Ground Turkey, Fresh Bean Sprouts, Bok Choy leaves &amp; the stems in place of celery. turned out awesome!   I did add a little extra soy sauce &amp; some ginger &amp; tai pepper to the meat while it cooked. My husband is filipino so our flavors have to be There! :)   However this recipe was perfect for getting me where I wanted to go! thanks so much!  I'm adding this to our dinner menu as a regular!

Very good and so simple and quick to make, every working mom should try this one.  It will not yield enough for 4.  It is just hubby and I and there was not a full serving left so definitely double this recipe .  I did add 1 Tbls. of soy sauce and was glad I did because we were still adding at the table.  I will try this  with chicken and ground beef for a little variety too.  Thanks DKOSKO for another keeper.

I use fresh mung bean sprouts.. it is a great recipe. If you live on the north shore of new england you will know what chop suey sandwiches are.. this is the recipe to use.... yummy..  I make it with chicken also..... thanks so much for this recipe

chop suey

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost: $9.46 /serving

Author : DKOSKO

Ingredients

Instructions

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