chinese american

This is the perfect alternative to Chinese take out. 

Sweet and Sour Casserole

beef

chili powder

oregano

garlic powder

salt

Pepper

rice

mushrooms (about 5 ounces)

green pepper, sliced

sugar

cornstarch

water

white vinegar

ketchup

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cook beef over medium heat in large skillet until browned. Add in chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add rice to a 9”x13” (3-quart) baking dish. Top with beef, mushrooms, and green pepper.

In a saucepan combine sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat until bubbling. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over casserole.

Packed with veggies, tender pork and a homemade sauce, this dish is a fun deconstructed type of stir fry. Savory and filling this is the perfect 15 minute meal.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

olive oil

green onions, chopped

ginger,

garlic

pork

coleslaw

soy sauce

sweet and sour sauce

water chestnuts, chopped

carrots

salted cashews

In a pan over medium high heat add...

In a pan over medium high heat add oil. Add the chopped green onion to the pan and stir constantly for 2 minutes.

Add minced garlic and let sit on the...

Add minced garlic and let sit on the heat for 30 more seconds.

Add ground pork to the pan to brown....

Add ground pork to the pan to brown. Stirring the meat mixture and breaking up any large chunks of meat.

Once meat is cooked add coleslaw, carrots, water...

Once meat is cooked add coleslaw, carrots, water chestnuts, ginger and soy sauce to the pan. Stir mixture occasionally until coleslaw is wilted and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Add sweet and sour...

Remove pan from heat. Add sweet and sour sauce, cashews and remaining green onion. Give everything a good stir and serve hot.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/skawzzrhpe3euvz0jztm.mp4

Packed with veggies, tender pork and an Asian flavored sauce this Egg Roll in a Bowl is a quick 15 minute dinner. A deconstructed, Chinese-American inspired stir fry it is an easy and delicious meal.

Pineapple sweet sour chicken is a tropical twist on a classic dish, with a mouthwatering combination of sweet and tangy flavors.

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken Recipe by Tasty

chicken

cornstarch,

pineapple

vegetable oil,

red bell pepper, chopped

green bell pepper, chopped

white onion, chopped

garlic,

rice vinegar

white rice, cooked,

scallion, sliced,

sesame seed,

The official home of all things Tasty, the world’s largest food network. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place!

Tasty

In a large bowl, combine the chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 egg. Cover and marinate in the fridge for  20 minutes.

Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and carefully cube the fruit in each half, leaving the outside of the pineapple intact. Scoop out the cubed pineapple and set aside.

Place the remaining cup of cornstarch in a separate large bowl and toss the marinated chicken pieces until liberally coated. Shake off excess.

Fill medium pot halfway with oil and heat until the oil reaches 350˚F (180°C).

Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes, until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is cooked throughout. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.

To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Sauté the bell pepper and onion for 2-3 minutes, until softened.

Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant.

Add the vinegar, sugar, and ketchup, and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the pineapple cubes and warm thorough.

Add the chicken to the frying pan and toss to coat with the sauce.

Scoop the mixture into the hollowed out pineapple along with a scoop of rice.

https://vid.tasty.co/output/90270/landscape_480/1524170325

These puffy fried egg omelets, which were created in the 1900s by Cantonese immigrant restaurateurs for American palates, are stuffed with meat and vegetables and smothered in a savory gravy. Typically deep-fried in woks to create the fluffy texture, shallow frying at home in a cast-iron skillet produces similar results; the high heat expands the eggs with steam, creating air pockets and crispy nooks during frying. A terrific way to use up leftovers, typical fillings include shrimp, ground pork or diced cooked ham and veggies such as mung bean sprouts, onions, carrots or scallions. Serve with cooked rice and steamed broccoli or green beans.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/08/10/multimedia/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Egg Foo Young

neutral oil (such as vegetable

chicken broth

oyster sauce

sesame oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

eggs

(3 ounces) mung bean sprouts (or

scallions,

NYT Cooking

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/08/10/multimedia/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq-threeByTwoLargeAt2X.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/08/10/multimedia/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq/kc-egg-foo-young-zmtq-mediumSquareAt3X.jpg

Make the gravy: In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-low. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the broth in a small bowl; add the remaining broth to the pan. Add oyster sauce and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the sauce reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes. 

Add cornstarch to the reserved broth and whisk until smooth, then add to the sauce. Cook, stirring, until thickened to a gravy consistency, about 1 minute longer. Stir in sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Make the omelets: In a large (12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1/3 inch of oil over medium-high until an instant-read thermometer registers 325 to 350 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes. (The oil should be shimmering and a drop of the egg mixture in the oil should sizzle immediately.)

When the oil is almost ready, combine eggs, shrimp, mung bean sprouts and scallions in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, break the egg yolks and fold the mixture just until well incorporated. (Don’t overbeat or the eggs will spread too much during frying.)

Using half of the batter, add 2 ladlefuls of the egg mixture to the oil to form 2 omelets. (They will bubble immediately.)

Cook, basting the top with the hot oil, until golden underneath and just set, about 2 minutes. Flip, using tongs or a spatula and fork, and cook, basting with the oil, until golden on the second side and cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture to form 2 more omelets.

Arrange the omelets on plates and top with some of the gravy. Garnish with scallions and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

Oh My!! These were heavenly!! This was one of my daughter's favorite dishes before being diagnosed with an allergy to chicken eggs. I made this with duck eggs since she can those. Perfect!

So good. Just like my dad used to get from takeout back in the day

I used arrowroot instead of cornstarch. Also made my sauce with half beef bone broth and half soaking liquid from dried shiitakes. This was delicious. Will make again. Used all mung bean sprouts purchased at the farmers market.

I have always shied away of this favorite dish because of the sauce. This sauce is easy and delicious! I use whatever has to be used in the fridge and keep a sprouter on the counter with mung beans which I feel are super important ingredient and there is always a half bag of shredded cabbage in my crisper. I make this with a big batch of fried rice and love the leftovers. Love this recipe - it is so easy and better than the gloppy sauce you get in take out.

I’m so happy to have found this recipe! The last few times we’ve had egg foo young it’s been full of bean sprouts and tasteless. We made shrimp broth from the heads and shells and this recipe was full of flavor.

I love egg foo young but the last time I ordered it, it was full of bean sprouts and pretty tasteless. I’m so happy to

Made this for dinner and it was delicious! Only change i might make is to use a little less cornstarch in the gravy last time, it seemed too thick, and became almost chunky from the amount of thickener.

Another great leftover recipe! I used shrimp, but I could see doing this with any shredded protein and it's easy to change up the vegetables to use whatever is left in the fridge. Last night's steamed broccoli was easy to repurpose here. And yes, the grave is much, much better than anything you get at a takeout spot.

This is a winner. I had leftover roast pork so I shredded that. I shredded carrots, and slivered some mushrooms. The sauce as written is delicious and far superior to the brown gravy dished up in most take-out places.

Delicious!  I used broth otherwise followed the recipe. Served with mashed potatoes and crusty bread. Will serve with peas next time.

I love that Kay Chun described this as a leftover-user, much like fried rice is a refrigerator clearer.  I love it like this, but I can even imagine it the day after Thanksgiving using leftovers and gravy without the soy and oyster sauces.   This is such a doable, simple recipe for one of my favorite comforting foods.

This is a terrific recipe. The gravy could be used for chicken cutlets as well and often is. I had a similar recipe once that I found in an Australian series called "Company's Coming". It didn't involve a thick layer of oil though. The two egg omelet I made from this recipe was terrific but it sopped up a lot of oil.

I went easy on the fillings, shrimp, cabbage and scallions, made all the sauce. 
I thought it was too much oil.

I have made this for years - the recipe has been around for a long time.  I make this when I have left over pork chops or pork roast.  I just cut the pork  into smallish pieces and use instead of the shrimp.  Delicious.   Canned bean sprouts, well drained, are possible.  But fresh bean sprouts are so much better!

Loved the egg foo young my dad made in the 60’s with the some totally unnecessary ready-made mix that included canned bean sprouts. This is likely a bit better!

years ago, in ,,,,Cleveland there was a Chinese restaurant   named Ho Wah.  They made a great egg foo young but it had  an awesome gravy.  It was dark brown and thick. Most gravies in recipes I have looked at are for a lite not thick gravy.  Any one know or remember this gravy?

Should the shrimp be cooked prior to adding them to the egg mixture?

I made this for supper last night and it turned out beautifully.  I was flying solo so I cut the recipe in half and added finely chopped onions and very thinly sliced mushrooms which I sauteed first then added them to the mix.  I should have made a the full recipe of gravy because it was that good.  I will definitely  be making this again!

Recipe calls for “cleaned shrimp”, which means raw shrimp, and does not specify to cook the shrimp before mixing with eggs. The chopped raw shrimp cooks at the same time as the eggs.

I own a cookbook by Craig Claiborne? of the NYTimes from gosh, 1980? and this is basically the same recipe.  It's a favorite and have made it countless times; so much the page has a ton of spills on it.  Always a sign of a good recipe.  A combo of crispy fried bacon, cooked shrimp, and scallion is a favorite.

Carol Solomon- I remember Ho Wah. Great Egg Foo Young. I think this gravy should be pretty close to what they served us there.

Really appreciate this, particularly for the gravy recipe, and I can't wait to make it.  Back in the '80s the Better Homes cookbook had a delicious, easy Egg Foo Young recipe with a marvelous rich and savory gravy but for some inexplicable reason it was dropped from later editions.  Check out The Woks of Life website if this inspires you to make your favorite take-out dishes at home; and you might also enjoy Take Away, a moving book by Angel Hui about growing up in a Chinese restaurant family.

When I think that I can't absorb any more sections of the NYT's, another one grabs my daily attention. Thank you for another dish to add to the rotation.

I would say no.  Because it is cut so small the three minutes of cooking time in the batter will be enough time to cook it without making it overcooked and chewy.

I often also add thinly sliced onion and a few dried shiitakes to the egg mix.  Also, you can keep the individual omelets warm in a warming oven until they are all finished.

How would you make this if you wanted to try the deep-fry wok method?

This is the best of the Egg Foo Young recipes I have. Wonderful! Raw shrimp cooks fine; if it was precooked it would be rubbery in the final dish. This will be part of our regular rotation.

Made this tonight, exactly as indicated.  Wonderfully delicious, and I am an "order in Egg Foo Young" kinda guy. This is better than that.  PS no need to cook the shrimp first. This was very very good.

To NM Cheryl: Yes, cook the shrimp but make sure not to over cook as shrimp will cook a bit more when added to the eggs.

I made this last night and it was delicious. What’s more it’s pretty easy to assemble.  I had to read the recipe many times to understand the process. I used leftover pork roast that I ground up in the food processor. Essentially it’s a great way to use up leftover meats.

https://vp.nyt.com/video/2024/05/24/118873_1_HP-Egg-Foo-Young-CV_wg_480p.mp4

The New York Times Cooking

Mapo tofu, the classic Sichuan dish that is now a Chinese American staple, receives a summery twist with the addition of tomatoes. Its signature tingly and assertive flavors are intensified by the umami tanginess of tomatoes, which also add a hint of fresh acidity. When you add the tofu, it will look like there’s not enough liquid, but rest assured, the tomatoes do break down during the cooking process, providing a soupy base. Not all brands of doubanjiang are created equal, so look for ones that come from Pixian, in Sichuan, as they tend to be the most flavorful thanks to a long period of fermentation under sunlight, resulting in a reddish-brown color with a deep and complex umami.

Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu

Vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

onion,

Salt and pepper

garlic cloves, finely chopped

red chiles (such red pepper

peppercorns

tomatoes,

(14-

scallions, thinly sliced

rice,

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/20/multimedia/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg

Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/20/multimedia/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq-googleFourByThree.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/20/multimedia/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq-mediumSquareAt3X.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/20/multimedia/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq/hlm-mapo-tofu-with-tomatoes-cktq-facebookJumbo.jpg

Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot on medium-high. When hot, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and then add the onion and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the mushrooms and onions have softened and have golden edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the ginger, garlic, dried chiles, doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce and 1/2 cup water, and stir to combine.

Add the silken tofu to the pot, breaking it up into irregular chunks, and gently stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

To serve, drizzle with sesame oil, top with scallions and eat with rice.

Onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, barely any chiles--that may be a good dish, but it isn't mapo tofu!

Do you think this recipe would work with a firmer tofu?

I made this once, and I think that this is not a "try it and get it right the first time" recipe, because the seasoning is so important to making the dish not dull.  I followed the instructions, but it needed more strong flavor.  
More importantly, the tofu disintegrated during cooking.  This starts with soft tofu, and then you cook it for another 10 minutes--why?  The tofu doesn't need it, and I ended up with a textural nightmare.  
It's not unsalvageable, but needs practice to get right.

I certainly think you can make something delicious without the spices but it won't be mapo.  I have been studying up on Sichuan cooking (thanks to Fuschia Dunlop's marvelous books!) and she describes the flavor sensation of mala at the heart of the cooking:  ma, meaning numbing, thanks to the peppercorns, and la meaning spicy, thanks to the chiles and doubanjiang.  I am counting on someone more knowledgeable to correct me if necessary.

My husband can't support spiciness of any kind. Would this be good without the chiles and the peppercorns or are they integral to the dish?

@cosette simon
And if you don’t shop on Amazon? Any suggestions?

Those looking for the black bean paste, recommend looking on Amazon.  Just pick one with a higher rating.  Also don't recommend putting the peppercorns in whole.  A bite of those ruins your palate for the rest of the night.  Instead toast them, then grind them in a peppermill or a spice grinder and add to your serving as you do with the sesame oil.

Yes. It would have a slightly different texture but the flavor profile would be the same.

Do you think it would work to use regular tofu rather than silken?

I would add spinach or bok choy to complicate the flavors. I added fresh bean sprouts from our farmers market, which added a nice crunch. If you’re flexible on your ethnic combinations, I added some fresh peppery Thai basil, which was delicious.

This was delicious. We used fresh cherry and bigger tomatoes from the garden and doubled the recipe for our 2 adults and 4 kids. All the kids ate it despite it being slightly spicy. I used the whole 1 tsp of Sichuan peppercorn recommended and still put extra on my dish. We love mushrooms and there definitely could be more added for this recipe. Serve it in a bowl as its pretty liquidy.

@Sinduja what is it about those that you need to replace? Is it a health issue or can you not find it? If you can’t find it I have seen recommendations for a mixture of miso and sriracha. I might have to do this myself as our nearest Asian market is an hour’s drive.

Use whatever hot chiles or chile paste that you have (sambal oelek) and miso (for the funk that you get from fermented products). It won't be the same but will still be tasty.

@Sinduja, it is not black bean paste. It is broad bean paste. (Although most mapo dofu recipes also call for a small amount of fermented black beans (rinsed) as well.  The Mala Market is a highly reliable on-line retailer of these ingredients: <a href="https://themalamarket.com" target="_blank">https://themalamarket.com</a>/ For example, here is a good doubanjiang: <a href="https://themalamarket.com/products/red-oil-pixian-chili-bean-paste-hong-you-doubanjiang" target="_blank">https://themalamarket.com/products/red-oil-pixian-chili-bean-paste-hong-you-doubanjiang</a>. Once opened, refrigerate the jar; it lasts in the fridge indefinitely.

What is a good substitute for the spicy black bean paste or fermented paste?

@Barbin Eugene by I was thinking same. Unless there’s some hidden ingredient in the beans or the gochujang., this is a vegan recipe. It’s one of my favorite dishes, made all kinds of ways so it doesn’t hurt that It’s also healthy.

This recipe sounds like it may also be vegan? Am I missing something? (Have family visiting and am gathering recipes that will meet as many dietary and super-generally-tasty needs as possible).  I know we can’t please everybody, but we can try.

Terrible. Strange combination and consistency. The doubanjiang makes it way too spicy as well. We had a couple of bites and had to order in dinner. Disappointing.

So the peppercorns are left whole? Or should they be ground?

This is amazingly flavorful! I water sautéed the vegetables, omitting the neutral oil. I did add the sesame oil at the end...about 2 tsp total. I can't wait to make this again!

@Fran B truly sounds deli. I love that you tweaked the recipe to achieve something deliciously tailored to your personal taste!

How did you get the the dried 'gourmet mushroom mix' from Costo to be edible?  I've tried it twice, and both times it failed to soften enough.

We really enjoyed this! I did tweak it a little after reading David Tannis's vegan mapo tofu again (it is also an excellent recipe) and soaked a small handful each of dried sliced cloud's ear mushrooms, dried sliced shitake mushrooms and the dried 'gourmet mushroom mix' from Costo. I chopped up the rehydrated mushrooms and added them along with a 1/2 cup of the mushroom water (replacing the 1/2 cup of water) and also added tablespoon or so of rice wine. Served with brown rice and chili crisp.

I would add a bit of cornstarch slurry (1 tsp. cornstarch in a couple of tablespoons of water). Add that towards the end of cooking to thicken up the sauce.

Very tasty and alive with flavour. Ended up a bit too watery for me - I possibly used too many tomatoes but would cut down on the additional water next time to have a more concentrated flavour. Did add a few dashes of Shaoxing Rice Wine which did add a lovely acidity.

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Top 5 chinese american recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Sweet and Sour Casserole

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken Reci...

Egg Foo Young

Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu

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