There are no noodles in chop suey; instead, the stir-fried mixture is served over rice. The term Chop suey is always associated with much ambiguity, because of its origin and the ingredients that go into its recipe. Chinese-American form of Chow mein with the addition of stir-fried noodles. While it has roots in southern China, chop suey (pictured above) is one of the most popular kind of dishes in Americanized Chinese food. Juicy tender chicken slices and colourful vegetables in delicious thick sauce. Chicken Chop Suey – Super quick and delicious Chicken Chop Suey recipe. When it comes to following a recipe for either chow mien or chop suey, don’t be afraid to make substitutions if you don’t have all the ingredients. The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. In fact, the American Chop suey is an American pasta dish, which represents the Italian-American style of cooking. Onions or green peppers may be omitted for mushrooms. Chop Suey is accompanied by a thick sauce whose exact ingredients are determined by the chef, while Chow Mein is served with soy sauce. American Chop suey is pasta that is accompanied by bread or Worcestershire sauce. American chop suey is an American pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni and a seasoned tomato sauce, found in the cuisine of New England and other regions of the United States. Both are Chinese-American staples, but there are a few distinct differences. A story that has stood the test of time is that this dish was created by a legendary Chinese chef at a California mining camp. Essentially, this type of Chop suey comprises of pan fried noodles topped with a choice of meat in sweet & sour sauce and a fried egg. Here's how to tell if what you're eating is chow mein: That's easy! Every country has their own version of Chop Suey. The name became Americanized to "chop suey." Key difference: The Chinese Chop suey differs from the American Chop suey in that the latter is actually a pasta dish, while the former is a dish made of meat, eggs and veggies bound in a thick sauce that is served along with rice or noodles.. Chow mein is an established recipe where noodles are first boiled and then added at the end to a stir-fry of vegetables and sauce, keeping the noodles somewhat soft. Comparison between Chinese Chop Suey and American Chop Suey: Chinese Chop suey is a saucy mixture to be had with rice or noodles. Generally speaking it is composed of ground beef, sauce, vegetables and pasta. Here's how to tell if what you're eating is chow mein: The Base: It's crispy stir-fried noodles. These two Chinese restaurant dishes may share similar ingredients, but their concepts are a bit different. While the origin of chop suey is not necessarily established, the historical background of chow mein is far less mysterious. Both are Chinese-American staples, but there are a few distinct differences. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright © 2020, Difference Between | Descriptive Analysis and Comparisons. Chop Suey is a very popular American-Chinese cuisine usually made of meat, seafood and vegetables in thick starchy sauce. It goes by many terms actually. Besides being easy to make, both of these dishes are very adaptable. Chop Suey vs. Chow Mein in Chinese Cuisine. Chop Suey comes from Southern China. After that, there are a few other distinguishing features: Chow mein (pictured above) does share some similarities with chop suey: notably, it's made with meat (chicken, beef, pork, seafood, or tofu), vegetables, and a sauce. This is what a Chop suey basically entails. If there are noodles, it's probably chow mein. The American Chop suey constitutes elbow macaroni, cooked ground beef, sautéed onions and green peppers in a thick tomato-based sauce. Image Courtesy: recipeomnibus.com, food.com. Despite its name, it has only a very distant relation to the chop suey of Chinese and American Chinese cuisine. Because you'll see both dishes on menus throughout the world, trying to pick which classic Chinese-American dish you want most— chop suey vs. chow mein—can be tough decision. (Don't worry, we had to look this up, too.). To see deals on Chinese food, click on your metropolitan area below: Andy Seifert is a travel editor. Black pepper, herbs and Worcestershire sauce is also used in the preparation at times. Chop suey, on the other hand, has a much looser recipe format. On a day he was short on ingredients and staff, he threw together a dish for his customers using whatever he had in the kitchen. Chop Suey Spreads Across the Country. This Chop Suey is frequently found in many Indian restaurants that serve Indo-Chinese food and as a popular street food as well. Meat and vegetables are chopped up and stir-fried with a sauce, but since it was invented to use whatever meat and vegetables were on hand to make a quick Chinese-inspired dish, the same philosophy translates into your kitchen. Of course, to end the debate, you have to know what is the difference between chow mein and chop suey, exactly. While the chow mein served in take-outs and many American Chinese restaurants has been altered to appeal to Western tastes, it is based on an authentic Chinese dish of stir-fried vegetables with boiled noodles. Notably, adding to this confusion is another variant of Chop suey, which is influenced by the Indo-Chinese style of cooking. Consequently, the fusion of local American cuisine with the immigrant Chinese cuisine brought about a new style of cooking, known as the American Chinese cuisine. Chop Suey Vs. Chow Mein: What's the Difference? These ingredients are first sautéed and cooked with a variety of spices and condiments, and are then bound in a saucy solution that is later thickened by adding starch to it. Chow Mein originates from Northern China. The two may seem similar, but their ingredients, preparation, and origins are different. Illustration: Chloe Giroux. He named it "tsa sui" in Mandarin, which means "miscellaneous broken pieces." The two may seem similar, but their ingredients, preparation, and origins are different. In fact, this is the easiest way to spot the difference between chow mein and chop suey. Chow mein is considered to be a more authentic Chinese dish than chop suey. Chop Suey is always made with rice whereas Chow Mein only uses noodles. Going by its name, the American Chop suey is called so because it’s sort of a motley assortment of meat, veggies and Italian seasoning, which is what the Chinese Chop suey essentially is except that it contains Chinese sauces and condiments. In America, restaurants do have a tendency of frying the noodles until crispy. While it’s preferable to have a wok, these dishes can easily be made in a frying pan. While its specific definition can vary from chef to chef, chop suey almost always includes some kind of meat (beef, chicken, pork, or seafood) paired with vegetables and sometimes an egg. The recipes of both these dishes should make the distinction between them clear enough, but just their names often suffice to conceal this difference. The dish was cheap and easy to make. Chop suey is one of the finest illustrations of the American Chinese cuisine. Read on, and we'll explain the difference, then direct you to some Chinese restaurants where you can taste the difference for yourself. For making a Chop suey, meat from chicken, fish, beef, prawns, or pork; vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery; and eggs form the major prerequisites. Meat from chicken, fish, beef, prawns, or pork; vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery; and eggs. There is no existence of a dish called "tsa sui" in China. He has written for The A.V. Chow mein is one of the signature dishes of Chinese cuisine while chop suey is an American creation using Chinese cooking techniques. Chop suey (/ ˈ tʃ ɒ p ˈ s uː i /) is a dish in American Chinese cuisine and other forms of overseas Chinese cuisine, consisting of meat (often chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, or pork) and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery and bound in a starch-thickened sauce. © The Spruce, 2019. Chow mein and chop suey are both Chinese stir-fry dishes often found on restaurant and take-out menus. Find a Chinese restaurant nearest you, and decide which is the winner of the "chop suey vs. chow mein" debate. © 2020 Groupon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. By the 1920s, the Chinese-American stew was as popular as hot dogs. The beauty of these types of dishes is their flexibility. Many people believe it to have originated in China, while others opine that this dish first came into existence in America as a result of the Chinese communities immigrating to the western parts of the world. Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. Elbow macaroni, cooked ground beef, sautéed onions and green peppers. The chef obliged and thus chop suey was born. Ziti, farfalle, or rotelle can be used as a replacement for macaroni. If there's rice, it's chop suey. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Difference Between | Descriptive Analysis and Comparisons, Counterintelligence Investigation vs Criminal Investigation. Make your favorite takeout recipes at home with our cookbook! In his free time, he enjoys soda. When it comes to chop suey, one consistent belief is that it was invented in America by Chinese Americans. Black Friday Deals | Christmas Gifts | Gifts for Moms | Harry Potter Gifts | Things to Do | Kids Activities | Nightlife | Restaurants | Spas | Massages | Hair Salons | Travel, Two Vouchers: Each Good for $15 Worth of Food and Drink. Another tale is that chop suey was created at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 1890s; Chinese leader Li Hung Chang was visiting and requested a dish of meat and vegetables that was "job suey," or "in fine pieces." American Chop Suey is a term used to describe a popular American comfort dish. Accompanied by bread and Worcestershire sauce, American Chop suey can also be made using pasta such as ziti, farfalle, or rotelle, in absence of elbow macaroni. Outside New England it is sometimes called American goulash or Johnny Marzetti, among other names. Interestingly, the American Chop suey is actually a departure from the classic or the traditional Chop suey as explained above. Chow mein is one of the signature dishes of Chinese cuisine while chop suey is an American creation using Chinese cooking techniques. By using The Spruce Eats, you accept our, 10 Quick and Easy Beginner Chinese Recipes, 15 Chinese Beef Recipes That Are so Much Better Than Takeout, Chinese Noodle History, Types, and Recipes, 10 Deliciously Easy Chinese Chicken Stir-Fries, Quick and Easy Chinese Chicken With Oyster Sauce. Club and NewCity magazine. Both are ideal dishes to make when you want to clean out the refrigerator as the selection of vegetables is really up to you. Texas Hash are just a few names. Grow Your Business by Working with Groupon, The Best Chinese Dishes Your Local Takeout Spot Doesn't Have, Tea Spotlight: Dragon Well Tea, China's Most Famous Green. Chow mein, (in Mandarin "ch'ao mien") meaning “stir-fried noodles,” originated in Northern China.