American Chop Suey
American Chop Suey a classic blend of noodles, seasoned meat, and herbs in a rich tomato sauce. We've pumped up the flavor by adding sweet Italian sausage and fennel, one of my all-time favorite root vegetables, which adds a new level of flavor!
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef,
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 large white onion, topped + peeled + 1/4-inch dice
- 3 cups green peppers, scrubbed + seeded + 1/4-inch dice
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed + roughly chopped
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- 1 28 ounce can (794 grams) crushed tomatoes
- 1 29 ounce can (822 grams) tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons (33 grams) tomato paste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional
- 2 cups (200 grams) elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven or pot over medium-high heat, add 2 Tablespoons of EVOO and reheat 30 seconds. Add the ground beef, sweet Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking up into smaller bits as it browns. When the meat is cooked, ladle into a fine-mesh strainer and strain off any excess fat and liquid. Set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of EVOO to the Dutch Oven, toss in the onions and green pepper and cook till the onions become translucent about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.
- Now add the water, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasonings, fennel seed, Kosher sea salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, optional Parmesan rind and the cooked meat to the pot. Stir to combine, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread and a side salad if desired.
Notes
- Prep time is approximate.