Chinese American Recipe

Chop Suey

Chop suey is a Chinese American vegetable-and-protein stir-fry in a light gravy, often using bean sprouts, celery, cabbage, onion, and a chosen protein.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeAdditional Chinese restaurant menu recipe family
Cuisine or formatChinese American
Consolidation ruleClosely related menu names are treated as one recipe family when the sauce, technique, or format is the same.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, tofu, or mixed protein
  • 3 cups bean sprouts, celery, cabbage, onion, or mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster or mushroom sauce
  • 1 cup stock or water
  • White pepper
  • Cornstarch slurry
  • Neutral oil

Method

  1. Prepare protein and vegetables before heating the wok.
  2. Stir-fry protein until nearly cooked and remove if needed.
  3. Cook garlic and vegetables quickly.
  4. Add soy sauce, oyster or mushroom sauce, stock, and white pepper.
  5. Return protein.
  6. Thicken into a light gravy.
  7. Serve with rice or crispy noodles.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Chop suey is a Chinese American dish with many protein variations.
  • It overlaps with chow mein in some American restaurant traditions.
  • Vegetable versions may still use chicken stock or oyster sauce.

Menu appearances covered by this recipe

  • Chicken Chop Suey
  • Pork Chop Suey
  • Beef Chop Suey
  • Shrimp Chop Suey
  • Vegetable Chop Suey
  • House Special Chop Suey

Variations and substitutions

  • Adjust protein, vegetables, and heat level only when the core technique and sauce remain recognizable.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, nuts, sesame, shellfish, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For restaurant-style versions, texture matters as much as flavor: fried items should stay crisp, noodles should not become mushy, and sauces should coat rather than flood the dish.

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