Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Optional: grated parmesan cheese + freshly-chopped parsley, to garnish Directions Serves 6-8, adapted from Ingredientsġ/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (this adds a tiny bit of heat – omit if you want a spicy-free dish)ġ lb large elbow macaroni – i used creamette large elbow macaroni

It was so amazing that after taking my first bite, I broke into a happy dance of victory (and my husband can vouch for that.) Whether you call it American Chop Suey, Goulash, or Chili Mac, I know that you’ll be calling it your new favorite meal! Sweet heavens, it is SO delicious – everything I remembered from my childhood, but even better! From the slightly sweet, slow-simmered pasta sauce to the wonderfully-tender spiced beef, onions + peppers, all tossed with a generous portion of pasta, it is pure comfort food. So, I hunted down a recipe for a slightly-fancied-up version, + got cookin’. It was, hands-down, my favorite comfort food growing up + even though I haven’t eaten it since I was a teen, I found myself seriously craving it recently. So, what is it? Basically, it’s ground beef, onions, + peppers, sauteed with spices, tossed with macaroni + a slow-simmered tomato sauce. But as I learned from my facebook followers, in other regions it’s called American Goulash (or just Goulash), Chili Mac, or Hamburger Mac, to name a few. Growing up in New England, we called it American Chop Suey. While this simple comfort food dish is popular throughout the United States, it goes by different names in different regions. First, if you’re thinking, “what the heck is American Chop Suey?!,” allow me to explain.

Original american chop suey recipe