Chop suey
Chop suey is a stir-fried dish associated with Chinese-American cuisine, typically made with meat or seafood, vegetables, and a starch-thickened sauce served with rice or noodles.
Chop suey is a stir-fried dish commonly associated with Chinese-American cuisine, made from meat or seafood, vegetables, and a starch-thickened sauce. Its name comes from Cantonese meaning 'mixed bits,' and it's typically served over rice or noodles.
What it is
Chop suey is a flexible stir-fry dish made from meat or seafood, vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, celery, onions, or mushrooms, and a sauce thickened with starch. It is usually served with rice and can also be served with noodles.
Why it matters
Chop suey became popular in North American Chinese restaurants and is often treated as a symbol of Chinese-American cooking. Its history reflects adaptation, migration, and regional variation in Chinese diaspora cuisines, including in Canada where it is a familiar menu item.
Key details
The dish's origin is disputed: some trace it to Guangdong in southern China, while others describe it as a Chinese-American creation. There is no single fixed recipe; home and restaurant versions vary widely in protein, vegetables, sauce thickness, and whether served with rice or noodles.
In short
- Chop suey is a stir-fried dish with meat and vegetables in thick sauce.
- Served over rice or noodles.
- Origin disputed between southern China and the United States.
- Common in Canadian Chinese restaurant menus.
Chop suey is familiar in Canadian Chinese restaurant menus and reflects the adaptation of Chinese diaspora cuisine in North America.
Quick questions
What is chop suey?
Is chop suey Chinese?
Where did chop suey originate?
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/chop-sueySupports: Describes chop suey as a Chinese-American dish, notes a possible origin in Guangdong, and summarizes ingredients and historical background.
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chop_sueySupports: Provides a general description of ingredients, serving style, and the association with overseas Chinese cuisine.
- Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chop%20sueySupports: Defines chop suey as a dish prepared chiefly from bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions, mushrooms, and meat or fish, served with rice and soy sauce.
- Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/chop-sueySupports: Defines chop suey as a Chinese dish made from small pieces of meat and vegetables cooked together.
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/chop-sueySupports: Gives the Cantonese-derived meaning and describes the dish as Chinese-style meat fried with vegetables and served with rice.
- Britannica Dictionary — https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/chop-sueySupports: States that chop suey is a combination of vegetables and meat or fish served with rice and notes it was probably invented in the U.S. by Chinese immigrants.
- The Spruce Eats — https://www.thespruceeats.com/chop-suey-and-chow-mein-4077054Supports: Explains practical differences between chop suey and chow mein, including noodles versus rice and differing dish structures.
- Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/chop-sueySupports: Describes chop suey as a Chinese-style American dish and gives a U.S.-origin interpretation.