Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (2024)

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Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (1)

I grew up heating this expression that goes “Ang Chop Suey!” that literally translates to “That’s so Chop Suey”.

Chop suey in this expression is an adjective and is used to describe something that’s designed in a way or looks like a mix of incoherent elements—similar to how this vegetable dish is with lots of different types of veggies in different shapes, sizes, and textures that don’t necessarily look good together. But in this case, this dish tastes really well with the different textures ?

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (2)

WHAT IS CHOP SUEY?

So what is it? Chop Suey is a vegetable dish composed of assorted vegetables cooked down in a thick, gravy-like sauce. It usually contains pork, shrimp, and often even boiled quail eggs. This is a Filipino-Chinese version while there are other versions such as an American-Chinese, Indian-Chinese, and more.

This recipe for Chop Suey is a vegan take on the Filipino-Chinese classic that we’d often have at home. It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies and is easily customisable depending on what you have.

My mom loves Chop Suey extra saucy since it’s so delicious with steamed and you can scoop up a generous amount of veggies with that sauce!

HOW TO PREPARE & COOK CHOP SUEY

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (3)

Prepare the vegetables of choice. You’ll want to start with the vegetables that take longer to cook. In this case, I started with my carrot and broccoli since these take longer to cook down.

PROTEIN USED

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (4)

Since chop suey usually has meat, I wanted to add something to add to that texture, so I used some rehydrated soy chunks. This is of course optional and you can do without it or use mushrooms/tofu.

THE SAUCE & SLURRY

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (5)

For the sauce, simply mix everything together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

I also prepared a slurry by mixing water and starch in a small bowl until diluted.

TO COOK THE CHOP SUEY OR STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES

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Heat a large pan or wok over high heat. Once hot, add in neutral cooking oil.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (7)

Sauté the garlic and onion until translucent & aromatic, around 1 minute.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (8)

Add in the carrot and bell pepper. Over medium to medium high heat, add the water/broth and then cover the pan or wok to allow these to cook in the steam.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (9)

Leave for around 3-4 mins or until the carrot and broccoli are half-cooked.

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Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (11)

Add in the remaining vegetables and cook down as well. I actually added my cabbage last (after the protein) cause I like these really crisp and not overcooked.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (12)

Protein: You can add a little more oil then stir-fry the vegan protein of choice. You can also season this with some soy sauce or veg oyster sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes. If using tofu, see the notes below.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (13)
Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (14)

I added in the cabbage after. You’ll want to get the veggies crisp and tender without these releasing much liquid.

Afterwards, lower heat to medium. Mix the sauce again then pour it in vegetables.

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You can cover the pan to leave the sauce to come to a boil.

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Once it boils, give the corn starch slurry a good mix then pour it in the pan. This will help thicken the sauce.

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Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (18)

Mix the veggies well to coat in the sauce.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (19)

Taste the veggies and feel free to season with more soy sauce/vegetarian oyster sauce and salt + pepper to taste.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (20)

Turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy your chop suey with some steamed rice or noodles.

Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (21)

OTHER FILIPINO & CHINESE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

  • Filipino Kaldereta or ‘Meat’ Stew
  • Chinese Green Bean and Mushroom Stir-Fry
  • Crispy Wontons
  • Vegetable Dumplings
  • Filipino Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls
  • Filipino “Pork” Barbecue
  • Crispy Tofu Sisig
  • Tofu and Mushroom Salpicao

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Vegan Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables in Thick Sauce)

5 from 2 votes

Chop Suey is a vegetable dish composed of assorted vegetables cooked down in a thick, gravy-like sauce. It usually contains pork, shrimp, and often even boiled quail eggs. This Chop Suey is a vegan take on the Filipino-Chinese classic that we’d often have at home. It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies and is easily customisable depending on what you have.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Filipino

Servings 4 people

Calories 146 kcal

Ingredients

Vegetables and Protein

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 small white onion sliced into squares
  • 1 small carrot peeled and sliced
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth to cook down broccoli and carrot
  • 220 g vegan protein of choice I used rehydrated soy chunks (see notes)
  • 1/4 large head cabbage sliced
  • 2 small heads bok choy or other leafy greens sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small red bell pepper sliced into squares
  • 1 can young corn sliced

Sauce

Corn Starch Slurry

To Season

To Serve

  • Steamed Rice or noodles

Instructions

  • Prepare the vegetables of choice. You’ll want to start with the vegetables that take longer to cook. In this case, I started with my carrot and broccoli since these take longer to cook down.

  • Sauce: Mix the sauce together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  • Surry: Mix the water and starch in a small bowl until diluted. Set aside.

  • To Cook: Heat a large pan or wok over high heat. Once hot, add in neutral cooking oil. Sauté the garlic and onion until translucent & aromatic, around 1 minute. Add in the carrot and broccoli. Over medium to medium high heat, add the water/broth and then cover the pan or wok to allow these to cook in the steam. Leave for around 3-4 mins or until the carrot and broccoli are half-cooked.

  • Add in the cabbage, bok choy, bell pepper, young corn, and other veggies of choice. Stir-fry these over high heat for 1-2 minutes. You’ll want to get the veggies crisp and tender without these releasing much liquid.

  • Protein: You can add a little more oil then stir-fry the vegan protein of choice. You can also season this with some soy sauce or veg oyster sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes. If using tofu, see the notes below.

  • Afterwards, lower heat to medium. Mix the sauce again then pour it in vegetables.

  • Leave the sauce to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, give the corn starch slurry a good mix then pour it in the pan. This will help thicken the sauce.

  • Mix the veggies well to coat in the sauce. Taste the veggies and feel free to season with more soy sauce/vegetarian oyster sauce and salt + pepper to taste.

  • Turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy with some steamed rice or noodles.

Notes

PROTEIN

  • TOFU: You can also use extra firm tofu or tokwa. If using tofu, make sure to press these well and then slice into strips or cubes. You can pan-fry these before hand or pan-fry these in the same wok/pan as the vegetables.
  • MUSHROOMS: Another good sub for protein are some sliced shiitake mushrooms or other mushrooms of choice. You can use any type of mushrooms, really.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

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Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (23)
Chop Suey (Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables) (2024)

FAQs

Is chop suey Chinese or Filipino? ›

While it has its roots in Chinese-American cuisine, Filipinos have so lovingly accepted Chop Suey into their cooking repertoire that it has since evolved into its own well-known Filipino recipe. It is a vegetable dish that you mix with a meat or two or three of choice.

What does Chinese chop suey consist of? ›

Chop suey (usually pronounced /ˈtʃɒpˈsuːi/) is a dish from American Chinese cuisine and other forms of overseas Chinese cuisine, generally consisting of meat (usually chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or fish) and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage and celery.

What's the difference between chop suey and stir fry? ›

Chop Suey is just a slightly westernised version of a classic, basic Chinese stir fry.

What is the difference between chow mein and chop suey? ›

Chow mein vs chop suey are both popular Chinese dishes that are often confused with each other. Chow mein is a stir-fried noodle dish that typically includes vegetables and meat, while chop suey is a dish made up of meat, vegetables, and sometimes noodles that are cooked in a thick sauce.

Is Filipino food the same as Chinese? ›

Filipino cuisine is influenced principally by China and Spain have been integrated with pre-colonial indigenous Filipino cooking practices. In the Philippines, trade with China started in the 11th century, as documents show, but undocumented trade may have started as many as two centuries earlier.

What is traditional Filipino food? ›

Popular dishes include lechón (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Philippine sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (vinegar and soy sauce-based stew ), kaldereta (meat stewed in tomato sauce and liver paste), mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce), pochero (beef and bananas in tomato sauce), afritada ...

What's the difference between American and Chinese chopsuey? ›

Difference between American Chopsuey and Chinese Chopsuey

The American Chopsuey is sweet and sour with a bright orangish-red colour. It is like a one-pot macaroni pasta meal cooked with beef and vegetables in a sweet tomato sauce. Whereas the Chinese Chop Suey is savoury and spicy, served with rice or noodles.

Is Chinese chop suey good for you? ›

Chop suey is another stir-fry dish made from meat, eggs, and thinly sliced vegetables in a light sauce. It's often made with pork, although some varieties may contain chicken, beef, or tofu. Like other stir-fries, it's a healthier choice because it's made from a protein source and vegetables.

What are the ingredients of chopsuey? ›

Ingredients
  • Vegetables-broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, baby corn, chayote, snow peas, bok choy, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bell peppers.
  • Protein- chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, fish cakes/balls, kikiam, scallops, liver, gizzards, quail eggs, tofu.

Is chop suey better with rice or noodles? ›

Chop Suey will usually contain some kind of meat, whether this is beef, pork, chicken or seafood, an assortment of veggies, sometimes an egg and a thick sauce. This is then served with either noodles or rice, although rice is a more common and popular pairing.

Which is better chow mein or lo mein? ›

The experience is somewhat different between the two. Lo mein tends to be saucier and more toothsome, with a texture some describe as “slippery” because of the noodles' softness. Chow mein tends to have a greater variety of textures within the dish, thanks to the added texture that comes from frying the noodles.

What is Oriental chop suey? ›

Chop suey is a Chinese Canadian dish consisting of different types of meat, bean sprouts and other vegetables that are stir-fried together with soy sauce. The dish is typically served with rice and sometimes with noodles. It's one of the earliest popular Chinese dishes in Canada.

What is real chop suey? ›

Chop suey is a dish you'll see on almost any Chinese takeout menu—but that doesn't mean it comes from China. According to culinary legend, the dish of stir-fried meat, egg, and vegetables was invented on August 29, 1896, in New York City.

What is chop suey sauce made of? ›

Chop suey sauce is made of soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, white pepper, and water.

Where was chop suey originated? ›

This was, perhaps, an exaggeration; but chop suey was indeed of Chinese origin. Where exactly its roots lay has been debated; but it was probably first cooked in Taishan, in Guangdong, where most early immigrants had grown up.

What is the difference between American Chopsuey and Chinese Chopsuey? ›

Difference between American Chopsuey and Chinese Chopsuey

The American Chopsuey is sweet and sour with a bright orangish-red colour. It is like a one-pot macaroni pasta meal cooked with beef and vegetables in a sweet tomato sauce. Whereas the Chinese Chop Suey is savoury and spicy, served with rice or noodles.

Why do American people chop suey? ›

Though this comfort food is influenced by Italian-American cuisine as well as older New England quick and practical meals like the "potato bargain" and "necessity mess," it is known as "American chop suey" both because it is a sometimes-haphazard hodgepodge of meat, vegetables and Italian seasonings, and because it ...

What dialect is chop suey? ›

As a dish, chop suey is simply a variation on a standard south China stew—zaptsui in Cantonese or zacui in Mandarin, which means “random mixture.” Generally, the stew included meat and vegetables (almost always including celery and bean sprouts) in a sauce thickened with starch.

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