Despite their diverse origins, ingredients, and cooking ways, chop suey and chow mein are sometimes mistaken. So, what actually distinguishes the two dishes? Learn all there is to know about the distinctions between chow mein and chop suey.

Chinese cuisine is one of the world’s most popular, and for good reason: it’s insanely tasty. While Chinese cuisine differs greatly from place to region, it often has two fundamental characteristics with my favorite meal: it is simple to prepare and very gratifying to consume.

The popularity of Chinese food has resulted in a large number of Chinese restaurants all over the globe, increasing the impact of the country’s culinary methods. Not only are Chinese restaurants widely available in most places, but Asian fusion and even Chinese-Western fusion are rapidly sprouting everywhere.

With the increasing availability of Chinese-influenced recipes, the distinctions between various meals have grown blurred, making it difficult for many people to distinguish one dish from another.

This takes us to a contentious issue: Chow Mein vs. Chop Suey. Today, we’ll debunk a few misconceptions and explain the key distinctions between the two famous recipes.

Origins

While chow mein and chop suey are sometimes misconstrued, their roots are very different.

Chow Mein is definitely Chinese, having roots in the country’s north. However, because to its simplicity, it swiftly spread throughout the nation, with modifications adapted by chefs of other cuisines. Its appeal was aided by the ability of egg-based noodles to retain taste and the fact that it can be rustled together in minutes.

Now for the chop suey. It is debatable when the dish initially appeared. Some claim it has Cantonese roots in southern China, while others claim it was developed in the United States by 19th-century Chinese migrants who intended to create a blend of Chinese and Western cuisine.

Rice vs Noodles

One of the most noticeable distinctions between chop suey and chow mein is that one is cooked with rice and the other with noodles.

Chow mein is a Chinese term that means “fried noodles.” It is pronounced chao mian. The noodles are normally produced with wheat flour and egg and are exquisitely created to provide a pleasing flavor.

American chop suey, on the other hand, is often served with rice. Some versions are cooked with noodles, but for the most part, it is served with rice.

Ingredients

Aside from the fact that chow mein typically has noodles and chop suey generally contains rice, there are additional ingredient and taste characteristics that distinguish the two.

Meat (typically pork or chicken), cabbage, bok choy, a thin sauce (always soy, garlic, or oyster sauce), and egg noodles are all staples of chow mein.

Chop suey, on the other hand, was initially centered on combining a variety of leftovers, thus its regulations are less stringent.

That is why this is such a perplexing subject: Chop suey has no official meaning. Its name relates to a wide variety of foods. In essence, it is a stir-fried rice or noodle meal prepared with leftover meat, veggies, and a thick sauce.

Sauce

For the uninformed, this one may be a little more subtle, but it’s crucial: the sauce.

See, chow mein is generally served with a thin sauce, either soy sauce or garlic. Because the sauce is subtle, it does not overshadow the tastes of the chow mein, so you get a lot more out of the pork and veggies in the meal.

Chop suey, on the other hand, has a considerably richer sauce. It is either highly sweet or very salty, and it adheres to the components to pack in the taste.

Overall, the distinctions between the two are minor, which is where the misunderstanding stems. In essence, chop suey is loaded with ingredients and is often (but not always) served on a bed of rice. Chow mein, on the other hand, is usually made with fried noodles and a mild sauce.