What You’ll Find Here?
Chopsuey, or “chop suey,” is one of the most well-loved Filipino vegetable dishes.
While it originally has Chinese-American roots, Filipino Chopsuey has evolved into a colorful, saucy stir-fry loaded with fresh vegetables, tender chicken, shrimp, liver, and quail eggs.
It’s a flavorful way to get everyone to eat more vegetables!
Whether you call it chopsuey, chop suey, chopseuy, or even sapsoy, this dish is a well-loved staple in many Pinoy homes.
In this blog, I’ll share with you how I typically cook Chopsuey step by step, the essential ingredients, vegetable cutting tips, and a few tasty variations.
Is Chopsuey The Same as Stir Fry?
Chopsuey is a popular Filipino stir-fry made with a mix of meat and vegetables in a thick oyster-soy sauce. It’s commonly served over steamed rice and is a staple in many Filipino households.
While similar to stir-fry, Filipino Chopsuey has:
- Thicker sauce (thanks to oyster sauce and cornstarch)
- More variety of vegetables like sayote, cabbage, and young corn
- Pinoy sahog like chicken liver, shrimp, and quail eggs
How to Cut Vegetables for Chopsuey
Getting the right cuts keeps everything crisp and well-cooked:
Sayote – peel, remove seeds, and slice into thin matchsticks
Carrots – julienne or diagonal slices
Bell Peppers – remove seeds and slice into long strips
Broccoli/Cauliflower – separate into small bite-sized florets
Green Beans – trim ends and cut into 2-inch pieces
Cutting veggies evenly helps them cook at the same time and look great on the plate!
Chopsuey Recipe Ingredients
Quail Eggs
Soft-boiled and peeled, these little eggs are fun to eat and always a nice surprise in every bite.
Shrimp, Chicken Liver, and Chicken Breast
This trio adds a mix of flavors and textures that makes the dish heartier and more satisfying.
Carrot and Chayote
Sliced into thin strips, they bring crunch and just the right touch of sweetness.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets
These give a nice bite and help make the dish feel a bit lighter and healthier.
Green Beans and Snow Peas
Crisp and fresh, they add a nice pop of green and texture.
Young Corn
Small and tender, these add a little crunch and sweetness.
Red and Green Bell Peppers
Colorful and slightly sweet, they brighten up the dish in both flavor and look.
Cabbage
Chopped and tossed in at the end, it helps round out the mix with its soft, mild flavor.
Onion and Garlic
These are the usual base. Sautéed first to bring out that tasty aroma that sets the tone for the whole dish.
Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce
These give the chop suey its savory, umami-packed flavor.
Water and Cornstarch Slurry
Helps thicken the sauce so it coats everything nicely.
Salt and Pepper
Just enough to bring all the flavors together.
How to Cook Filipino Chopsuey Step-by-Step
1. Prep the Ingredients
- Boil quail eggs, peel, and set aside
- Wash and cut all vegetables as described above
2. Blanch the Vegetables
- Boil a pot of water
- Blanch carrots, sayote, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, cabbage, and young corn for 1-2 minutes each
- Transfer immediately to a bowl to stop cooking
3. Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat oil in a pan
- Sauté garlic until fragrant, then add onion until translucent
4. Cook the Meat
- Add chicken breast, cook until lightly browned
- Add liver and cook through
- Add shrimp and cook until pink
5. Build the Sauce
- Add soy sauce and oyster sauce, simmer for 1 minute
- Add 1 cup water and 1 tsp black pepper
- Add cornstarch slurry and stir until sauce thickens
6. Combine and Finish
- Add bell peppers, stir-fry for 2 minutes
- Add all blanched vegetables and toss until heated through
- Add quail eggs and season with salt
What To Serve With Chopsuey?
Honestly, I enjoy eating chopseuy on its own. The mix of tender vegetables, savory sauce, and protein makes it a satisfying and complete dish. It’s perfect for a quick and delicious meal any day of the week.
Steamed Rice
The classic companion to Chop Suey is steamed rice. The fluffy, slightly sticky texture of rice perfectly complements the savory and saucy Chop Suey. It’s a staple in Filipino meals and helps soak up all the delicious flavors.
Lumpiang Shanghai
These crispy Filipino spring rolls filled with ground pork and vegetables make a delicious side dish. The crunch and the savory filling of Lumpiang Shanghai are a great match for the saucy chopseuy
Fried Fish
Fried fish of your choice (tilapia, bangus or galunggong) is another excellent dish to serve with chopseuy. The crispy and savory fried fish pairs beautifully with the flavorful and saucy chopseuy, adding a delightful contrast in textures and flavors.
More Vegetable Recipes to Try
Craving more Filipino veggie goodness? Try these flavorful and easy-to-cook gulay recipes:
Adobong Kangkong – A quick and savory dish made with water spinach sautéed in garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar.
Ginisang Upo – Light and healthy sautéed bottle gourd with garlic, onion, and optional sahog like pork or shrimp.
Sipo Egg – A creamy and colorful vegetable dish from Pampanga made with carrots, green peas, and quail eggs in a rich white sauce
Ginisang Repolyo – A simple sautéed cabbage recipe that’s budget-friendly and healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare Chop Suey in advance and reheat it, but it’s best enjoyed fresh to maintain the crispness of the vegetables.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat in a pan or microwave before serving.
It’s not recommended to freeze Chop Suey as the vegetables may become mushy when thawed.
Blanch the vegetables briefly and stir-fry them quickly over high heat to keep them crisp.
Chopsuey Recipe
Ingredients
- 18 pieces Quail Eggs (boiled and peeled)
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 200 grams Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 200 grams Chicken Liver (sliced into bite-sized pieces)
- 200 grams Chicken Breast (sliced into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 piece Carrot large (sliced into thin strips or florets)
- 1 piece Chayote medium (sliced into thin strips)
- 1 cup Broccoli Florets
- 1 cup Cauliflower Florets
- 1 cup Green Beans (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 cup Snow Peas
- 1 cup Young Corn (sliced)
- 1 piece Red Bell Pepper (sliced)
- 1 piece Green Bell Pepper (sliced)
- 2 cup Cabbage (chopped)
- 1 piece Onion large (chopped)
- 8 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 cup Water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 1 cup water for the slurry)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the quail eggs, peel, and set aside. Prepare all vegetables by washing, peeling, and cutting as needed.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the carrots, chayote, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, cabbage and young corn for 1-2 minutes each in the boiling water, then immediately transfer them in a bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the chicken breast pieces and cook until lightly browned.
- Add the chicken liver and cook until browned and cooked through. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink.
- Pour in 2 tablespoon of oyster sauce and two tablespoon of soy sauce. Toss and let it simmer.
- Add 1 cup of water and let it boil. Then add 1 tsp of of black pepper powder.
- In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup of water to make a slurry then add it until the sauce thickens.
- Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add the blanched vegetables and young corn to the pan and continue to stir-fry until all vegetables are heated through and crisp-tender.
- Return the boiled quail eggs to the pan. Mix well with the vegetables.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Transfer the Chop Suey to a serving dish and enjoy hot with steamed rice.
Watch this!
Notes
- Chop and prepare all your ingredients before you start cooking. This includes slicing vegetables, cutting meat, and preparing the quail eggs. Having everything ready will make the cooking process smoother and more efficient.
