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Filipino chop suey with mixed vegetables in a savory sauce on a plate

Easy Chop Suey Recipe: Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables (25 Mins or less!)

5 from 2 votes
Here's an easy vegan Chop Suey, or Filipino-Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables. You can make this crisp Filipino-Chinese chop suey in 20 minutes or less and enjoy these colorful vegetables in a garlicky soy sauce. This is perfect for quick weeknight dinners, too!
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.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese, East Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian
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 vegetable broth or water, to cook down broccoli and carrot
  • 1 lb 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 seeded and 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

  • SOY CHUNKS: You can soak the dry soy chunks in hot water or broth for at least 30 minutes to completely hydrate. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the chunks before using for the stir-fry. 
  • 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.

STORAGE TIPS

How long does vegan chop suey keep in the fridge?
  • This can be good for 3-5 days in a sealed container; reheat the leftovers over high heat in a pan
Can I swap the vegetables in chop suey?
  • .Yes you can! The vegetables in this dish are highly customizable. The mix I used is what I'd say was what I grew up enjoying. I personally feel the cabbage and carrot are a must for the crunch and sweetness!

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
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a rating or comment and share a photo on Instagram, and tag me @thefoodietakesflight or use #thefoodietakesflight :)