Crockpot Chop Suey
Crockpot chop suey is a mild, saucy stir-fry style dinner of pork and crisp vegetables over rice. The slow cooker softens the pork, and the vegetables go in near the end to stay crunchy.
6
servings20
minutes4
hoursTender pork strips and crisp vegetables in a light soy and ginger sauce. It is mild, quick to prep and good over rice.
Ingredients
1.5 lb boneless pork loin, sliced into thin strips
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
8 oz sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
Steamed white rice, for serving
Directions
- Put the pork strips, onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic and ginger in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk the broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil together. Pour it over the meat and vegetables.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2.5 hours. The pork should be tender and reach 145°F or higher.
- Add the red pepper and water chestnuts. Cover and cook 20 more minutes on HIGH so the pepper stays slightly crisp.
- Stir the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then pour it into the cooker while stirring.
- Cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon.
- Fold in the bean sprouts and let them sit for 2 minutes. They should wilt but stay crunchy.
- Taste and add a splash of soy sauce if needed.
- Spoon over steamed rice in wide bowls.
- Add sliced green onions on top if you have them.
Notes
- Chicken breast strips can replace the pork, but cook them only 2.5 hours on LOW to 165°F. Peas or sliced bok choy add color. Store leftovers without the sprouts for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. Serve with crispy noodles or fried rice.
How the slow cooker handles chop suey
Chop suey is a stir-fry stew, and the slow cooker makes it gentler than the wok. Thin strips of pork loin braise for four to five hours on LOW in a soy, ginger and garlic broth until tender, while celery, onion and pepper soften into the sauce. You skip the splatter and the constant stirring.
The two things a slow cooker cannot do are crisp the vegetables and thicken the sauce on its own. So the bean sprouts go in for the last few minutes, and a cornstarch slurry goes in at the end. Those two steps give you the glossy, light-textured chop suey you expect. A 6-quart cooker holds this batch with room to spare. Keep the lid on as much as you can so the pork stays moist.
Ingredient notes
Pork loin: Slice it across the grain, about a quarter inch thick. Partially freezing the roast for thirty minutes makes thin slicing easy. Shoulder works too but needs longer.
Soy sauce: Use low-sodium. The broth reduces slightly, and regular soy sauce can make the finished dish too salty.
Water chestnuts: They stay crunchy through hours of cooking, which gives the stew its texture. Drain them well.
Fresh ginger: Grate it on a fine rasp. Ginger powder does not give the same bright note.
Bean sprouts: Fresh ones only. Canned sprouts are limp and taste tinny.
Mushrooms: Sliced white or cremini both work. They release liquid as they cook and add an earthy depth to the sauce.
Tips for the best result
Add the sprouts at the end: The most common mistake is cooking them with everything else. After hours of heat they turn to water. Stir them in for the last three to five minutes so they stay crisp.
Make the slurry separately: Whisk the cornstarch into cold broth or water, not hot liquid. Pour it in slowly while stirring, then cook on HIGH for ten to fifteen minutes until glossy.
Check the pork temperature: It should reach 145°F and be fork-tender. If it still feels firm at four hours, give it another thirty minutes.
Swaps and variations
Use chicken thighs or flank steak in place of the pork. Add sliced bok choy or snow peas in the last ten minutes for more green. Swap the oyster sauce for hoisin if that is what you have, or use a mushroom-based stir-fry sauce for a vegetarian version with tofu.
Do not add frozen stir-fry vegetable blends at the start. They release a lot of water and dilute the sauce into a thin soup. If you want more crunch, add a can of drained bamboo shoots with the water chestnuts.
What to serve with chop suey
Steamed white rice is the classic base. Crispy chow mein noodles on top add crunch and look good in the bowl. A small side of egg rolls or a cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar rounds out the table, and a bottle of soy sauce or chili crisp lets everyone season their own plate. Leftover chop suey also makes a good filling for an egg roll bowl, served over shredded cabbage.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers without the rice for up to four days. The sauce thickens in the cold. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring until hot.
The pork and sauce freeze for up to three months, but the vegetables soften. Thaw overnight in the fridge and freshen the dish with a handful of raw bean sprouts or sliced scallions when you heat it.
Crockpot Chop Suey at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by boneless pork loin, yellow onion, celery stalks, red bell pepper
Tips for Crockpot Chop Suey
Chicken breast strips can replace the pork, but cook them only 2.5 hours on LOW to 165°F. Peas or sliced bok choy add color. Store leftovers without the sprouts for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. Serve with crispy noodles or fried rice.
Crockpot Chop Suey FAQ
How long does Crockpot Chop Suey take?
Crockpot Chop Suey takes 4 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Chop Suey serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Chop Suey?
15 ingredients, led by boneless pork loin, yellow onion, celery stalks, red bell pepper. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
