Ground beef stroganoff takes the creamy, savory comfort of the classic dish and makes it a weeknight meal. Browned beef and mushrooms simmer in a rich beef gravy, a spoonful of sour cream makes it tangy and silky, and everything is spooned over egg noodles. It costs little, takes about 30 minutes and tastes like you spent far longer on it.
Serves: 4 to 6. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef, 85% lean
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 8 ounces (225 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup (180 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 8 ounces (225 g) wide egg noodles
- Salt and black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley or dill, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles. Cook according to the package directions, drain and keep warm.
- Heat a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Transfer to a plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon fat in the pan. Season the beef with ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter and the mushrooms to the skillet. Cook without moving them for 3 minutes, then stir and continue for 4 to 5 minutes until deeply browned and the liquid has cooked off. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the remaining butter, onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the flour, tomato paste and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire and Dijon. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Return the beef to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce into the sour cream in a small bowl, then stir that mixture back into the pan. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Serve over the noodles, topped with parsley.
How to keep sour cream from curdling
Sour cream can split into grainy bits when it hits high heat or boiling liquid. Three habits prevent it. First, use full-fat sour cream, since low-fat versions have stabilizers and less fat and are more likely to separate. Second, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking, so it is not shocked by hot sauce. Third, always add it off the heat, tempering it with a little hot sauce first as in step 8. If you need to reheat leftovers, do so gently over low heat and do not let the sauce boil.
Why the mushrooms and browning matter
Stroganoff gets its savory depth from browning, not from cream. Mushrooms contain a lot of water, so cook them in a wide pan, without crowding, until the liquid evaporates and they brown. Rushing this makes them rubbery and gray. In the same way, give the beef room to sear. Our guide to searing meat properly explains why meat steams in a crowded pan, and the browned bits left in the skillet become the base of the gravy, just as in a five-minute pan sauce. Tomato paste and Worcestershire add the umami that keeps the dish from tasting flat. For more ideas like these, see pantry flavor boosters.
Fixing the sauce
- Too thin: simmer a few more minutes before adding the sour cream. If you are in a hurry, stir 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk it in. More options are in our guide to thickening sauces.
- Too thick: thin it with a splash of broth or pasta water.
- Bland: add salt first, then a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon more Worcestershire. Our guide to fixing bland dishes helps with more ideas.
- Too tangy: add a pinch of sugar or a bit more broth.
Variations
- One-pot stroganoff: add 2 cups of extra broth to the pan and stir in the uncooked noodles, simmering 8 to 10 minutes until tender. The sauce will be starchier and thicker.
- Cream cheese version: replace the sour cream with 4 ounces (115 g) softened cream cheese for a milder, thicker sauce that holds up to reheating.
- Caramelized onion: use 2 sliced onions cooked low for 30 minutes. See our guide to caramelized onions.
- Extra vegetables: stir in 2 cups of baby spinach or ½ cup frozen peas at the end.
- Gluten-free: thicken with cornstarch rather than flour, use gluten-free Worcestershire, and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
- Different base: ground turkey or ground chicken works, though add an extra tablespoon of butter.
What to serve it over
Egg noodles are the classic. Rice works well too, and our stovetop rice method gets it right. Buttery mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or even toasted crusty bread also suit the gravy. Add something green, like roasted broccoli or a simple salad with homemade vinaigrette, to balance the richness.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Store the sauce and noodles separately if you can, since the noodles soak up the sauce overnight. Refrigerated, leftovers keep for three to four days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of broth. Sour cream sauces do not freeze well because they can separate, so if you want to freeze it, freeze the beef gravy before adding the sour cream, for up to three months, then add fresh sour cream when reheating. See what freezes well for more. Ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C), and our guide to using an instant-read thermometer shows where to probe.
More ground beef dinners
If you like this recipe, try our hamburger casserole with potatoes, which includes a skillet noodle version, or browse ground beef dinner ideas beyond burgers and tacos. For planning, see our 15 easy dinner ideas.
Common questions
Can I use canned mushrooms? Fresh browned mushrooms taste much better, but drained canned ones work in a pinch. Brown them briefly.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Yes, full-fat, but it curdles even more easily. Temper it carefully and keep the pan off the heat.
Do I need wine? No. If you like, deglaze with ¼ cup dry white wine or sherry after the mushrooms, and let it cook off before adding the flour.
Is this the same as classic beef stroganoff? The classic uses sliced steak, but the flavors and method are similar, and ground beef makes it faster and more affordable.
