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    Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

    Published October 30, 2019. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Looking for a great weeknight meal to serve the family with?  Try this delicious easy to make classic beef stroganoff recipe that comes together in 30 minutes.

    bowl of egg noodles with beef stroganoff and sauce


     

    I didn’t grow up eating beef stroganoff, and in fact, the only experience I had with it was when I ate over a childhood friend’s house.  It was the grossest thing I had ever eaten.  Well fast forward 25 years and now I know how to properly make this Russian classic and wow is it nothing short of delicious.

    What Is Beef Stroganoff

    This is a classical Russian recipe consisting of pan-roasted slices of beef that are served in a sour cream sauce.  The recipe stems back to the last 1800s with influence from the Stroganov family.

    Its earliest adaptation did not use onions or mushrooms like the many variations of the recipe you may see today.

    What Cut of Meat Is the Best to Use

    There are several cuts of beef that work well in stroganoff and here are the best:

    Top Sirloin – This lean cut comes from the top portion of the sirloin and is fairly lean and expensive.  This is my favorite cut of meat to use for this recipe.

    Strip Sirloin – This cut comes from the sirloin part of the cow and has a great combination of lean to fat and makes for a tasty, but more expensive stroganoff.

    Filet Mignon – This cut is extremely tender and comes from the upper back portion of the cow and is a very lean cut of beef.  It would be awesome but is very expensive.

    What Is Stroganoff Sauce Made Of

    The sauce is very simple to make and is absolutely delicious.  The main ingredients are:

    • Oil or Unsalted Butter
    • Beef Stock
    • Mustard (I prefer whole grain or coarse ground)
    • Sour Cream
    • Salt and Pepper

    How to Make It

    step b y step process for cooking the beef in a beef stroganoff

    1. Start by adding some oil to a large frying pan or rondeau pot over medium-high heat until it begins to lightly smoke.

    2. Add in the sliced meat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Spread the meat across the entire pan when cooking it to ensure you get a sear on each piece.

    3. Set the meat aside on a plate.

    4. Add some unsalted butter back into the pan where you cooked the meat over medium-high heat until it is melted.

    step by step process for making a beef stroganoff sauce

    5. Place in the onions and mushrooms and cook until caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Note: Make sure to caramelize the onions.

    6. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes while constantly stirring.

    7. Add the beef back into the pot with the cooked mushroom mixture.

    8. Deglaze with brandy and cook until au sec, or almost gone.  The brandy should evaporate and incorporate into the ingredients in the pan.

    step by step process for assembling a beef stroganoff with noodles

    9. Add in the stock, bay leaves and mustard and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.  The sauce should be reduced to about ¼ cup to ½ cup.

    10. Cook the wide egg noodle pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

    11. Finish it off by stirring in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and parsley.

    12. Toss it with the cooked noodles until combined and serve.

    What Do You Serve It With

    Classically it’s served with cooked rice.  Here are some great side dishes to serve with beef stroganoff:

    • Cooked Noodles (classically egg noodles, and my favorite)
    • Cooked Rice
    • Quinoa
    • Braised Red Cabbage
    • Cooked Vegetables
    • Potatoes (baked, fried or mashed)
    • Bread

    Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

    If you wanted to make it in a slow cooker, here’s how easy it is to do.

    Turn the slow cooker to the saute function and add in some oil.  Place in the beef and cook until lightly browned, which takes about 2 minutes.

    Next, add in the onions, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

    Add in the beef stock and bay leaves and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours or until the beef is tender and the stock has reduced to ½ cup.

    Finish by stirring in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and parsley and serve with egg noodles.

    • CHEF NOTE: Making this in the slow cooker is a great option if you don’t have time to stand in front of the cooktop, plus the meat is really tender.

    Instant Pot Stroganoff

    To make this in an instant pot as a variation to this recipe do the following:

    1. Turn the instant pot to saute and pour in the oil
    2. Add in the beef, mushrooms, onions, and garlic and saute for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
    3. Pour in the stock and add in the bay leaves
    4. Place the lid on the instant pot and cook for 20 minutes
    5. Release the steam
    6. Finish by stirring in sour cream, salt, pepper, and parsley and serve with egg noodles.

    To me, the best way to make beef stroganoff is right on the cooktop as it only takes 30 minutes to make and it’s absolutely delicious!

    glass of wine with plate of egg noodles, beef and mushrooms

    Reheat and Storage

    How to Reheat: to reheat it simply add it back to a pot with a little bit of beef stock and cook over low heat until hot.  In addition, you can reheat in the microwave.

    Storing and Freezing: to store it, cover it and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  It will freeze covered in plastic for up to 2 months.  Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    chef notes + tips

    • In my personal opinion, the addition of caramelized mushrooms and onions elevates the recipe bringing out more umami delicious flavor in addition to only having meat in it.
    • Other cuts used are bottom round or chuck roast which would be better in a crockpot stroganoff so that it could cook for longer periods of time to help tenderize.
    • The addition of the beef, mushrooms, onions and garlic help to flavor the sauce even more.
    • It’s important that the pan or pot be large to help caramelize all of the different ingredients which will require a lot of surface area.

    More Quick Weeknight Recipes

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    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Video

    Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

    4.98 from 48 votes
    Looking for a great weeknight meal to serve the family with, then try this easy to make beef stroganoff that comes together in 30 minutes.
    Servings: 6
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoon canola oil
    • 2 pounds of thinly sliced top sirloin
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 thinly sliced white or yellow onion
    • 2 cups each sliced cremini and button mushrooms
    • 3-4 finely minced cloves of garlic
    • 1/3 cup brandy
    • 3 cups beef stock
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon coarse ground mustard
    • 1 ½ cups sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley + more for garnish
    • 1- pound wide egg noodles, boiled and cooked
    • sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Add some oil to a large pan or pot over medium-high heat and cook the beef until lightly browned, which takes 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
    • Add butter to the pan and cook the onions and mushrooms until caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
    • Add in the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes before putting the beef back in the pan.
    • Deglaze with brandy and cook until it’s almost gone.
    • Pour in the beef stock and add in the bay leaves and mustard and cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
    • Finish with sour cream, salt, pepper, and parsley.
    • Toss with noodles and garnish with extra parsley.

    Notes

    Chef Notes:
    In my personal opinion, the addition of caramelized mushrooms and onions elevates the recipe bringing out more umami delicious flavor in addition to only having beef in it.
    It’s important that the pan or pot be large to help caramelize all of the different ingredients which will require a lot of surface area.
    Spread the beef across the entire pan to ensure you get a sear on each piece.
    The brandy should evaporate and incorporate into the ingredients in the pan.
    The beef stock should be reduced to about ¼ cup to ½ cup before adding in the final ingredients.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 732.8kcalCarbohydrates: 60.39gProtein: 49.37gFat: 28.85gSaturated Fat: 12.3gCholesterol: 192.64mgSodium: 415.76mgPotassium: 1161.85mgFiber: 3.21gSugar: 5.18gVitamin A: 521.72IUVitamin C: 3.02mgCalcium: 139.5mgIron: 4.53mg
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: russian