Easy Beef Stroganoff

I first shared this beef stroganoff recipe back in 2014 after reading about it on America’s Test Kitchen. Since then I have made some adjustments to make it my own without sacrificing any of its deliciousness. Today, I am updating it with some new photos and a helpful recipe video.

The mix of the right cut of beef and the homemade stroganoff sauce make this easy beef stroganoff recipe absolutely divine. And with the busy holiday season, sometimes all I want is a classic made with easy-to-follow steps and a guaranteed delicious end result. I have made this for my husband and I time and time again and it simply never gets old.

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This stovetop beef stroganoff is quick, easy, cheap (it’s all about the meat!), made without cream of mushroom soup and comes together in one skillet. Oh, and the stroganoff gravy is accented with the tangy, sweet goodness of sour cream! If that isn’t enough to get you in the kitchen, I don’t know what will! Ready in about an hour, it’s an absolutely delicious and comforting weeknight meal that can be enjoyed at any time of year.

What is beef stroganoff?

Beef or Boeuf Stroganoff, however you like to spell it, comes from the nationality of Russia. This classic Russian dish is a mix of sauteed pieces of beef mixed in a sauce made with smetana, aka sour cream.

Ingredients

There are two components to this homemade beef stroganoff recipe – the meat and noodles, and the sauce.

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Ingredients for beef stroganoff

Sirloin Steak Tips – I found this to be the most tender cut of beef, while also being economical, but we will talk more about the best cut of meat in a bit.
Wide Egg Noodles – Egg noodles cook quicker than the usual pasta and require less liquid, which works perfectly in this easy stroganoff recipe.

Ingredients for the sauce

Vegetable Oil – I like grapeseed oil, but any light-colored, neutral-flavored oil will do.
Onions – One medium yellow onion is all you need – white onions will work, too.
White Button Mushrooms – One 10-oz package of white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, is the perfect amount of mushroom goodness. If white button mushrooms are not available, cremini mushrooms are a good substitute.

PRO TIP: To clean mushrooms properly, wipe the dirt away with a damp paper towel rather than running under cold water. Mushrooms act like a sponge, so they will absorb too much water, affecting the taste of any homemade recipe.

All-Purpose Flour – The flour plays a part in a roux, which helps to create a thick beef stroganoff sauce.
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – I really enjoy homemade chicken broth, but if you decide to purchase it from the store, make sure it is low-sodium. Regular chicken broth is packed with so much extra salt! Store the remainder sealed tight in the fridge and use within one week.
Low-Sodium Beef Broth – Either beef broth or bone broth will do just the trick. Again, make sure it is of the low-sodium variety, store the remainder in the fridge and use within one week.
Sour Cream – Here is the star of the beef stroganoff sauce recipe. Purchase a high-quality, full-fat sour cream for the best flavor.
Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds that special brightness at the very end.
Fresh Thyme or Italian Parsley – A final garnish of fresh thyme is both beautiful and delicious. Those small specks of green running throughout the sauce make this beef stroganoff all the more homemade. Fresh chopped parsley would be just as delicious, too!
Salt and Pepper – Make sure to season as your cooking, as well as at the very end. Once the beef dish is ready, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. A few fresh cracks of black pepper at the very end can make all the difference!

PRO TIP: Since the sour cream and lemon juice are acidic ingredients, make sure to stir into the sauce off the heat. If you add these two finishing touches over heat, the sauce will break and curdle. Room temperature sour cream also creates a better emulsion.

Best meat for beef stroganoff

The best cut of beef for stroganoff, and incidentally the most economical, is sirloin steak tips. Although you can use the fattier ribeye or more expensive tenderloin, I found sirloin tips provide exceptional flavor while still being easy on the wallet. The secret is in how the meat is cut prior to cooking.

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A sirloin steak tip will either come in one large piece or already cut into 2-inch wide strips (just as the case with my meat). If the beef is not cut into 2-inch wide strips, slice it into 2-inch strips with the grain. Then, turn each strip parallel to you and cut into ½-inch strips against the grain. This technique of cutting against the grain produces a tender beef stroganoff.

How to make this easy beef stroganoff and sauce from scratch?

This easy beef stroganoff recipe comes together in 3 folds.

Prep the meat: prepare the meat as directed above and pat dry with paper towels. Do not skip this step as drying the meat thoroughly will help with perfect browning, which will result in tender, fall-off-the-bone kind of meat at the end.
Season the meat: Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the meat for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil and repeat with the remaining half of beef. Transfer the cooked meat in a bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

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Cook the aromatics: in the same skillet, add the remaining oil in medium-low heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and salt and cook until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid, 8-10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Stir in chicken broth and beef broth, making sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to get those bits of goodness. Return the beef back to the skillet. Put the lid on, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook until beef is tender about 30 minutes.
Stir in the egg noodles: Lastly, stir in the egg noodles, cover and let cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and lemon juice off the heat. Garnish with fresh thyme and/or parsley and enjoy!

How to thicken the sauce

A thick and quick beef stroganoff is made with the help of a roux. In other words, the combination of fat and flour creates a smooth, thick, luxurious sauce that evenly coats the beef and egg noodles. Just make sure to cook the flour for at least one minute prior to adding the liquid – this helps to remove that raw flour flavor.

What side dishes go with this recipe

Since the beef and sauce are the main components of this Russian dish, the blank canvas of egg noodles works as a perfect accompaniment to soak up all that flavorful gravy. For a balanced meal, you can also serve this beef stroganoff with egg noodles along with a simple green salad (or browse through my collection of easy salad recipes to pick one for yourself) or braised red cabbage.

Can you freeze beef stroganoff with noodles?

Yes, this beef mushroom stroganoff can be frozen with a few adjustments to the recipe. Since egg noodles are softer than your usual pasta, I do not recommend freezing it with the noodles.

Therefore, if you are planning to freeze, I recommend cooking the recipe until step 7, before you add the noodles, bring it to room temperature, place in an airtight container, and freeze.

A day before you are ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Transfer it into the pan and heat over medium heat. Add in the noodles and cook until they are softened. You should have enough liquid, but if you feel like it needs more add in some broth or water. Off the heat add in the sour cream, lemon juice, and herbs.

A Few recipe notes for the best beef stroganoff recipe

Get the beef sirloin really dry before adding to the skillet. A dry surface on the meat and a super hot skillet give you caramelized beef sirloin tips that provide exceptional flavor.
Feel like there is not enough liquid in the pan to cook the noodles? When I first tested this recipe, at first I felt like there was not enough liquid in the pan to cook the egg noodles, but it worked well in the end. Compared to pasta, egg noodles cook faster and require less liquid. After the rest of the ingredients are added in, this dish ends up having a silky and creamy texture. So don’t be tempted to add more liquid.
Want it to have a deeper flavor? The original sirloin beef stroganoff recipe uses a little bit of alcohol to deepen the flavors. I wanted this to be a simple everyday-kind-of recipe so I did not include any. However, if you want to take this dish up a notch you can add in ⅓ cup of white wine or brandy into the sauce at the same time you are adding the chicken and beef broth.
Want a bit more indulgence? Take beef stroganoff with sour cream up a notch by replacing the sour cream with indulgent creme fraiche.
Want to make a healthier beef stroganoff? Replace the sour cream with an equal amount of Greek yogurt instead. It will have a little bit more of a sour taste but will have fewer calories.

Other beef dinner recipes you might also like

Beef Vegetable Soup
Brisket Tacos
Pressure Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Turkish Meatballs
Meatballs and Potatoes
Baked Ziti with Ground Beef
Thai Beef Salad

Make Stroganoff with Chicken

Did you know that you can make stroganoff with chicken as well? If you are looking for a leaner version of beef stroganoff, be sure to try my foolproof Chicken Stroganoff recipe. I like the version with chicken because:

It comes together in one pan in under an hour
Can be made with chicken thighs or breasts

One Skillet Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

By Aysegul Sanford

Yields: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

One Skillet Easy Beef Stroganoff recipe cooked in one hour. Made from scratch, this beef, mushroom, and noodle dish is a complete meal in itself. Deliciously silky and creamy.

5 from 8 votes

Ingredients

▢ 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak tips
▢ 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
▢ 1 medium onion chopped
▢ 10 ounces white button mushrooms cleaned and sliced thinly
▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
▢ 1 1/2 cups chicken broth low sodium or homemade
▢ 1 1/2 cups beef broth low sodium
▢ 3 cups wide egg noodles
▢ 2/3 cup sour cream
▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh thyme or Italian parsley chopped
▢ salt and pepper

Instructions

To prepare the meat: First, cut it into 2-inch strips towards the grain, and then cut each strip into 1/2-inch strips against the grain. Place it on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and pat-dry as much as possible. Season the meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of the meat, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer the cooked meat in a bowl. Repeat the same process for the other half. Cover it with aluminum foil and set aside.
Once the meat is cooked, in the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion, mushroom, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the juices of the mushrooms evaporate, 8-10 minutes.
Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute.
Stir in the chicken and beef broths. Scrape the bottom of the pan; making sure that all the bits and pieces of the meat is mixed in the liquid.
Return the beef into the mixture. Put the lid on and let it cook over low heat until beef is tender for 25-30 minutes.
Stir in the noodles, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until noodles are cooked, 10 -12 minutes.
Off the heat, add the sour cream and lemon juice. Give it a big stir.
When ready to serve, garnish it with chopped thyme and/or fresh parsley.
Serve.

Video

Notes

A FEW TIPS FOR THE BEST HOMEMADE BEEF STROGANOFF

Get the beef sirloin really dry before adding to the skillet. A dry surface on the meat and a super hot skillet give you caramelized beef sirloin tips that provide exceptional flavor.
Enough liquid in the pan? When I first tested this recipe, at first I felt like there was not enough liquid in the pan to cook the egg noodles, but it worked well in the end. Compared to pasta, egg noodles cooks faster and require less liquid. After the rest of the ingredients are added in, this dish ends up having a silky and creamy texture. So don’t be tempted to add more liquid.
Want it to have a deeper flavor? The original sirloin beef stroganoff recipe uses a little bit of alcohol to deepen the flavors. I wanted this to be a simple everyday-kind-of recipe so I did not include any. However, if you want to take this dish up a notch you can add in ⅓ cup of white wine or brandy into the sauce at the same time you are adding the chicken and beef broth.
Want a bit more indulgence? Take beef stroganoff with sour cream up a notch by replacing the sour cream with indulgent creme fraiche.
Want to make a healthier beef stroganoff? Replace the sour cream with an equal amount of Greek yogurt instead. It will have a little bit more of a sour taste, but will have less calories.

Nutrition

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Russing

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Recipe adapted with changes from America’s Test Kitchen.

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