Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff

Save For Later

This ground beef stroganoff is a quick, filling dinner made with browned beef, golden mushrooms, and a silky sour cream sauce spooned over egg noodles. It comes together in about 35 minutes with everyday ingredients, and it delivers roughly 30 grams of protein per serving (an estimate, based on 4 servings with the noodles).

What Makes This Ground Beef Stroganoff Great?

The sauce is the star. Mushrooms are browned hard first, tomato paste and Worcestershire add savory depth, and the sour cream goes in at the very end so it stays smooth and tangy instead of splitting. You get that classic stroganoff comfort without slicing a single steak.

The Beef

Ground beef does the job that thin strips of steak usually do, and it does it faster. Go for 90/10 lean beef so the sauce doesn’t end up greasy, and add a little olive oil so the meat browns instead of steaming. Break it into small crumbles so every forkful gets some.

Browning matters here. Those deeply golden bits are where a lot of the flavor comes from, so give the beef a few minutes of undisturbed contact with the pan.

What You’ll Need for the Beef

• 1 lb 90/10 ground beef, lean enough to keep the sauce light but still juicy.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, helps the lean beef brown properly.
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, adds a gentle, savory warmth.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, seasons the meat directly so it doesn’t taste flat later.

The Mushrooms and Aromatics

What do you actually need for the base of the sauce? Mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cremini mushrooms have a deeper flavor than white button ones, but either works. Cook them until the liquid is gone and the edges turn golden. Soggy mushrooms make a watery sauce, so patience pays off here.

The onion softens into the sauce and adds sweetness. The garlic goes in last so it stays fragrant and doesn’t burn.

What You’ll Need for the Mushrooms and Aromatics

• 2 tablespoons butter, gives the mushrooms a rich, nutty finish as they brown.
• 12 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced, look for firm, dry caps without slimy spots.
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, small pieces melt into the sauce.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, fresh cloves taste much better than jarred here.
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, adds an earthy note that goes well with mushrooms.

The Creamy Sauce

This is where it all comes together. Tomato paste and flour get cooked briefly in the pan, which removes the raw taste and builds a savory base. Beef broth, Worcestershire, and Dijon bring depth and a little tang, and heavy cream makes it silky.

Sour cream is the finishing touch, and it’s honestly the best part. Stir it in off the heat, otherwise it can curdle and turn grainy.

What You’ll Need for the Creamy Sauce

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste, adds depth and a hint of sweetness without making the sauce taste like tomato.
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, thickens the sauce so it clings to the noodles.
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth, low-sodium is best so you can control the salt.
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, brings savory, slightly tangy flavor.
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, adds a mild sharpness that balances the cream.
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, makes the sauce smooth and rich.
• 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, gives that classic stroganoff tang. Lower-fat versions are more likely to split.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, rounds out the sauce, and you can adjust at the end.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, adds a little bite.

The Noodles

Wide egg noodles are the classic partner for stroganoff. They’re tender, a little chewy, and they soak up sauce really well. Cook them just until tender, since they’ll sit under hot sauce and keep softening.

What You’ll Need for the Noodles

• 8 oz wide egg noodles, hold up well under a thick, creamy sauce.
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for the cooking water so the noodles aren’t bland.

How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff

Cook the Noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the salt. Add the egg noodles and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and keep them warm. Start this while the beef browns so everything finishes around the same time.

Brown the Beef

Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Break the meat into small pieces and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until browned with no pink left. Ground beef is safe at 160°F. Move the beef to a plate, leaving the browned bits in the pan.

Brown the Mushrooms

Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring only now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes. They’ll release liquid first, then it evaporates and they turn golden brown. That browning is where so much flavor comes from, so don’t rush it.

Soften the Onion and Garlic

Stir in the diced onion and thyme and cook for about 4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until it darkens slightly.

Make the Sauce Base

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for about 1 minute, so there’s no raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire, Dijon, salt, and pepper. The sauce will start to thicken as it warms.

Simmer with the Cream

Pour in the heavy cream and return the beef to the pan. Bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then. The sauce should look glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick, add a splash of broth.

Stir in the Sour Cream

Take the skillet off the heat and let it sit for a minute. Mix the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce in a small bowl first, then stir it back into the pan. This keeps the sour cream from curdling. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

Serve the Stroganoff

Divide the warm noodles between bowls and spoon the creamy beef and mushroom sauce on top. Serve right away while it’s hot and silky.

Variations and Customizations

Stroganoff is flexible, so use what you have. Just keep the sour cream going in off the heat, whatever else you change.

• Swap the beef for ground turkey or ground chicken, and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil since they’re leaner.
• Use white button or baby bella mushrooms instead of cremini.
• Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered pasta instead of egg noodles.
• For a gluten-free version, replace the flour with 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into 2 tablespoons of cold broth, and add it once the broth is in the pan.
• Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, also stirred in off the heat.
• Stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas during the last few minutes of simmering for a little color and sweetness.
• Add a pinch of cayenne with the paprika if you want a bit of heat.

Toppings, Add-Ons, and Finishing Touches

Stroganoff is rich and creamy, so a little freshness or acidity on top really helps. Toppings also let everyone adjust their own bowl, which is handy if the table has mixed tastes.

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, adds color and a fresh, green flavor.
• Fresh dill, a classic pairing with mushrooms and sour cream.
• A small dollop of extra sour cream, for people who like it tangier.
• Chopped dill pickles or cornichons, give a bright, sharp bite against the rich sauce.
• A squeeze of lemon juice, lifts the whole dish.
• Freshly cracked black pepper, adds a little heat at the end.

Storing, Reheating, and Meal Prep

Store leftover stroganoff in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the noodles separate if you can, since they soak up sauce and turn soft overnight. If they’re already mixed, it’s still fine, just a bit thicker.

Reheat the sauce gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of beef broth or milk, stirring often. Don’t let it boil, because the sour cream can separate. Add fresh parsley or dill after reheating. It isn’t a great freezer candidate, as the sour cream sauce can turn grainy when thawed.

Print

Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff

Difficulty: Beginner Total Time 40 mins

Cooking Temp: 200  F Servings: 4 Calories: 780

Description

A comforting weeknight dinner of browned ground beef, golden mushrooms, and a silky sour cream sauce, spooned over tender egg noodles. It uses everyday ingredients and comes together in one skillet.

Ingredients

Servings

For the beef

• 1 lb 90/10 ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt

For the mushrooms and aromatics

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried thyme

For the sauce

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ³⁄₄ cup heavy cream
• ¹⁄₂ cup full-fat sour cream
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the noodles

• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

To serve

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Brown the beef

1. Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small crumbles. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the beef is browned with no pink left and has reached 160°F. Move the beef to a plate and leave the browned bits in the pan, because they will flavor the sauce.

Cook the mushrooms

1. Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then. The pan may look very wet at first as the mushrooms release their liquid, and that is completely normal. Keep going until the liquid has cooked away and the mushrooms look golden and tender.

Boil the noodles

1. While the mushrooms cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the kosher salt. Add the egg noodles and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until just tender. Drain well, return them to the pot, and cover to keep them warm. They will be ready right around the time the sauce is finished.

Soften the onion and garlic

1. Add the diced onion and thyme to the mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, until it darkens slightly and smells rich.

Build the sauce

1. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for about 1 minute, so the flour cooks and loses its raw taste. The mixture will look thick and pasty, which is just what you want. Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper.

Simmer with the cream

1. Pour in the heavy cream and return the beef to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. It is ready when it looks glossy and coats the back of a spoon. If it becomes too thick, stir in a splash of beef broth.

Stir in the sour cream

1. Take the skillet off the heat and let it rest for 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce, then stir this back into the skillet until smooth and creamy. Adding it off the heat keeps the sour cream from splitting. Taste and add a little more salt or pepper if you like.

Serve the stroganoff

1. Divide the warm noodles between four bowls and spoon the creamy beef and mushroom sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve while it is hot and silky.

Note

Use full-fat sour cream and keep the pan off the heat when you stir it in. Lower-fat versions and high heat are the most common reasons for a grainy sauce.

If the sauce looks thin, simmer it for 2 to 3 more minutes. If it looks too thick, loosen it with a splash of beef broth or milk.

If the sauce turns slightly grainy, take it off the heat and whisk in a spoonful of warm beef broth until it smooths out.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the noodles separate from the sauce if you can, since they soften as they sit.

Reheat the sauce gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of beef broth, stirring often, and do not let it boil. This recipe is not recommended for freezing because the sour cream sauce can separate when thawed.

The calorie count is an estimate based on 4 servings that include the noodles.

Save For Later