Ground Beef Stroganoff is a weeknight dinner of tender egg noodles, browned beef and golden mushrooms coated in a creamy, tangy sauce. You cook the noodles right in the pot, so there’s no separate pan to drain. I like a spoonful that catches plenty of mushrooms along with the noodles.
How to make ground beef stroganoff: Brown the beef, cook the vegetables, then simmer the dry noodles in the covered pot for 8 to 10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat before stirring in the sour cream.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot for dinner: The noodles cook in the beef broth and sauce instead of needing a separate pot of water.
- Plenty of texture: You get browned beef, golden mushrooms and tender noodles in each creamy serving.
- Weeknight timing: The recipe has 5 minutes of prep and a stated total time of 29 minutes.
- A make-ahead option: You can refrigerate the sauce separately and cook fresh noodles when you’re ready to eat.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Buy lean ground beef, and keep a food thermometer handy. You’ll drain excess fat after browning the beef, but you still need to check that it reaches 160°F.
Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms bring a distinct mushroom bite to the creamy noodles. Baby bella mushrooms work here too. I’d slice them before I start cooking so I can give them my attention while they release their liquid and turn golden.
Broth and noodles: Use low-sodium beef broth and dry wide egg noodles. Measure both rather than guessing: the noodles cook in the broth, and changing either amount changes how much liquid remains in the pot. I reach for low-sodium broth so I can taste the finished sauce before deciding whether it needs more salt.
Sour cream: Keep it out of the simmering pot. Stirring it in after the pot has come off the heat and stood briefly helps prevent curdling. The Worcestershire sauce is divided, so set some aside for the finish instead of adding it all with the broth.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided; adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced; baby bella mushrooms also work
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces dry wide egg noodles, about 3 cups
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
1. Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until well browned and the beef reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain excess fat and transfer the beef to a plate.
2. Cook the vegetables. Return the pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the mushrooms are golden and have released their liquid. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Start the sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the beef broth, stirring to prevent lumps. Add 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire sauce, the Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Return the beef to the pot.
4. Cook the noodles. Stir in the dry egg noodles so they are submerged. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Finish off the heat. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and the sour cream until smooth. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Getting Broth and Sour Cream Right
The useful one-pot measure is 3 cups beef broth for 6 ounces dry wide egg noodles. The broth has to cook the noodles as well as become part of their sauce. Keep the pot covered while they simmer, and judge the finish by the noodles: they should be tender, with most of the liquid absorbed.
I keep the sour cream beside the stove rather than beside the simmering pot. Once the noodles are done, take the pot off the heat, wait 2 minutes and then stir it in. That pause helps the sour cream blend into a smooth, creamy coating instead of curdling.
Serve the stroganoff while the noodles are tender and the sauce still coats them loosely. As it sits, the noodles keep absorbing sauce and become softer. That change is especially noticeable in leftovers; it doesn’t mean you measured the broth incorrectly.
Tips for Success
Why are my mushrooms pale and wet?
You’re looking for golden mushrooms that have released their liquid before the flour goes in. If they still look wet and pale, keep cooking them at medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you see that change. Moving on too soon leaves you without the mushroom texture this dish calls for.
Why does my pot look dry before the noodles are tender?
Check that the heat has settled at a steady simmer and that the noodles are submerged when you stir. If the pan looks dry while they still need cooking, add a little more broth and continue until they’re tender. I watch the noodles rather than treating the end of the time range as a command to stop.
Why does reheated stroganoff look thicker?
The noodles keep taking up sauce as they sit, so a chilled portion can look much less creamy than it did at dinner. Add a little broth as you reheat it to loosen the sauce. The noodles will also be softer than they were when freshly cooked.
Variations
- Use baby bella mushrooms: They work in place of the cremini mushrooms; slice them and cook them until golden.
- Make the sauce ahead: Refrigerate the sauce separately and cook fresh noodles for serving. That changes the noodle-cooking method, so don’t treat the measured one-pot broth as a sauce-only measurement.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, bringing sauce to a rolling boil; add a little broth if the noodles have absorbed it. Freezing is poor for the creamy texture because the sauce can separate, and USDA FSIS does not recommend reheating leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
This is a full bowl of beef, mushrooms and noodles on its own. If you’re planning more comfort-food dinners, save homemade beef stroganoff and ground beef gravy noodles for another night. You could also put ground beef noodle casserole, ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes, slow cooker beef and noodles or slow cooker 4-ingredient beef and noodles on your dinner list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the stroganoff sauce made of?
In this recipe, beef broth and flour form the base around the cooked beef, mushrooms and onion. Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and sour cream finish it; you don’t need a canned soup.
Is there a secret ingredient in the sauce?
No single ingredient needs that job. Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard both contribute to the sauce’s flavor, while the sour cream gives it its tangy, creamy finish.
Can I reheat leftovers in a slow cooker?
No. USDA FSIS does not recommend using a slow cooker to reheat leftovers. Reheat the stroganoff by another method until it reaches 165°F, and bring the sauce to a rolling boil.
How should I thaw stroganoff if I froze it?
USDA FSIS lists the refrigerator, cold water and microwave as safe thawing methods, not the counter. Be prepared for the cream sauce to separate after freezing, even if you thaw it safely.
Final Notes
Keep your thermometer close when you brown the beef so you can check the crumbles before they leave the pot. If you have a question or make the stroganoff, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided; adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 yellow onion small; finely diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced; baby bella mushrooms also work
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces wide egg noodles dry; about 3 cups
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until well browned and the ground beef reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain excess fat and transfer the beef to a plate.
- Return the pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the mushrooms are golden and have released their liquid. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 minute, then gradually pour in the beef broth, stirring to prevent lumps. Add 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire sauce, the Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Return the beef to the pot.
- Stir in the dry egg noodles so they are submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and the sour cream until smooth. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
