Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff

This easy ground beef stroganoff recipe is a great option for an easy weeknight meal. It’s also a great way to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed the whole family. Beef stroganoff is an old-school dinner that works perfectly today because It’s cheap, easy, and delicious! For more ground meat dinners try this hamburger soup, beef and macaroni, and a classic, Salisbury steaks.

Ingredients

• Oil – Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point, we use canola oil.
• Ground beef – Choose lean ground beef but with a little bit of fat for flavor. We use ground chuck (80/20 lean to fat ratio). Other good options include ground round and sirloin.
• Produce – From the produce section you will need mushrooms, onion, and garlic. White button mushrooms work well. Don’t slice them too thin so they hold up to the cooking time. Use a yellow or white onion. Like the mushrooms don’t slice it too thin.
• Spices and seasoning – Salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce season this dish simply. Find Worcestershire sauce in the condiment aisle at the grocery store or online.
• Pantry – All purpose flour is used to thicken the sauce. Beef broth makes the gravy and wide egg noodles is the pasta typically served with stroganoff.
• Dairy – Butter is used to sauté the onions and mushrooms and works with flour to thicken the gravy. Sour cream is added to the gravy at the end.
• Garnish – Fresh parsley, optional
• See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.

How to make our easy ground beef stroganoff

Season the ground beef with salt. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the ground beef and arrange in one layer. Cook for 3 minutes.

Stir it well and arrange in one layer again. Cook for 2 minutes. Now, stir and break up any large pieces.

Take the skillet off the heat. Remove the ground beef with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate. Drain the excess grease in the skillet but do not wash or wipe.

1. Place the skillet back over medium heat then add the butter. When it is melted and foamy add the onions and mushrooms. Cook them for 5-6 minutes or until the onions start to soften. Stir occasionally.
2. Next, add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stir often.
3. Add the flour and cook for 1½ -2 minutes, stir almost constantly.
4. Slowly add the beef broth while stirring briskly and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue adding and stirring until the flour dissolves. Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
5. Return the browned ground beef to the skillet. Stir well to combine with the sauce. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the ground beef stroganoff for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the sauce at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as necessary.
6. When the stroganoff is done take the skillet off the heat and uncover. Let it cool some so that it is no longer simmering. Add the sour cream to a bowl. Add a teaspoon of the sauce to the sour cream and stir vigorously. Continue adding a teaspoon of sauce at a time and stirring until the sour cream is no longer cold. Then, add the mixture to the sauce. Stir well.

Finish the dish

• Make the egg noodles while the sauce cooks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles following the package directions for al dente. Drain well. Remember to add 1-2 tablespoons of salt to the pasta water once it starts to boil to season the egg noodles.
• Finally, add the noodles to the mushroom sauce, toss and stir until coated and combined.
• Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ⅓ teaspoon to ours.
• Serve the ground beef stroganoff and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Recipe tips and notes

• Use Greek yogurt or heavy cream in place of sour cream if desired. Substitute an equal amount and temper them before adding.
• Cook egg noodles right before combining or serving them with the stroganoff so they do not stick. If the hot noodles are added to the creamy mushroom gravy, they will soak up the sauce and become even more flavorful.
• Don’t overcook the egg noodles so they don’t get mushy and clumpy.

Frequently asked questions

Storing and reheating instructions

Store leftover beef stroganoff in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave until hot all the way through. Or, place it in a saucepan, add 1-2 tablespoons of beef broth to loosen, if necessary. Heat on the stove top on medium until hot, stir occasionally. Always heat leftovers to 165 degrees F.

To freeze, place it in a freezer-safe container and refrigerate until it is chilled. Then, cover well, transfer it to the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat – thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and follow the directions above.

For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.

This ground beef version of a classic beef stroganoff that will get you out of a jam on busy weeknights. This is a family favorite meal that uses simple ingredients and comes together quickly. If you like this recipe check out these crowd-pleasing recipes:

Pizza pasta bake

Italian sausage rigatoni bake

Ground beef and potatoes skillet