Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff is the classic Russian skillet dish of seared strips of beef and browned mushrooms folded into a silky sour cream and mustard pan sauce. Searing the beef hard and fast in batches keeps it rosy and tender instead of chewy, while stirring the sour cream in off the heat gives you a sauce that stays glossy and never curdles. Spooned over buttered egg noodles, it lands on the table in about 45 minutes.
Slice 700 g (1 1/2 lb) sirloin thinly against the grain, season with salt and pepper, and sear it in two batches in a screaming-hot skillet with oil for about 1 minute per side, then set it aside while it is still pink inside. In the same pan, brown sliced cremini mushrooms in butter until their liquid cooks off, soften a diced onion and garlic, stir in flour for a minute, then whisk in beef broth and Dijon mustard and simmer until the sauce coats a spoon. Pull the pan off the heat, stir in room-temperature full-fat sour cream, return the beef and its juices just to warm through, and serve over buttered egg noodles with fresh dill or parsley.
- Sear the beef in batches over high heat for barely 2 minutes total — it finishes cooking in the sauce, so pulling it early is what keeps it tender.
- Take the skillet off the heat before adding sour cream; boiling is what makes a stroganoff sauce grainy and curdled.
- Slice the beef against the grain and no thicker than 1 cm (1/2 inch) so every bite is tender, not chewy.
Equipment
- 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or sauté pan
- Large pot for boiling noodles
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Tongs
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
Beef and mushrooms
- 700 g boneless beef sirloin (or tenderloin tips), sliced against the grain into strips about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick
- 5 g kosher salt, plus more for the noodle water
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- 15 ml neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
- 42 g unsalted butter, divided
- 300 g cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick
- yellow onion, finely diced, medium
- garlic cloves, minced
Sauce
- 16 g all-purpose flour
- 360 ml low-sodium beef broth
- 15 ml Dijon mustard
- 180 g full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 8 g fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving
To serve
- 340 g wide egg noodles, dry
- 14 g unsalted butter, for tossing the noodles
Method
- STEP01
Pat the beef dry, slice it against the grain into strips about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick, and season all over with the salt and pepper. Slice the mushrooms, dice the onion, and mince the garlic before you turn on the stove — this dish moves quickly once the pan is hot. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the noodles.
- STEP02
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and sear about 1 minute per side, until browned outside but still pink in the center. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second batch. Do not crowd the pan — steamed beef turns gray and tough.
- STEP03
Reduce the heat to medium-high and melt 2 tablespoons (28 g) of the butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until their liquid releases and evaporates and the slices are deeply browned at the edges, about 6 minutes.
- STEP04
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter and the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook off its raw taste.
- STEP05
Pour in the beef broth gradually, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and stir in the Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- STEP06
While the sauce simmers, drop the egg noodles into the boiling salted water and cook to al dente according to the package, usually 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- STEP07
Remove the skillet from the heat and wait about 30 seconds for the bubbling to stop. Stir in the room-temperature sour cream until the sauce is smooth and pale. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pan and set it over low heat just until the meat is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes — do not let it boil. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- STEP08
Pile the buttered noodles into shallow bowls, spoon the stroganoff generously over the top, and shower with fresh dill or parsley. Serve immediately, while the sauce is glossy and hot.
Make ahead
You can build the base up to 2 days ahead: sear the beef, cook the mushrooms and onion, and simmer the broth sauce, then refrigerate the beef and sauce together without the sour cream. At dinnertime, rewarm gently, pull the pan off the heat, stir in the sour cream, and cook fresh noodles — the finished dish tastes just-made in about 15 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, storing the noodles separately if you can so they do not soak up all the sauce. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring often — a hard boil in the microwave can split the sour cream sauce. Freezing is not recommended once the sour cream is added, as the sauce turns grainy when thawed.
Variations
Ground beef stroganoff
Swap the sirloin for 700 g (1 1/2 lb) of 85% lean ground beef for a budget-friendly weeknight version. Brown it in one batch, breaking it up with a spoon, drain off excess fat, and proceed with the mushrooms and sauce as written. No batch-searing required, so it shaves a few minutes off the cook time.
Gluten-free
Skip the flour and instead whisk 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornstarch into the cold broth before adding it to the pan; simmer until thickened. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or certified gluten-free pasta instead of egg noodles, and double-check that your broth and mustard are gluten-free.
Brandy and crème fraîche
For a dinner-party upgrade, deglaze the mushrooms with 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of brandy or cognac and let it cook off before adding the flour. Replace the sour cream with an equal amount of crème fraîche, which is richer and more heat-stable, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
What cut of beef is best for stroganoff?
Sirloin is the sweet spot for an easy beef stroganoff: tender enough to cook in a fast sear, but far cheaper than tenderloin. Tenderloin tips and ribeye also work beautifully. Avoid packaged stew meat — it comes from tough cuts that need hours of braising and will be chewy after a quick sauté.
Why did my sour cream curdle in the sauce?
Heat is the culprit. Sour cream splits when it boils, so always pull the pan off the burner before stirring it in, use full-fat sour cream (light versions break much more easily), and let it come to room temperature first. Once it is incorporated, keep the pan at the barest warm heat — never a simmer.
Can I make beef stroganoff ahead of time?
Yes, with one caveat: prepare everything through the broth-based sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, but hold the sour cream. Reheat gently, then stir the sour cream in off the heat just before serving. Adding it fresh is what keeps an easy beef stroganoff recipe tasting like it was cooked to order.
What can I substitute for sour cream?
Crème fraîche is the best swap — it is richer and will not curdle even if the sauce gets hot. Whole-milk Greek yogurt also works if you stir it in completely off the heat. For a dairy-free version, blend 130 g (1 cup) of soaked raw cashews with 120 ml (1/2 cup) water and a squeeze of lemon into a smooth cream.
Can I use white button mushrooms instead of cremini?
Absolutely. Cremini bring slightly deeper flavor, but white buttons browned well in butter are nearly indistinguishable in the finished sauce. The key with either is patience: cook them until their water evaporates and the edges turn golden, because pale, steamed mushrooms make a watery, bland stroganoff.
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