This Ground Beef Stroganoff is an easy, weeknight-friendly spin on the classic: tender mushrooms, a savory beef sauce, and a tangy finish of sour cream. Extra-wide egg noodles cook right in the pan with the beef and sauce for a comforting, one-pan dinner ready in about 30 minutes.
Before You Start Cooking
- Ground Beef: Ground round (85/15) is my usual choice; chuck (80/20) also works. Ground sirloin tends to be too lean and won’t create as rich a sauce. If you grind your own beef, prepare it shortly before cooking for best texture.
- Mushrooms: Cremini (baby bella) add a deeper, earthy flavor, while white button mushrooms are milder. Shiitake or a mixed mushroom blend also work well. Buy whole mushrooms and slice them just before cooking for the best texture.
- Choosing a pan: Use a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan that’s big enough to simmer the noodles in the sauce—about 12½–13 inches wide with 2½-inch sides is ideal.
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
Step 1: Brown the Beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little neutral oil. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Let the beef sit briefly so it can develop a crust, then break it into crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Transfer the browned beef to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and drippings in the pan.
Step 2: Cook the Mushrooms and Onions
If the pan doesn’t have about 3 tablespoons of fat after browning, add butter or oil. Add chopped yellow onion and sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the onions soften and the mushrooms begin to brown. Let the mushrooms’ liquid evaporate completely. Add minced garlic and cook just 30–60 seconds until fragrant—avoid letting it brown.
Step 3: Build the Sauce
Deglaze the skillet with a splash of cognac (or dry white wine or ¼ cup beef broth if you prefer no alcohol), scraping up browned bits from the pan. Let the liquid simmer until mostly evaporated. Return the browned beef and any juices to the pan, then sprinkle in all-purpose flour and stir to coat. Cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Stir in beef broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sweet Hungarian paprika, and fresh thyme leaves. Start with 3½ cups of beef broth; depending on the brand of noodles and the pan, you may need up to 4 cups total as the noodles absorb liquid.
Step 4: Cook the Noodles
Add dried extra-wide egg noodles to the pan, pressing them into the liquid as evenly as possible. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 7–10 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes so the noodles cook evenly and don’t stick. The flour and starch from the noodles will thicken the sauce as they cook.
Results vary slightly by noodle brand—Manischewitz, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Light ’n Fluffy have produced consistent al dente results in testing—but adjust liquid and timing as needed.
Step 5: Finish the Dish
When the noodles are tender, remove the pan from heat and stir in sour cream until the sauce is creamy and tangy. Full-fat sour cream yields the creamiest texture, though reduced-fat works acceptably; fat-free and many non-dairy substitutes were not tested here. Stir in the remaining thyme and some chopped parsley for freshness, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
If the sauce seems thin, let it rest for a few minutes to thicken; if it’s too thick, loosen it with a splash of beef broth. Finish with extra chopped parsley before serving.
Serving Ground Beef Stroganoff
Serve the stroganoff immediately; as it sits the noodles will keep absorbing sauce and soften further. A small squeeze of fresh lemon juice can brighten the dish if your sour cream is less tangy—add it to the pan or to individual bowls to taste.
Ground Beef Stroganoff is hearty on its own, but a crisp side helps balance the richness. Try a green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted broccoli for contrast.
Variations and Substitutions
- Ground Chicken or Turkey: Use ground thighs or a breast/thigh blend for better flavor and moisture; 100% breast meat tends to be dry.
- Jarred or Dried Mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms give the best flavor, but canned or jarred mushrooms work in a pinch. Reconstituted dried mushrooms (especially mixes including porcini) add depth—use 8 ounces canned (drained) or 1–2 ounces dried reconstituted.
- Cognac: Swap with dry white wine, or deglaze with ¼ cup beef broth to avoid alcohol entirely.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
This stroganoff is best the day it’s made; the noodles will continue to soften in storage. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of beef broth to loosen the sauce, stirring carefully to preserve the noodles.
Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the noodles and sour cream-based sauce degrades. It’s fine to start with thawed ground beef—just cook and serve fresh.
More Recipes Using Ground Beef
- Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Spicy Chili Recipe with Three Meats and Beans
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15 or 80/20)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil (if needed), plus 2–3 teaspoons oil for browning the beef
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup cognac (can also use dry white wine)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika, to taste
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 3½ to 4 cups beef broth or stock
- 8 ounces dried extra-wide egg noodles
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan (about 12.5–13″ diameter with 2.5″ sides) with 2–3 teaspoons vegetable oil.
- Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat with a few pinches of salt and pepper, letting it develop a crust before breaking it up. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- If the pan doesn’t have about 3 tablespoons of fat, add butter or oil to reach that amount.
- Add the onions, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until softened, beginning to brown, and most mushroom liquid has evaporated.
- Add the garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the cognac and simmer 1–2 minutes, scraping browned bits, until mostly evaporated.
- Add the beef back to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring to distribute.
- Add the beef broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the uncooked egg noodles, submerging them in the broth as much as possible. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook 7–10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the noodles are tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional: stir in lemon juice for brightness or serve lemon wedges on the side.
- Sprinkle remaining parsley on top and serve immediately.
Notes
Broth and Noodles: Different noodle brands and pans may require 3½–4 cups of liquid. Start with 3½ cups and add up to ½ cup more if the pan looks dry while the noodles cook.
Sauce Thickness: The sauce will thicken as it rests. If it’s too thin after adding sour cream, let it stand uncovered 5 minutes; if too thick, thin with extra beef broth.
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Recipes use US customary measurements and were not tested for high-altitude cooking.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in July 2020 and the post has been updated with expanded details to address reader questions.