Ground Beef Stroganoff recipe

There are few dishes that conjure up feelings of pure, unadulterated comfort quite like Beef Stroganoff. I remember the original version from my childhood, with tender strips of steak swimming in a rich, creamy sauce, served over a bed of buttery egg noodles. It was a special occasion meal, something that felt luxurious and took time. But on a busy weeknight, that kind of time is a luxury I often don’t have. That’s where this Ground Beef Stroganoff recipe comes in, my weeknight hero and arguably the most requested meal in my home. It captures all the nostalgic, savory, and creamy essence of the classic but comes together in a fraction of the time, using humble, budget-friendly ground beef. The first time I made it, I was skeptical that it could live up to the memory of the original. But as the aroma of browning mushrooms, onions, and garlic filled my kitchen, followed by the rich, savory scent of the simmering sauce, I knew I was onto something special. When I stirred in the velvety sour cream at the end and ladled it over a pile of noodles, my family fell silent, a sure sign of a successful dinner. It was an instant hit—rich, deeply flavorful, and so incredibly satisfying. Now, it’s our go-to for a cozy meal that feels both special and incredibly easy.

Why This is The Best Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe

In a world of quick dinners, this Ground Beef Stroganoff stands out as a true champion. It’s not just a shortcut version of a classic; it’s a phenomenal dish in its own right, perfected to be as flavorful and comforting as possible.

• Weeknight-Friendly Speed: This is the recipe’s greatest strength. From start to finish, you can have a restaurant-quality, deeply satisfying meal on the table in about 30 minutes. Using ground beef eliminates the time-consuming process of searing steak strips, making it perfect for busy evenings.
• Incredible Depth of Flavor: Don’t let the speed fool you; this dish is packed with complex, slow-simmered taste. The flavor is built in layers: browning the beef and mushrooms properly creates a savory foundation, deglazing the pan with beef broth captures all those delicious browned bits, and the finishing touches of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce add a tangy, umami-rich complexity.
• Luxuriously Creamy (Without Curdling!): The hallmark of a great stroganoff is its rich, creamy sauce. This recipe uses full-fat sour cream and a specific technique—tempering the sour cream before adding it to the pan—to ensure a silky-smooth, velvety sauce that will never break or curdle.
• Budget-Friendly Comfort: Ground beef is significantly more economical than the sirloin or beef tenderloin used in traditional stroganoff recipes. This recipe allows you to create a hearty, comforting, and impressive meal for the whole family without breaking the bank.
• One-Pan Simplicity: After boiling the noodles, the entire sauce and beef mixture comes together in a single skillet. This means easier cleanup and a more streamlined cooking process, which is always a bonus on a busy night.
• Family-Approved Flavor: The flavor profile is a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults. It’s savory, creamy, and familiar, making it a reliable choice for even the pickiest of eaters. It’s the kind of meal that everyone at the table will happily devour.

The Key Ingredients for a Perfect Stroganoff

The magic of this recipe comes from a handful of simple, yet powerful, ingredients working in perfect harmony.

The Heart of the Dish:

• Lean Ground Beef: The star protein. A lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) works beautifully, providing rich beefy flavor with less grease to drain off.
• Mushrooms: An essential component of classic stroganoff. Cremini (or “baby bella”) mushrooms are the best choice here. They have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms and a firmer texture that holds up well during cooking.
• Onion and Garlic: This aromatic duo forms the foundational flavor base for the entire sauce, providing sweetness and a savory punch.

For the Rich and Savory Sauce:

• Beef Broth: This is the liquid backbone of the sauce. Using a quality beef broth instead of water adds a significant layer of savory, beefy flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour: This is our primary thickener. It’s whisked into the browned beef and vegetables to create a roux, which will give the sauce its wonderful body and thickness.
• Worcestershire Sauce: A non-negotiable secret weapon. It adds a complex, savory, tangy, and slightly sweet umami flavor that is critical for a deep-tasting stroganoff sauce.
• Dijon Mustard: Provides a sharp, tangy kick that cuts through the richness of the cream and beef, brightening up the entire dish.

For the Creamy Finish:

• Full-Fat Sour Cream: This is the signature ingredient that gives stroganoff its name and its luscious, tangy creaminess. It is crucial to use full-fat sour cream, as it has a higher fat content and stabilizers that make it much less likely to curdle when introduced to heat.
• Egg Noodles: The traditional and, in my opinion, perfect vessel for soaking up every last drop of the incredible sauce. Their wide, flat shape and tender, toothsome bite are an ideal match.

Complete Recipe: Easy 30-Minute Ground Beef Stroganoff

Here is the full, detailed recipe to guide you to weeknight comfort food perfection.

Yields: 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 oz (340g) wide egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb (450g) lean ground beef (90/10)
• 8 oz (225g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or dill, chopped (for garnish)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps for a flawless and delicious stroganoff.

Step 1: Cook the Noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles well and set them aside. You can toss them with a teaspoon of butter to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Brown the Beef and Vegetables
While the noodles are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is mostly browned. Add the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 7-10 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked, the onions are soft, and the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown. Add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Do not drain the fat unless there is an excessive amount; a little fat adds a lot of flavor.

Step 3: Create the Sauce Base
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the beef and mushroom mixture. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the flour is fully incorporated and has had a chance to cook slightly. This step is crucial for thickening the sauce and getting rid of any raw flour taste.

Step 4: Simmer the Sauce
Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring or whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Use your spoon or whisk to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan—this is where a ton of flavor is! Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Step 5: Thicken and Finish
Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened to your desired consistency.

Step 6: Temper and Add the Sour Cream
This is the most important step for a creamy, non-curdled sauce. Turn the heat off under the skillet. In a separate small bowl, place your room-temperature sour cream. Ladle about ½ cup of the hot sauce from the skillet into the sour cream and whisk vigorously until smooth. This process, called tempering, gently raises the temperature of the sour cream so it doesn’t get shocked and curdle when added to the hot pan. Pour the tempered sour cream mixture back into the skillet and stir gently until the sauce is uniform, creamy, and luscious.

Step 7: Serve Immediately
Serve the hot Ground Beef Stroganoff immediately over the prepared egg noodles. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley or dill for a pop of color and fresh flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Please note that these are estimates. The final values will depend on the specific brands and ingredients you choose.

• Servings: 6 servings
• Calories per serving: Approximately 580 kcal (including noodles)

Preparation Time Breakdown

• Active Prep Time: 10 minutes (chopping)
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 30-35 minutes

How to Serve Your Ground Beef Stroganoff

While classic egg noodles are the go-to, this versatile dish is delicious served in many ways.

• The Classic Way: Generously spooned over a bed of buttery, wide egg noodles.
• Over Mashed Potatoes: Serve over a pile of creamy mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food experience.
• With Rice: It’s equally delicious served over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice.
• Low-Carb Options: For a healthier, low-carb meal, serve the stroganoff over:
  • Zucchini noodles (“zoodles”)
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Steamed green beans
• On Toast: Serve it open-faced on a thick slice of toasted sourdough or rye bread.
• Garnishes: A fresh garnish is a must to cut through the richness.
  • Fresh Parsley or Dill: Adds a bright, herbaceous note.
  • Chopped Chives: Provide a mild, fresh onion flavor.
  • A Dollop of Sour Cream: For extra tangy creaminess.

5 Additional Tips for Stroganoff Success

1. Don’t Crowd the Pan When Browning: For the best flavor, the beef and mushrooms need to brown, not steam. Make sure your skillet is large enough to hold the ingredients in a relatively even layer. If you have a smaller skillet, you can brown the beef first, remove it, then cook the mushrooms and onions, and add the beef back in.
2. Temper Your Sour Cream: This is so important it bears repeating. Adding cold sour cream directly to a hot sauce is a recipe for a grainy, curdled disaster. Gently raising its temperature by mixing it with some of the hot sauce first ensures a perfectly smooth and creamy finish every time. Using room-temperature sour cream to start also helps immensely.
3. Use Full-Fat Sour Cream: Low-fat or non-fat sour creams have less fat and more fillers, which makes them much more prone to breaking and curdling when heated. For the richest flavor and most stable, creamy sauce, full-fat is the only way to go.
4. Deglaze for Maximum Flavor: When you’re adding the beef broth, don’t forget to use your spoon to scrape all the browned bits (the “fond”) off the bottom of the pan. This is where a massive amount of concentrated, savory flavor lies.
5. Don’t Boil After Adding Sour Cream: Once the sour cream is incorporated, the dish is done. Keep the heat off. Boiling a sour cream-based sauce can cause it to separate and become thin.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about making Ground Beef Stroganoff.

1. Can I make this recipe without mushrooms?
Yes, absolutely. If you or your family members are not fans of mushrooms, you can simply omit them. The dish will still be delicious. You could also add other vegetables, such as frozen peas (stirred in at the end) or finely chopped carrots (sautéed with the onions).

2. How do I prevent my stroganoff sauce from curdling or separating?
The two most important tips are to use full-fat sour cream and to temper it before adding it to the sauce, as detailed in Step 6. Also, ensure you turn the heat off before you stir in the tempered sour cream mixture. Following these three rules will give you a perfectly smooth sauce.

3. Can I make this stroganoff ahead of time?
Yes, stroganoff is a great make-ahead meal. For the best results, prepare the beef and sauce mixture completely but store it separately from the cooked noodles. Reheat the sauce gently over low heat on the stovetop, being careful not to bring it to a boil. Cook the noodles fresh just before serving.

4. How do I freeze Ground Beef Stroganoff?
Dairy-based sauces can sometimes separate upon thawing. The best way to freeze this dish is to make the beef and sauce mixture up until the point of adding the sour cream. Let this base cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the base in the refrigerator overnight, reheat it gently on the stovetop, and then proceed with tempering and stirring in the fresh sour cream just before serving with freshly cooked noodles.

5. Can I use ground turkey or another protein instead of ground beef?
Yes, this recipe is very adaptable. Ground turkey or ground chicken would be excellent leaner alternatives. You could also use ground pork or even a spicy Italian sausage for a different flavor profile. The cooking method remains the same.

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