This Ground Beef Stroganoff is a weeknight-friendly take on the classic: tender mushrooms, a savory beefy 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: Use ground round (85/15) for a good balance of flavor and fat; chuck (80/20) also works. Ground sirloin can be too lean and dry for a rich sauce.
- Mushrooms: Cremini (baby bella) add a deeper, earthy flavor; white button mushrooms are a milder substitute. Whole mushrooms sliced just before cooking give the best texture.
- Pan choice: A large nonstick skillet or sauté pan with room to simmer the noodles with the sauce is ideal. A 12½–13″ pan with 2½” sides works well.
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
Step 1: Brown the beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high with a little vegetable oil. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Let the beef sit briefly to develop a crust, then break it into crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Transfer the beef to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan.
Step 2: Cook the mushrooms and onions
If the reserved fat is low, add butter or oil so you have about 3 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add chopped yellow onion and sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the onions soften and the mushrooms brown and release their liquid. Cook until most of that moisture evaporates. Add minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
Step 3: Build the sauce
Deglaze the pan with cognac or a dry white wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom; simmer briefly until mostly evaporated. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pan. Sprinkle in all-purpose flour and cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Stir in beef broth (start with 3½ cups; add up to ½ cup more if needed), Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sweet Hungarian paprika (1–2 tsp to taste), and about 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Combine everything until the sauce is smooth.
Step 4: Cook the noodles
Add dried extra-wide egg noodles to the pan and submerge them in the liquid as evenly as possible. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 7–10 minutes, stirring gently every couple of minutes so the noodles cook evenly and the sauce doesn’t stick. The flour and noodle starch will thicken the sauce as it cooks.
Step 5: Finish the dish
When the noodles are just tender, remove the pan from heat and stir in sour cream (½–⅔ cup, depending on desired creaminess). Full-fat sour cream yields the creamiest result; reduced-fat also works. Stir in the remaining thyme and about 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce seems thin, let it rest a few minutes to thicken; if it’s too thick, loosen it with a splash of beef broth.
For brightness, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the pan or squeeze lemon at the table, depending on the tang of your sour cream and personal preference. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Serving Ground Beef Stroganoff
Serve the stroganoff right away while the noodles are tender and the sauce is creamy. The dish is hearty on its own but pairs nicely with something crisp to balance the richness, such as a simple green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted broccoli.
Variations and Substitutions
- Ground poultry: Ground chicken or turkey thighs (or a blend of breast and thigh) provide better flavor and moisture than lean breast-only meat.
- Other mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms are best, but canned or jarred sliced mushrooms work in a pinch. Reconstituted dried mushrooms—especially blends with porcini—add depth. Use 8 oz drained canned mushrooms or 1–2 oz dried mushrooms reconstituted and drained.
- Alcohol substitute: Replace cognac with dry white wine or deglaze with ¼ cup beef broth to avoid alcohol.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
This stroganoff is best the day it’s made because the noodles will continue to soften in storage. Store 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 keep the noodles intact. Freezing is not recommended for the best texture.
More Recipes Using Ground Beef
- Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Spicy Chili 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 to 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 2–3 teaspoons vegetable oil.
- Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat with salt and pepper, letting it develop a crust before breaking it up. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Ensure there are about 3 tablespoons of fat in the pan; add butter or oil if needed.
- Add 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 garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the cognac and simmer 1–2 minutes, scraping up browned bits until mostly evaporated.
- Return the beef to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir to combine, and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, Dijon, Worcestershire, paprika, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the uncooked egg noodles, submerging them as much as possible. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 7–10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until noodles are cooked through.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If desired, add lemon juice for brightness. Sprinkle remaining parsley on top and serve immediately.
Notes
Paprika: Use sweet Hungarian paprika and adjust amount to taste.
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 if the pan looks dry while cooking.
Sauce thickness: The sauce will thicken as it stands. If thin after stirring in sour cream, let it rest uncovered for 5 minutes; if too thick, thin with extra broth.
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on Striped Spatula in July 2020 and has been updated with expanded copy to address reader questions.