This easy beef stroganoff is ready in just 30 minutes. I make it with extra onions and mushrooms, and it's delicious! Served over mashed cauliflower, it's the perfect comfort food. The leftovers are excellent, too, as long as you reheat them carefully.
My friend Irina is of Russian descent. Her cooking is rich and flavorful, and she confirms that Russians love sour cream. I've been making this easy beef stroganoff a lot lately (I also make a delicious chicken stroganoff). It's a wonderfully rich and creamy comfort food. My version differs from classic recipes. It's easier and quicker, and it features extra mushrooms and onions.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Sirloin strips: You can splurge and use tenderloin for truly tender beef, but I usually go with sirloin.
- Avocado oil: An excellent neutral-tasting cooking oil with a high smoke point. Ghee is another great option.
- Veggies: I use lots of onions, garlic, and mushrooms.
- Sour cream: It's best to use full-fat sour cream for the richest and tastiest result.
Variations
- Instead of cooking the dish in avocado oil, you can use ghee. I also like to use duck fat - it's very flavorful.
- You can experiment with adding more seasonings. Good options include paprika and dried thyme. You can season the beef with ½ teaspoon of each.
- While nontraditional, try adding a handful of wild mushrooms instead of some of the white (or cremini) mushrooms. I love the flavor they add to the dish.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Cook the meat. Season the beef and cook it in avocado oil until no longer raw, then transfer it to a plate.
Cook the vegetables. In the same skillet, cook the onions, mushrooms, and garlic with salt and pepper.
Add the sour cream. Add the beef back to the skillet. Reduce the heat and stir in the sour cream.
Expert Tips
- Removing the sour cream from the fridge at the start of cooking will help it warm up a bit, reducing the risk of it curdling when you add it to the hot dish. It also helps to reduce the heat and allow the skillet to cool off before mixing the sour cream in.
- When you add the sour cream, the dish immediately takes on a grayish hue. It's still delicious, but if you'd like a deeper color, add a little Worcestershire sauce. However, don't add too much, or the dish will taste too vinegary. Start with one teaspoon and taste to see how it affects the flavor.
Recipe FAQs
It's a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sour cream sauce. There are many variations. Mine is quick and easy. I make it with lean beef (sirloin), lots of onions and mushrooms, and a little sour cream. So, I basically change the ratio of the traditional ingredients, adding more vegetables and using less meat and sour cream.
The traditional cut of meat used in this recipe is beef tenderloin, a lean and tender cut. I prefer sirloin, another lean cut. It's not as tender, but it's more flavorful, and it's also much more affordable.
Some people make this dish with ground beef. I haven't tried that, but I can see why it would work - it's similar to how Korean ground beef is just as good as Korean beef, or maybe even better. It's easier to mix flavors and spices into ground beef because of its finely ground texture.
I advise against that. This is one recipe where you really do want the richness of full-fat sour cream. It's absolutely worth it.
Serving Suggestions
Beef Stroganoff is usually served on top of noodles, but I skip the starch and serve it over mashed cauliflower. It's really good! You can also serve it on top of spaghetti squash noodles or hearts of palm pasta.
I also like to add a side of a bright green veggie, such as roasted broccoli, steamed asparagus, or sautéed spinach. It makes for a prettier presentation. This dish, though utterly delicious, is not exactly pretty to look at.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating them, do so gently to avoid drying out the meat and curdling the sour cream. I reheat the leftovers covered in the microwave at 50% power.
More Beef Recipes
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Recipe Card
Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sour cream - at room temperature
- 1 pound sirloin steak - cut into strips
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - divided; see notes below
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - divided
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 onion - large, chopped; 8 ounces
- 16 ounces mushrooms - white or cremini, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped, for garnish; optional
Instructions
- Measure out the sour cream and remove it from the fridge to allow it to get to room temperature. Season the beef with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the beef. Cook, stirring, just until no longer raw, for about 2 minutes. Quickly remove the beef to a plate to prevent it from over-cooking.
- Add the onion and mushrooms to the saucepan with 1 more teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon of any other salt). Cook, stirring often, until tender, for 5-7 minutes. If the pan becomes too dry, add the juices from the resting meat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add back the beef and stir-fry for one more minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow the skillet a few seconds to cool down a bit. Add the sour cream, mixing it well with a wooden spoon into the beef mixture. Don't allow the sour cream to simmer or boil to avoid curdling.
- Season the dish with more black pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
- It's easier to cut the beef into strips if you freeze it for about 20 minutes first. You could also buy pre-sliced beef labeled as "stir-fry beef."
- Removing the sour cream from the fridge at the start of cooking will help it warm up a bit, reducing the risk of it curdling when you add it to the hot dish. It also helps to reduce the heat and allow the skillet to cool off before mixing in the sour cream.
- When you add the sour cream, the dish immediately takes on a grayish hue. It's still delicious, but if you'd like a deeper color, add a little Worcestershire sauce. However, don't add too much, or the dish will taste too vinegary. Start with one teaspoon and taste to see how it affects the flavor.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating them, do so gently to avoid drying the meat and curdling the sour cream. I reheat the leftovers covered in the microwave at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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