This easy beef stroganoff recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. I make it with lots of extra onions and mushrooms and it's so delicious!
Served over mashed cauliflower, it's the perfect comfort food. And as long as you reheat them carefully, the leftovers are very good too.
My friend Irina is of Russian descent. Her cooking is rich and wonderful, and she confirms that the Russians do love adding sour cream to their dishes - and plenty of it.
I've been making this easy beef stroganoff a lot lately (I also make a very tasty chicken stroganoff, by the way). It's such a wonderfully rich and creamy comfort food. I change it up by increasing the vegetables I use - I add extra mushrooms and onions compared with the classic recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Sirloin strips: You can splurge and use tenderloin for truly tender beef, but I usually go with sirloin.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Avocado oil: An excellent neutral-tasting cooking oil with a high smoke point. Ghee is another tasty 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.
Chopped parsley: Used purely for garnish, so it's optional.
Instructions
Making my version of beef stroganoff is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
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 it in.
- When you add the sour cream, you'll notice that the dish immediately takes on a grayish hue. One way to overcome that is by adding a little Worcestershire sauce to the dish. 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.
Frequently asked questions
It's a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef, served in a sour cream sauce.
There are many variations of this classic dish. Mine is quick and easy. I make it with lean beef (sirloin), lots of onions and mushrooms, and a little sour cream. So basically I 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, which is a lean and tender cut of meat.
I actually prefer to use sirloin, another lean cut of meat. 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. Although I can see how it would work. Just the way Korean ground beef is just as good as Korean beef, or maybe even better. Sometimes 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.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- Instead of cooking the dish in avocado oil, you can use ghee. I also like to use duck fat - it's so very flavorful.
- You can experiment with adding more seasonings to this dish. Good options include paprika and dried thyme.
- 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.
Serving suggestions
This dish is often 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.
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 the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. When reheating them, do so very gently, to avoid drying out the meat and curdling the sour cream. I reheat the leftovers in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.
Related recipes
👩🏻🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe card
Easy Beef Stroganoff
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 lb. sirloin steak cut into strips*
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 large onion chopped (8 oz)
- 16 oz sliced mushrooms white or cremini
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional, for garnish
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, about 2 minutes. Quickly remove the beef to a plate to prevent it from over-cooking.
- Add the onion and the mushrooms to the saucepan, with 1 more teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5-7 minutes, also adding the juices that have accumulated 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.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 