Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

Home » Meat Recipes » Easy Beef Stroganoff

Last updated: · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (1)

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
  • Instructions
  • Expert tips
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Variations
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storing leftovers
  • Related recipes
  • Foodie Newsletter
  • Recipe Card
  • Let's Connect

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.

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (2)

Instructions

Making my version of beef stroganoff is easy! It's basically a quick stir-fry recipe, much like this Korean beef recipe.

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.

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (3)

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

What is Beef Stroganoff?

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.

What cut of meat should I use?

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 wayKorean 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.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

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.

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (4)
  • Korean Beef
  • Chicken Stroganoff
  • Steak Stir-Fry
  • Beef and Broccoli

Foodie Newsletter

I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox?Subscribetoday! You can unsubscribe at any time.

Recipe Card

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (9)

4.98 from 76 votes

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Easy Beef Stroganoff

This easy beef stroganoff is made with lots of tasty vegetables. Served over mashed cauliflower, it's a true comfort food!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Russian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

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.

Video

Notes

*It's easier to cut the beef into strips if you freeze it for about 20 minutes first. Or you could buy pre-sliced beef, marked 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 it in.

Add Your Own Notes

Click here to add your own private notes. They're only visible to you. If you clear your browser's cache, they'll be lost.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 443mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

Subscribe

I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

Follow Me

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (10) Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (11) Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (12) Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (13) Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (14) Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (15)

Disclaimers

Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.

Let's Connect

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.

More Meat Recipes

  • Beef Shanks
  • Ham Steak
  • Picanha Steak
  • Perfect New York Strip Steak

About the Author

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (20) 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. Click to learn more about Vered.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Easy Beef Stroganoff - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for whipping cream in beef stroganoff? ›

While you can absolutely use good old fashioned milk instead of the heavy cream, I would be a bad food blogger if I didn't tell you that heavy cream really makes this ground beef stroganoff super creamy and rich. Will regular milk work? Yes. It may just be a little thinner of a consistency.

What can I add to stroganoff for more flavor? ›

Quartered mushrooms and a combination of pearl onions and shallots give the finished dish a more interesting texture and flavor. Adding gelatin to the chicken stock gives it more body, letting the sauce come together more tightly to coat the meat and noodles.

Can I substitute chicken broth for beef broth in beef stroganoff? ›

Like beef broth, chicken broth is a kitchen staple and makes a good substitute if you are all out of the meaty broth. This savory, salty liquid has a milder flavor than beef broth but is a good one-to-one replacement. Chicken broth also has a similar nutrition profile to beef broth, low in calories and high in sodium.

How can I thicken my beef stroganoff sauce? ›

One way to thicken beef stroganoff is with flour or cornstarch. These are both common cooking ingredients that will help create an excellent thickening agent for beef stroganoff recipes.

Can I use sour cream in place of heavy cream? ›

Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.

What is heavy cream the same as sour cream? ›

Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before hom*ogenization . Heavy cream contains 36% fat or more. Sour cream is obtained by fermenting a regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacterial cultures .

What is the best substitute for sour cream in Stroganoff? ›

Greek yogurt is a healthy alternative to the traditionally used sour cream in beef stroganoff recipes, so you can be confident that your family is getting a satisfying, healthy meal. Fresh dill and paprika will provide a sweet, slightly smoky garnish to top off the dish.

What is the sauce in beef stroganoff made of? ›

What is stroganoff sauce made of? Stroganoff sauce is a sour cream gravy made with beef broth that's thickened with flour. It's flavoured with mustard and has mushrooms in it. I love the pale brown creamy colour against the deep golden brown seared beef!

What can I add instead of sour cream? ›

Here are the top 10 sour cream substitutes you can use in the kitchen.
  • Yogurt. Yogurt is your best substitute for sour cream. ...
  • Mayonnaise. Mayo is a great sour cream substitute. ...
  • Buttermilk. ...
  • Crème Fraîche. ...
  • Cream Cheese. ...
  • DIY Sour Cream. ...
  • Kefir. ...
  • Mexican Crema.
Feb 21, 2023

What can I use if I don't have beef broth? ›

There are many substitutes for beef broth, including chicken broth, vegetable broth, beer, liquid aminos, bouillon cubes, and mushroom broth. Each of these options will provide a different flavor profile to your dish, so choose the one that best fits your needs.

Can I use Worcestershire sauce instead of beef broth? ›

Worcestershire sauce offers complex umami flavors that take care of the salt factor required in the dish and can even make it a better flavorful choice versus something like soy sauce. To use Worcestershire sauce as a substitute, add 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of water or vegetable broth for each cup of beef broth.

Is beef bouillon the same as beef broth? ›

The terms bouillon and broth are often used interchangeably. Both refer to the translucent, flavorful liquid that is made by simmering beef, chicken, vegetables, and other ingredients. Colloquially, bouillon is often meant to describe the resulting broth from cubed and powdered forms of bouillon.

What if I add too much liquid to my beef stroganoff? ›

Cornstarch is a reliable and widely used thickening agent, that works in sauces, gravies, and soups. Composed of a long chain of starch molecules, it has the ability to absorb water and form a gel-like consistency, giving your beef stroganoff the desired thickness without altering the way it tastes.

What is a substitute for Worcestershire sauce in beef stroganoff? ›

We always recommend sticking with the original recipe, as that will produce the best results. However, soy sauce is a 1:1 substitute, and the closest and most recommended substitute for Worcestershire sauce.

Why do you add flour to beef stroganoff? ›

Pour flour-water mixture into saucepan with beef mixture. This will thicken very quickly! Add sour cream and stir until mixture is smooth. If too runny, add more flour-water mixture and if too thick, add more sour cream.

What can I add instead of whipping cream? ›

Here are some alternatives to consider.
  • Coconut Milk.
  • Silken Tofu Pureed with Soy Milk.
  • Butter and Milk.
  • Dry Milk, Lemon Juice, and Vanilla Extract.
  • Chilled Evaporated Milk and Lemon Juice.
  • Banana, Egg Whites, and Sugar.
  • Milk, Cornstarch, and Flour.
Dec 17, 2021

Can you substitute anything for whipping cream? ›

Half-and-Half and Butter

However, combining half-and-half with a little butter works well. Substitute for 1 cup of whipped cream by mixing 7/8 cups half-and-half and 1/8 cup melted butter. If your recipe doesn't require whipping, you can simply substitute an equal amount of half-and-half.

What ingredient can replace whipping cream? ›

The 10 Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream
  • Milk and butter.
  • Soy milk and olive oil.
  • Milk and cornstarch.
  • Half-and-half.
  • Tofu and soy.
  • Yogurt and milk.
  • Evaporated milk.
  • Cottage cheese and milk.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 6107

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.