The most amazing Beef Stroganoff you will ever have! Golden seared juicy beef strips smothered in an incredible sour cream mushroom gravy, this Beef Stroganoff recipe is an easy 30 minute recipe.
Never suffer through dry chewy beef or bland Stroganoff sauce again – this recipe delivers!!
Beef Stroganoff
If you’ve ever chewed your way through dry, overcooked beef, you’re going to LOVE this Beef Stroganoff recipe! Just two simple rules for juicy, tender beef:
using the right cut; and
the 30 Second Sear ( <– PS I totally made up this name)
The first rule is fairly self explanatory – for a quick cooking recipe like Beef Stroganoff, you can’t get away with using a better value tough cut like chuck beef.
Sure, you could do a slow cooker stroganoff.
But if you want to make this retro classic the way it’s intended and to experience all that Beef Stroganoff is when the beef is tender, juicy perfection, then there’s no getting around the fact that you will need a good quality steak that’s nicely marbled with fat.
I know, I know, you see juicy steaks like the rib eyes above and your instinct is to throw them on the barbie.
I hear you. I have to fight the urge myself. But then I remember that sour cream mushroom gravy, and I remind myself that the only way to experience a truly great stroganoff is to use a good steak, and it’s all good. We proceed with no regrets.
What cut of beef is best for stroganoff?
The best cuts of beef for stroganoff are tender, juicy cuts such as:
Boneless rib eye – also called scotch fillet (pictured above)
Boneless sirloin
Sirloin steak tips
Beef tenderloin
Some recipes recommend beef round steak (aka topside) which I do not recommend. The beef flavour is ok but but it’s not a good cut for fast cooking like in stroganoff, it’s dry with an unpleasant texture. It’s best slow cooked.
Want to use stewing beef?
Make this Slow Cooked Stroganoff with tender fall apart chunks of beef!
And now, the 2nd secret to never suffer through dry beef in stroganoff again……
The 30 second sear
Thin strips of beef overcook in a flash. But forgoing the sear would be a blasphemy (in my books). Sear = flavour on both the beef AND in the gravy.
Therefore, there is only one way around this. A super quick sear in a smoking hot skillet. And when I say super quick, I truly mean it. 30 seconds on each side, if you miss some pink bits too bad! GET IT OUT OF THE SKILLET!!!
The beef will still be raw at this stage but don’t worry! It finishes cooking in the gravy at the end.
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!
If you happen to have leftovers or are meal prepping, beef stroganoff will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. But be very careful when reheating not to overcook the beef!
Wondering if you can freeze beef stroganoff?
Yes you can! The sour cream won’t separate or congeal. Thaw, then reheat – be very careful not to overcook the beef when reheating.
What to serve with beef stroganoff
Serve it over noodles, pasta or mash – anything that’s a suitable vehicle to slop up all that gorgeous mushroom gravy. Try cauliflower mash for a low carb alternative!
If using noodles or pasta, I recommend using a short pasta. It just makes it easier to eat, ensuring you get a bit of everything with plenty of that sauce in every bite!
Dinner – on the table in 30 minutes. EVERYONE WILL LOVE THIS!!! – Nagi x
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual – so watch me make this Beef Stroganoff recipe!
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Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 600 g / 1.2 lb scotch fillet steak / boneless rib eye (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil , divided
- 1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
- 300 g / 10 oz mushrooms , sliced (not too thin)
- 40 g / 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour (Note 2)
- 2 cups / 500 ml beef broth , preferably salt reduced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 150 ml / 2/3 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper
Serving:
- 250 – 300 g / 8 – 10 oz pasta or egg noodles of choice (Note 3)
- Chopped chives , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Use your fist (or rolling pin or mallet) to flatten the steaks to about 3/4cm / 1/3″ thick. Slice into 5mm / 1/5″ strips (cut long ones in half), discarding excess fat.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Scatter half the beef in the skillet, QUICKLY spread it with tongs. Leave untouched for 30 seconds until browned. Turn beef quickly (as best you can!). Leave untouched for 30 seconds to brown. Immediately remove onto a plate. Don’t worry about pink bits and that it will be raw inside.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and repeat with remaining beef.
- Turn heat down to medium high. Add butter, melt. Then add onions, cook for 1 minute, then add mushrooms.
- Cook mushrooms until golden. Scrape bottom of fry pan to get all the golden bits off (this is flavour!).
- Add flour, cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add half the broth while stirring. Once incorporated, add remaining broth.
- Stir, then add sour cream and mustard. Stir until incorporated (don’t worry if it looks split, sour cream will “melt” as it heats).
- Bring to simmer ,then reduce heat to medium low. Once it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream (3 – 5 minutes), adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Add beef back in (including plate juices). Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from stove immediately. (Note 4)
- Serve over pasta or egg noodles, sprinkled with chives if desired.
Recipe Notes:
- boneless rib eye (aka scotch fillet)
- boneless sirloin, sirloin steak tips
- beef tenderloin
Nutrition Information:
Beef Stroganoff recipe originally published January 2018, updated March 2019 for housekeeping matters, no change to recipe (because readers love it as it is!).
More quick dinner ideas you’ll love!
Quesadillas (Beef, Chicken or Veg)
A Mushroom Sauce for Steak, Chicken or anything!
Beef and Rice with Veggies (One Pot)
LIFE OF DOZER
” Dozer! Catch the water!”
And so he obliged. Well, attempted to. Oh so enthusiastically!
More recipes for different dishes.In any occasion
Specially oriental continental dishes.
Great recipe! I don’t usually review, well…. Anything. I had stew meat because I was going to make STEW but my daughter was begging me to make beef stroganoff. I had most of the items except mushrooms and face it not the greatest meat! I followed your recipe and sliced the cubes real thin and velveting the meat. I was amazed how tender it came out. I have to say my family loved it more than the stroganoff I usually make and they had loved that. Thank you!!!!! I’m keeping this!
This was amazing. We used gravy beef and the velveteen method and it worked beautifully. Kids loved it and went back for more. Made as per recipe after velveting except added some garlic with onion.
What is velveteen method.?
Nagi mentions it and places a link in the recipe card. The link is https://discountspot.info/how-to-tenderise-beef-velveting-beef/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Velveting the beef works great for tough cuts of meat. The Chinese have been doing it for a very long time.
Velveting is a method commonly used in Asian cooking to tenderize thin cuts of meat by tossing them with baking soda or a mixture of egg whites, wine and cornstarch before searing them in oil
Excellent recipe I added dill pickle juice and dill weed so good
You are a recipe whiz Nagi,
This is such a firm favourite, it holds 1st place on the meal rotation and is the only dish to feature weekly, else my wife goes on strike LOL. Thnx
Thank for the very specific and detailed instructions! I went back to the store and swapped the sirloin for a big rib eye for the win. Followed everything step by step, and it was outstanding! Can’t wait to make it again. Next level stroganoff!
I’ve made this a few times now with Thick Skirt. I like the skirt as it is quick to cook and has an almost ‘open weave’ structure.
I also use Yoghurt instead of sour cream as I can make my own yoghurt but sour cream isn’t available where I live.
Hi Nagi! Just made this recipe, and the flavor was amazing!! For some reason though, I couldn’t get the sauce to thicken. The only change I made was using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Could that have been the issue?
This was delicious. Beef was so tender
Beef stroganoff has always been a favourite of mine growing up, so when I say this recipe blew me away, you know it’s going to be great! Who knew velveting the beef would make such a huge difference to the dish, making every bite juicy and tender. The delicious gravy sauce is bursting with flavour, even with limited ingredients. I am currently trying not to eat the whole pan while waiting for my rice to cook, it’s that good 🤤
This is one of favorite childhood recipes. I haven’t cooked this yet it is the same as my moms recipe. I don’t measure anything anymore I just make it but I highly recommend this recipe. A light sprinkle of chili powder. Not enough to taste it but to help boost the umami. Some time I add a bit of brandy, heavy cream and green peppercorns for a Steak au poivre twist. But don’t over do it. And I always use garlic, usually powder and just a dash of ginger powder. Do the above recipe first. Play with it later.
Oh yeah I forgot wine. Red or white. Your choice. Depends on your mood.
Yum, yum, yum. Second time I have made this. The family loved it. 2nd time I added some garlic and wine, just lifted the flavour. You are my go to Nagi, never had one of your recipes fail.
How would this go freezing? If not good, is there anything I could do to make it OK for freezing?
This was excellent and I only changed sour cream to heavy cream and added a splash of white wine. Then garnished with parsley – delicious and simple!! Thank you!
But, for real, this IS the best beef stroganoff recipe! I’ll confess I do a little tweaking here and there (a shallot instead of an onion and I hate mustard so I omit it) but this is the best and yummiest dinner on my rotation!
I need this tonight and I was surprised at how little seasoning there is in this recipe. I didn’t get a great flavor at the end so I added a little bit of sage from another stroganoff recipe and a spicy seasoning. It did improve the recipe but I didn’t get that depth of flavor. I’m guessing it’s because I didn’t brown my mushrooms enough. Do y’all think this is why?
Used Sizzle Steak for this recipe and velveted it. Turned out quite tender. Had a jar of Stroganoff and added half Australian Mustard with the Djon. Added a couple of dashes of Oyster sauce with the salt and some drops of Tabasco to give it a boost…. and the sour cream. Hubby said it was nice but he would have liked some Red Wine in it. Never thought of it but will try it next time we make it.
Yep, splash of red wine to deglaze the frypan before adding the onions and mushrooms
I wish I could give this dish 5 stars because it tasted amazing! I’ve made it twice now and can’t wait to make it again.
In Germany, beef stroganoff always includes a few sliced cornichons. Just gives it a little more zing. Aside from that exactly as you have written. Yum!
I wish I could give this dish 5 stars because it tasted amazing!
I made this for dinner last night and it was the best I’ve ever made. Substituted round steak after using the “velveting” technique you recommended, washed the steak strips three times then dried them. My husband said that when I use your recipes it’s like eating out at a great restaurant except that he can have seconds! There’s a little bit left for lunch today, I hope I get to it before he does lol. Thanks for another great meal.
Forgot to rate it, definitely five stars.
This recipe has been my go to for the last couple of years…I see someone added worcestshire, I must try that. My added ingredient would have to be Smokey Paprika with the flour for the beef quick seer, adding an extra bit of zing for the beef!