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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!
I do not understand why we cut the meat (I use tenderloin) and then sear. It’s is so much better and easier to sear the whole steak, let it sit to resorb the juices, and then cut into pieces. Almost no chance of messing up the meat.
This is delicious! Thank you Nagi, I’ll be making this regularly from now on. Yummo!
Can I use fresh/ or double cream instead of sour cream
I will be honest, no one liked it. I went by the recipe that was my mistake. The mustard was a total mistake. It was total waste of time and food, but most of all money. My husband would like to know why I put mustard in stroganoff? Oh gosh I guess because this stupid recipe called for it. Very, very disappointing. There are loads of recipes on the internet and I chose this one. But don’t get mad at me for my comments because we do not like it maybe someone else will.
Maybe you put in a little more mustard than called for. My family and I did not discern an overly strong mustard flavor. Or really much mustard flavor at all.
You musn’t know how to cook as this recipe is so good. I have made it multiple times and every time has been incredible.
Traditional stroganoff contains mustard. If you don’t like mustard, just leave it out. Plenty of other people (including myself) think the recipe is great. No need to be rude.
Lovely taste! Used a bit more butter and sour cream; used a porterhouse steak and white mushrooms. Very nice with a Pinot Noir and mixed vegs.
This was so easy to make. I followed everything that was on the recipe & hands down was the nicest Beef Stroganoff I have ever tasted. This will be the only way I will make it now 🙂
Bloody delicious!
I made this recipe last night, and my family loved it! I have two personal changes: (1) Add the sour cream in last minute – it didn’t “melt”, it separated – and – (2) My family isn’t big on mustard, so next time I would cut that 1tbsp in half, and only use 1.5tsp. It did add a delicious flavor, just a little strong for us. We will be making this beef strog every time going forward! So easy.
I love this recipe! I made one adjustment and will make another next time i make it. I used only 1/2 the mustard and I will drop the beef stock to 1.5 cups to make the sauce thicker.
Lush with some rare leftover rib roast.! Nagi nails it.
When do You put the herbs in, the’re not in the steps or video.:-(
Ok first I cut the meat in bite pieces then took it out salute the onion add one cup of broth stir add one more cup then add sour cream at the end I added the mustard very good
The sauce proved way too thin. Really disappointed. 2 Cups of broth create more soup than sauce. Had to add 3 times the flour to get the sauce close to a gravy. I should have stuck to what I know. $38 in cost with the price of good meat. Really disappointed.
Delicious, quick dinner recipe. Will be adding to my easy weeknight dinner list.
YUM. An easy, yet delicious stroganoff. Admittedly, I cheated on using the steak – stir fry strips instead. Another RTE to add to my collection. Thanks, Nagi, 🙂
In the past, I cooked my Beef Stroganoff by using 2 cans of Campbell Mushroom soup and add in the fresh ingredients like onions, mushrooms and beef. Unfortunately, for the past months, I have not been able to find Campbell Mushroom soup in Coles. I also noticed that their soup range has shrunk on the shelf (not sure why). So, we haven’t had Beef Stroganoff till tonight, thanks to this recipe.
It was very yummy. My teenage son had 2 helpings.
My family likes the beef medium so I didn’t put the beef in the sauce. I left the beef on a separate plate so we took what we wanted onto our plates and we poured the sauce over the beef and fettucine.
I used a pack of Campbell liquid beef stock and had to use more flour to thicken the sauce.
That was my problem as well. I was very disappointed due to this. I like a thick sauce. I made the mistake of adding the meat before the sauce was ready also and the meat became overcooked. Should have not followed the recipe and stuck to what I know.
Did you sweat your mushrooms down until they were almost crispy? It takes about 25 minutes, then as there is hardly any liquid the amount of flour is perfect.
Absolutely delicious. I tend to dislike things with a strong mustard taste, so reduced the mustard by 1/2. We loved the flavor the smaller amount of mustard added. It was perfect for our tastes. Thank you so much!
Can I make this with leftover roast beef?
Delicious!!
I havnt made this stroganoff in 8 years (since meeting my husband) because he used to hate stroganoff. Made this one and he, and we all, loved it!
I thought it was a great recipe, really enjoyed it. But I recommend you add the the sour cream just before serving. If you don’t cook the sourcream it stays creamy and smooth no breaking.
This is a family favourite, they love it. I’ve even adjusted to a slow cooker for less tender cuts and it’s still amazing.