Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is the stew version of traditional Beef Stroganoff. An incredible slow cooked beef that’s fall-apart tender smothered in a creamy Stroganoff sauce with buttery garlic mushrooms, it’s made with economical stewing beef yet tastes like a million bucks!
Beef Stroganoff
You know that anything that involving the words “slow cooked” and “beef” is going to be a winner. And this one is a ripper!
It’s the slow cooked version of classic Beef Stroganoff. Besides the fact that it takes 8 hours in a slow cooker instead of 15 minutes on the stove, this stew version of Stroganoff differs from the traditional version in a few ways:
Fall apart tender chunks of beef rather than thin strips that are just cooked so they’re juicy inside;
Made with economical stewing beef rather than good to high quality well marbled steak (essential for a really great traditional Beef Stroganoff); and
Deeper flavour in the sauce – owing to the long cook time. You can’t shortcut this kind of flavour!
This slow cooked beef melts in your mouth and the depth of flavour in the sauce is magnificent!
What you need for Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Here’s what you need to make this incredible slow cooked beef dish! It’s the same ingredients as traditional Beef Stroganoff except using economical stewing beef and more sauce so the beef is submerged while slow cooking!
Use Chuck Beef or other economical stewing beef. Do not waste your money on pricier cuts like sirloin!
Best cut of beef for SLOW COOKER Beef Stroganoff
This recipe needs to be made with economical stewing cuts that need to be cooked for a long time to become tender, such as:
- chuck beef
- boneless beef ribs
- beef cheeks
- gravy beef
In contrast, traditional Beef Stroganoff, which is cooked quickly on the stove, is best made with pricier cuts suitable for cooking as steaks, such as boneless rib eye/scotch fillet and sirloin.
Just a few notes on some of the other ingredients:
Sour Cream – this is what makes Stroganoff Sauce creamy. It’s added at the end so there’s no risk of it splitting during the slow cooking time;
Dijon Mustard – for flavour and thickening, a traditional ingredient in Beef Stroganoff Sauce; and
Flour – thickens the sauce. See recipe notes for gluten free option!
How to make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
This is pretty much made just like traditional Beef Stew – entirely hands off for most of the cook time!
Brown beef aggressively. The better the browning, the better the flavour in the sauce and on the beef!
Sauté the onion and garlic, mix in the flour;
Add everything into the slow cooker (or pot);
Slow cook 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high (see recipe for stove and IP/pressure cooker);
Sauté mushrooms in garlic and butter;
Whisk the sour cream with some of the liquid in the slow cooker – this will ensure you don’t end up with sour cream specks in the sauce (can’t mix vigorously otherwise the beef crumbles!);
Stir mushrooms and sour cream into sauce;
Serve over mash, pasta, egg noodles or even rice!
Here’s what it looks like straight out of the slow cooker.
And the beef…..fall apart….. juicy…..sucked up all the flavour of that Stroganoff Sauce…
I’ve made this as a stew but it could just as easily be transformed into a chunky soup with potatoes and vegetables. That way, it would also be a meal in one, rather than preparing noodles or mash to serve it over.
I’ve popped notes in the recipe for how to make it into a soup – you just add extra liquid to make the sauce slightly thinner which also increases volume so you can add more “stuff” into it. 😇
Otherwise, if you’re sticking with the Slow Cooked Beef Stroganoff Stew as written, serve it over one of these:
pasta or wide egg noodles (traditional);
mashed potato (also common for Stroganoff);
rice; or
low carb alternatives: Creamy Cauliflower Mash or Cauliflower Rice
Enjoy! – Nagi x
PS Also, for chicken lovers – > CHICKEN Stroganoff. Because I sauce this good can smother many things.
Watch how to make it
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1.75kg/ 3.5lb beef chuck or other stewing beef , cut in 4cm / 1.5” cube (Note 1)
- 1.5 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 20 g/ 1 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 1 large onion , halved then sliced into 1 cm / 2/5″ slices
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 7 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 4 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 litre / 1 quart beef stock/broth , reduced salt
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream , full fat best
Garlic Butter Mushrooms:
- 3 tbsp/ 45 g butter , unsalted
- 700 g / 1.2 lb mushrooms , sliced into 0.5cm thick slices
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Serving:
- Pasta, wide egg noodles, mashed potato
- Chives for garnish
Instructions
- Season beef – Pat beef dry then sprinkle with all the salt and pepper.
- Brown beef – Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot or skillet* over high heat. Add beef in a single layer (not squished) and brown aggressively all over – 4 minutes or so. Remove and repeat with rest of beef, adding more oil as needed.
- Sauté aromatics – Let the pot cool down a bit then return to stove. Melt half the butter, then cook garlic and onion for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add flour – Sprinkle the flour across the surface, then stir. Add the mustard, and stir – it will look gluey, that's ok, it will dissolve.
- Add stock – While stirring, pour in about half the beef stock then mix so the flour mixture dissolves into the liquid. It will thicken quite quickly into a gravy-like consistency .Switch to a whisk if needed, to make it lump free. Then add remaining stock, stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, and bring to simmer. Cook using chosen method below.
SLOW COOKING – choose method:
- Slow cooker: Transfer all liquid into slow cooker. Add beef, then slow cook 8 hours on LOW or 5 hours on HIGH.
- Stove: Add beef into pot. Cover with lid and adjust heat to low/medium low so the it's simmering gently. Simmer 2 hrs (check at 1.5 hrs) until beef beef falls apart easily.
- Instant pot: SKIP FLOUR, follow Note 5 Gluten Free option. 40 minutes on high, same method as slow cooker.
- Other pressure cookers: 40 minutes on high, same method as slow cooker.
GARLIC BUTTER MUSHROOMS:
- Melt half the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook until almost golden (~3 minutes). Add half the garlic, salt and pepper, cook until golden. Remove, repeat with remaining butter, mushrooms and garlic.
FINISHING STEW:
- Mix sour cream with 1.5 cups of liquid from slow cooker (Note 2), then gently stir into stew – careful, the beef is delicate!
- Gently stir in mushrooms.
- Serve over noodles, pasta or mashed potato, sprinkled with chives!
Recipe Notes:
- Chuck
- Boneless beef ribs*
- Gravy beef or other beef labelled as “stewing beef”
- Beef cheeks**
** If 200g/7oz or less, cook whole so it looks like this beef cheeks recipe but with Stroganoff Sauce. Chopped cheeks twist and skew once slow cooked – looks better to serve whole (or at most, halved). Other beef cuts ok to use – great for slow cooking but not as juicy all the way through as there are more lean patches:
- Brisket
- Blade roast
Nutrition Information:
Stew Fever!
For fellow lovers of slow cooked goodness, rich sauces and fall apart meat…
Life of Dozer
Furniture shopping with Dozer – he certainly made himself at home!! 🤣
Nagi, another great success – the yummiest stroganoff i have ever had – let alone made myself.. You fill me with so much confidence – thank you.
This was the best stroganoff I’ve ever had. I made it for only 2 people and it was absolutely perfect. I did add a small amount of Paprika and some baby spinach and green onions that had to be used up. I actually got a high five for dinner when I made this.
If i don’t have beef stock can i use beef broth instead?
This is the o Lu recipe of yours I’ve made that didn’t work for me, I’ve made it twice and both times had way way too much liquid rather than a thicker sauce. Other similar recipes online seem to be using 1-2 cups stock rather than a litre.
Delicious recipe, was a total hit. I did however have flour lumps as some other people did. I did remove the onion/garlic before making the roux but still had lumps and no amount of whisking helped. I ended up using a stick blender and that fixed it 🙂
Hey Nagi love all your recipes so trying this one tonight. I’ve seen other recipes with paprika. Wondering if I should add it?
Amazing flavour. Followed recipe quantities and slow cooking method – used shin steak. Perhaps too many mushrooms.
Best strog in the world! So yummy! Thanks Nagi!
The Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff was easy to follow. I made some personal adjustments like less broth less flour to suit my taste. The 2 hour cooking time was ideal. A hearty comfort food that was light amazing flavour and deliciously satisfying.
This was nice but not my favourite RecipeTinEats recipe (and I have made a few!)! It just needed a bit more oomph for my taste. Based on some other beef stroganoff recipes Ive done in the past, I put a tablespoon of tomato paste, 3 tbspns cognac and a teaspoon of paprika in a saucepan and boiled off alcohol then mixed in at the end.
Turned out great – followed the instructions to the letter!
A M A Z I N G!!!!!!!!
I didn’t have beef stock so just used water, but still very delicious. And I’m totally addicted to garlic butter mushrooms now. Thanks for another fabulous recipe.
FYI – if you don’t ever have beef stock, Vegemite works just as well 🙂
Like others mine was lumpy and super thick 🙁 I’m sure it was too much flour and looking in the comments it’s meant to be 60g which is around 4-5tbsp. I might try it with that amount next time and see if it helps. The flavours are amazing though!
Trying today!
When freezing, do you freeze before sour cream step? 🤔
I can’t quite describe how insanely good this meal was!!! I’ve slowly been going through your recipes Nagi and my family think I’ve suddenly become a Master Chef. Thank you, thank you for making me look so good!
Hi Nagi,
in the beef section you say use half the butter – when do we use the other half?
Thanks
LOve your work!!!
In the mushrooms!
Gochisousamadeshta. Husband loves beef stroganoff. All your recipes have good flavor and technique. You’re the best chef!
Totally delicious! Will definitely cook again. Was thinking of cooking in the oven next time as had trouble keeping the heat low enough on my stove top. Any idea how long and what temperature?
I do this in my oven every time in my Dutch oven dish. I cook on 140 degrees for approx 3 hrs and works every time.
Absolutely delicious! Perfect for the winter night. Simple recipe, only difference I blended my onions as the family are not a fan of chunky onion. Will make it again and again
Loved this recipe! The flavours were incredible. The sauce did have some lumps so I did whisk for a couple of minutes before putting in the slow cooker. The lumps were gone by the time it was finished. Served with mash and voted the best beef strog ever!