Ground beef stroganoff is classic winter comfort food. This easy, creamy ground beef stroganoff comes together quickly and delivers rich, savory flavor the whole family will enjoy.
Comfort Food at its Finest!
If you love stroganoff, this version with ground beef is fast and full of flavor. Using ground beef shortens the cooking time while still giving you a hearty, meaty sauce that coats noodles beautifully.
What is beef stroganoff?
Beef stroganoff is a Russian-inspired dish of beef served in a creamy, tangy sauce, traditionally over egg noodles. It often includes mushrooms and sour cream, creating a savory, velvety texture.
Traditional recipes use sliced beef and a long braise or pressure-cooked roast, but this version swaps sliced beef for ground beef for a quicker meal without sacrificing flavor.
What You Need for Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Ground beef: 85/15 works well, but any lean-to-fat ratio will do. Higher fat gives more rendered flavor.
- Beef broth: provides depth—use regular (not low-sodium) broth for best taste.
- Crimini mushrooms: add umami; baby bellas are a good substitute.
- Salt and pepper: essential for seasoning and bringing out the flavors.
- Fresh thyme and garlic: key aromatics that brighten the sauce.
- Onion: yellow or white onion both work to build savory base flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds tang and savory complexity.
- All-purpose flour & butter: form a roux to thicken the sauce.
- Greek yogurt and sour cream: a mix of the two gives creaminess and a slight tang—use full-fat for best texture.
- Extra-wide egg noodles: hold their texture well in the sauce; pappardelle is an alternative.
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
COOK THE EGG NOODLES
Start by boiling a large pot of salted water and cook the egg noodles to al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside—they’ll finish cooking slightly when combined with the sauce.
Pro tip: Salt the noodle water and cook them just until al dente to avoid mushy leftovers.
Brown Ground Beef
Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the ground beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt, breaking it up as it cooks. When it’s nearly done, add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until the beef is fully browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
Sauté Mushrooms
In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce to medium-low, and sauté 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish by turning the heat to high for about one minute to get a nice brown color and enhance the mushrooms’ umami.
Make the Stroganoff Sauce
While the mushrooms brown, whisk together the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Lower the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, toss the mushrooms in the butter, then sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and toss to coat.
Increase heat to medium-high and slowly pour in the beef broth mixture while whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low, stir in the fresh thyme, then remove from heat once the thyme is fragrant.
Stir in the Greek yogurt, sour cream, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin with 1–2 tablespoons extra beef broth.
Return the cooked ground beef to the pan and warm gently over low heat until heated through.
Mix and enjoy!
Fold the cooked egg noodles into the sauce until well coated. Serve immediately and enjoy.
How to Serve Ground Beef Stroganoff
Extra-wide egg noodles are our top choice because they hold up best in the sauce. If you don’t have egg noodles, wide pasta like pappardelle works well. Mashed potatoes are also a delicious alternative base for stroganoff.
Storage
Let the stroganoff cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3–5 days.
Can you Freeze Beef Stroganoff?
You can freeze the cooked meat and vegetables, but hold off on adding the noodles, sour cream, and Greek yogurt if you plan to freeze. Dairy can separate and noodles may become mushy after freezing and reheating. Reheat the thawed meat mixture and stir in fresh yogurt, sour cream, and cooked noodles before serving.
More of our Favorite…
Stroganoff Recipes
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Easy Beef Stroganoff
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
- Mushroom Stroganoff
Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz. extra wide egg noodles
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/4 large white onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
- 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt, separated
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth (+ more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high and add the ground beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Break it up and cook until nearly done.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the beef and cook 2–3 minutes until the beef is fully browned. Remove the beef and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce to medium-low, and sauté 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat briefly to brown.
- Whisk together the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Turn heat to low, add remaining butter, toss mushrooms in butter, then sprinkle flour over mushrooms and toss to coat.
- Raise heat to medium-high and slowly pour in the beef broth mixture while whisking until the sauce thickens. Stir in fresh thyme, then remove from heat when fragrant.
- Stir in Greek yogurt, sour cream, and pepper. Thin with 1–2 tablespoons beef broth if needed. Add the cooked ground beef back to the sauce and warm gently.
- Fold the egg noodles into the sauce, serve hot, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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Photography by: The Wooden Skillet