Ground Beef Stroganoff, ready in 30 mins, has tender onions, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce. Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a crowd-pleaser.
Serve this stroganoff alongside a garden Italian Salad or with some Roasted Vegetables.
author’s note
Your New Favorite 30-Minute Meal!
Another day, another pantry-staple dinner! I’ve been on a mission to create easy meals using what most of us already have on hand. When I asked on Instagram what ingredients you’re working with, the top two answers were ground beef and noodles. No surprise there!
That’s exactly what inspired this Ground Beef Stroganoff. It’s similar to the goulash recipe I shared recently, simple and hearty, using pantry and fridge staples. The best part? It comes together in about 30 minutes and always gets a thumbs-up from the whole family.
Ingredients In Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Olive oil: Used to cook the onions, garlic.
- Yellow onion & garlic: Dice finely for a smoother sauce.
- Ground beef: Use lean ground beef to avoid excess grease.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps to cook the mushrooms evenly.
- Cremini mushrooms: Sauté until golden to maximize flavor.
- Sea Salt, Pepper, and Thyme: You can also use fresh thyme.
- Flour: Cook it briefly to remove the raw flavor.
- Beef stock: You can also use broth or beef boullion powder.
- Heavy cream and sour cream: Use full-fat heavy cream and sour cream.
- Worcestershire sauce: A little goes a long way, don’t overdo it.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a slight tang and depth.
- Egg noodles: Serve as the base for the stroganoff, soaking up the sauce.
How To Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Cook Pasta: Boil noodles in salty water, then drain.
- Cook Onions & Garlic: Cook in oil until soft.
- Add Beef & Mushrooms: Cook the beef, then mix in mushrooms, thyme, and flour.
- Make Sauce: Pour in broth, cream, mustard, Worcestershire, and bouillon. Let it bubble until thick.
- Stir & Serve: Take off the heat, stir in sour cream, mix with noodles, and top with parsley.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Use different mushrooms: Try cremini, white, portobello, or mix a few kinds.
- Skip sour cream: Use plain Greek yogurt instead; the flavor will be a bit different.
- Make it lighter: Use lean ground beef and light sour cream.
- Add flavor: Stir in 1 tsp of paprika or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Use fresh thyme: Replace dried thyme with 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
Storage
Leftover Ground Beef Stroganoff?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or cream if the sauce thickens too much.
More Recipes That Use Ground Beef:
Try these variations next: the classic Beef Stroganoff or this delicious Chicken Stroganoff!
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Equipment
- Large cast-iron pan or pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 small onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock or beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
- 8 ounces medium egg noodles
- 1/3 cup sour cream light or regular
- fresh flat-leaf parsley optional
Instructions
- If serving over pasta, start by bringing a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of salt (about 1/2 tablespoon). Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain when cooked through (I try to time pasta cooking to when the meat sauce will be done).
- Preheat a large, deep, cast-iron skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and once shimmering, add in diced onion and minced garlic. Stir until onion is translucent and beginning to turn golden, about 3–4 minutes; reduce heat if needed. Press onions and garlic to the side and increase heat to high. Add the beef to the middle. Let stand, undisturbed, for 30 seconds, then flip and break up. Let the other side stand for about 30 seconds, then continue to cook the beef, breaking it up into small pieces until no longer pink. Season the beef to preference with salt and pepper. If anything is burning/sticking to the pot, add an extra drizzle of olive oil or slightly reduce the heat.
- Once the beef is cooked through (no longer pink) add sliced mushrooms and butter. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add dried thyme and stir for 30 seconds. Then mix in the flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute to remove the floury taste.
- Add 1 cup beef stock, and as you stir, scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the skillet. Stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and season everything to taste with salt and pepper. Add beef bouillon powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3–5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream (see note 1). Stir to combine everything and season to taste as needed. Serve over cooked noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes and top with fresh parsley.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We loved this stroganoff! The mustard and thyme are perfect, and I did add maybe a half-teaspoon of paprika. I didn’t have heavy cream, so used 2/3 cup of 2% milk. Thanks, Chelsea, for another delicious meal 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear this! Thanks Kris!
Could you freeze the sauce?
I haven’t found dairy sauces to do great being frozen and thawed; they tend to separate and sometimes become grainy!
I made this and it tasted so good! I replaced beef with french onion soup and mustard for horseradish! Yum will be making it again!
So thrilled you enjoyed! Thanks Kate! 🙂
Really good recipe! Thanks.
I am so happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much Mike! 🙂