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My Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe Is Affordable Comfort Food Without Any Flour
Growing up in a Russian-speaking family, this ground beef Stroganoff is my spin on one of our favorites. I make it a little differently from most: yes to the rich and creamy situation, no to the flour and canned soup, and still practical for a regular weeknight. Here’s what makes my version different:
- Classic rich, tangy, and savory flavor – Browning the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and beef builds a deep savory base, while the sour cream adds the creaminess and signature tang. It’s a little like my mushroom sauce, but tangier, heartier, and loaded with beef.
- Thick and creamy without flour or canned soup – Many versions use canned cream of mushroom soup or a flour roux to get the sauce thick. Instead, I use real food ingredients and naturally thicken this ground beef Stroganoff recipe with cream cheese, in addition to the sour cream. This adds extra flavor, too!
- Affordable ground beef, very little prep – Traditional versions use steak, but I make this beef Stroganoff with ground beef to make it simpler and more affordable. And, bonus, it saves time not to have to slice any steak! The only real prep is chopping the onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
- One skillet, about 30 minutes – Even though this recipe is from scratch, everything comes together fast in one pan. Just add a base to serve it over, and you’ve got a quick, family-friendly weeknight dinner. (Mine loves it.)
When a plain ground beef dinner just won’t do, this creamy, easy ground beef Stroganoff is the perfect upgrade. Make it with me!
“Stroganoff is one of my favorite main dishes, and this was so, so good! Even better than my previous recipe. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. Good thing I doubled the recipe as my husband ate half of it in one meal! This will definitely be added to my regular rotation.”
-Nadine
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy ground beef Stroganoff recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Beef – I use 85/15 ground beef and usually don’t need to drain it. If you use 80/20, I recommend draining off excess fat after browning so the finished sauce doesn’t feel greasy. A leaner blend also works, but won’t taste quite as rich.
- Cremini Mushrooms – Make the savory base of the sauce. While I like cremini mushrooms here for their deeper flavor, you can use white button mushrooms for a milder result.
- Aromatics – A combination of onions and garlic is a given in this dish. We cook everything savory with these! I just saute them here, but you can also caramelize the onions first for a deeper flavor.
- Beef Broth – Releases the browned bits in the pan and creates the base for the sauce. Regular beef broth or beef bone broth both work.
- Coconut Aminos Or Worcestershire Sauce – For savory depth that keeps the creamy sauce from tasting flat. Coconut aminos are a little sweeter and milder, and it’s what I first used, but later I tested and really liked Worcestershire too (half the amount because it’s more concentrated). I’ve also liked adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to complement the flavors here, but my kids prefer the recipe without, so I left it out by default.
- Sour Cream – The classic creamy element in ground beef Stroganoff! Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 substitute, but I find the sauce tastes tangier and less rich. Bring it to room temperature and stir it in off heat to reduce the chance of curdling.
- Cream Cheese – My secret ingredient to thicken the sauce without flour. (It’s the same method I use to thicken sausage gravy!) I recommend block cream cheese, not the whipped kind in a tub.
- Olive Oil – For sauteing the vegetables and beef. Avocado oil works, too. Some people use unsalted butter for this type of sauce, but I don’t love it for high heat.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I intentionally left the seasoning simple here because the other ingredients are flavorful, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon of paprika if you want more depth.
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How To Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Saute the vegetables. Cook the onions and mushrooms in the olive oil over medium heat, until they’re soft and browned and smell so good. The extra liquid should evaporate, so you’re left with an almost dry pan before you move on.
- Brown the ground beef. Increase to medium-high heat, push the veggies to the sides, and add the beef in the center. Season with salt and pepper, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. I let it brown in the center before mixing it with the mushrooms and onions, so it touches the pan as much as possible and gets nice browning.
- Saute the garlic. Make a well in the center, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Stir it into the beef mixture.
- Add the beef broth and coconut aminos. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer until the liquid reduces by half. It should look saucy, not soupy.
- Make it thick and creamy. Reduce the heat to low, or remove the pan from the heat if it still seems very hot. Stir in the sour cream and softened cream cheese, until completely smooth and thickened. I like to finish this easy ground beef Stroganoff with fresh parsley for a little color and freshness. See my serving ideas below for what to spoon it over!
My Tips For The Best Texture
- Bring your sour cream and cream cheese to room temperature on the counter. This ensures they’ll blend in smoothly and won’t get a heat shock. For the cream cheese, if you forget, you can microwave it briefly to soften.
- Make sure to cook off the liquid from the mushrooms and onions. The pan should be almost dry before you add the beef, because this helps it brown nicely. If the liquid from the veggies isn’t simmering away, increase the heat.
- Reduce the broth mixture by half before adding the dairy. This helps ensure that your sauce gets thick enough afterward and also gives it that irresistible concentrated umami flavor.
- If the pan seems very hot, temper the sour cream before adding it. To do this, stir a little sour cream with a little hot broth from the pan in a small bowl first, then add it to the pan before stirring in the rest.
- Don’t boil the sauce after adding the dairy. Once the sour cream and cream cheese go in, stir just until smooth. If the heat is too high, the sauce can separate.
- Adjust the creaminess at the end. I’ve made this ground beef Stroganoff recipe enough times that I know this is the ratio I like, but you can easily customize it! Add a little more sour cream for extra tang or more cream cheese for a thicker, richer sauce. If you need to thin it out instead, a splash of broth does the trick.
- Taste after the sauce is creamy. Broth and Worcestershire sauce vary in saltiness, and the dairy softens the seasoning. I wait until everything is combined before deciding whether it needs more salt or pepper.
Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Easy)
By
My easy ground beef Stroganoff recipe has a thick, creamy mushroom sauce without flour. An affordable, cozy, and quick weeknight dinner!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms. Saute for about 7-10 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft and browned, and extra liquid has evaporated.
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Increase heat to medium-high. Push the mushrooms and onions to the sides. Add the ground beef to the center of the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking the beef apart with a spatula, until browned. (Once it starts to cook through a bit, you can mix it with the mushrooms and onions and continue cooking.)
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Make a well in the center and add the minced garlic. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant, then stir in with the meat.
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Add the broth and coconut aminos. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half.
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Reduce the heat to low, or remove the pan from the heat if it still seems very hot. Stir in the sour cream and cream cheese, until smooth.
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Serve the ground beef Stroganoff over your favorite base, such as noodles or spaghetti squash.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect thick, creamy sauce texture in your ground beef Stroganoff.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. I use these glass meal prep containers, and store any noodles separately so they don’t soak up the sauce.
- Meal prep: Cook through the broth-reduction step, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat the beef mixture in a skillet, then stir in the sour cream and cream cheese once it’s hot.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring often. The microwave works too, but use short intervals so the sauce is less likely to separate.
- Freeze: For the smoothest sauce, freeze this dish before adding the sour cream and cream cheese. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat, and add the dairy at the end.
- Note on nutrition info: The nutrition facts are for the ground beef Stroganoff only and don’t include noodles or another serving base.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Ground Beef Stroganoff
What To Serve With Ground Beef Stroganoff
I usually serve this over something simple that can catch all that creamy mushroom sauce, then add a fresh vegetable on the side:
- Noodles, Rice, Or Potatoes – Wide egg noodles are the classic choice for ground beef Stroganoff, but rice and mashed potatoes are just as good for soaking up the sauce. I also really like lighter base options, like roasted spaghetti squash (pictured above), zucchini noodles, or creamy mashed cauliflower.
- Veggie Sides – My radish salad, vinegret salad, or cucumber salad with sour cream are my family’s favorite Russian salad pairings. You can also choose something lighter to balance the rich sauce, like my cucumber tomato salad or roasted green beans.
126 Comments
DIANE T GORDON
0I basically followed the recipe. I caramelized the onions, browning them before putting in the mushrooms. I used regular organic white mushrooms. I used grass fed ground beef. I used coconut oil and ghee. I used a bone broth that was chicken, turkey and beef. I added paprika. I added a package of wonder noodles (miracle noodles) inside the mixture instead of the spaghetti squash. It was delicious. Although I made a few variations I feel it was basically the recipe that guided me. VERY delicious.
Kat
0I loved this but my husband thought there was too much aminos flavor. Kids liked it as well.
Victoria
0I made this and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve made a few of your recipes the past couple weeks… I use my fitness pal and for some reason I cannot cut and paste your recipes or import them into my fitness pal. Is there a reason why?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Victoria, I don’t use that app so I can’t give any recommendations. All of my recipes are already in the Wholesome Yum App which is available for iPhone and Android.
Weseng
0Hi, this looks like a great recipe and I’m going to try it tonight and will comment again later. I just wanted to say why do you people always insult us with the portion size to cut the nutritional information? At least you gave the amount which most do not but it’s still just so insulting. None of us reading your recipe are 1 1/2 years old and a half cup serving is less than a joke. Sure I know I can multiply but that’s a bit deceiving isn’t it. Whenever I see this it just makes me want to click you off and move on but that’s not fair to you nor is it my intention. Please don’t act like our deceptive governments.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Weseng, This dish is intended to be served over something, such as spaghetti squash as pictured or another side dish. Everyone’s needs are different when it comes to serving size, which is why the Wholesome Yum app has the ability to scale serving sizes — it’s available here on Apple or here on Android if you want to use this feature. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Kasey Carter
0I love your site and your recipes. But I have to agree on this one. I have made this multiple times and it is delicious! But, 6 servings is not true. I serve over roasted cabbage “noodles” which are very filling and can’t imagine getting 6 servings out of this.
Lori M.
0Great meal to mostly-make the night before! It comes together even more quickly if you use frozen chopped onion, frozen sliced mushrooms, jarred minced garlic and already prepared keto noodles (like Luviva or sliced Egglife wraps and of, course veg ones). I must agree with others with the comment that the dairy needs to be countered with more flavor than the coconut aminos (non-soy non-gmo lovely sub that they is/are) can provide alone. If folks do not have a problem with the modest carb counts from most soy-based Worcestershire sauces, they could use that or make their own (easy if you skip the anchovy paste) with coconut aminos and the full cadre of spices with a touch of sweetener.
Beth
0This was very good and easy. I did not use aminos because I didn’t have any. The spaghetti squash was too sweet, so next time I make it, I will use zoodles or cauliflower rice. I will be making again!
Lana McQuown
0I made this for dinner tonight to go with Black Tie Kitchen’s pasta and it was was delicious. The best part was how quick it came together making it a perfect week night meal. Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe.
Dawn
0Could have used a bit more spice. Might throw in some Worcestershire sauce next time.
Karen Reynolds
0Sounds yummy! Can’t wait to try it?
Lynn B
0Loved it. I haven’t made stroganoff in quite a few years. I used ground turkey instead of beef and added freshly grated nutmeg. Delish. Thanks for the recipe.
Kat
0Would regular liquid aminos work in place of the coconut or is there a big taste difference? sorry haven’t tried the recipe yet, can’t rate it.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kat, Yes that would work.
Arizona Reeves
0This is one of the best recipes I’ve tried.
Patty
0Absolutely loved this recipe!
Julie
0I forgot to add, I served this on top of zoodles because I didn’t have spaghetti squash. I am definitely going to make this again very soon! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Julie
0Delicious! My 15 year old liked it too! Husband said he needed a little bit more pepper, but I thought it was perfect just the way it is!
CB
0This was so easy to make! So delicious! The store was out of bone broth so I used chicken bouillon (1 carb for 1 cup). I poured this recipe over shredded cooked cabbage. My mom even ate it.
Sally
0Even better than my traditional Stroganoff. I made it with thin sliced round steak. A keeper for my ever growing recipe notebook. Thank you!
Steve Chriswell
0Tasted great. Tripled the recipe. Did need to add Wooster… sauce, extra salt and pepper. Will definitely make again.
Gina Morton
0Super easy and so good. I will definitely make it again. I used Worcestershire sauce instead of coconut aminos beacause that’s what I had. Served over cauliflower rice
Connie
0This was very good! I served it over wide zucchini noodles made with my spiralizer. Another ground beef recipe I’ve tried from your site was the egg roll in a bowl. Both of these have great taste combinations and are so simple to make. Thank You for all of your recipes, Maya.
Sara Miller
0This was super easy and delicious. My husband raved about it. I served it over spaghetti squash shreds, but will try it on mashed cauli next time, when I need comfort food. This site has definitely been my go to lately. Everything I’ve tried is a hit. Thanks!