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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
Laura
0Excellent. This is an easy version of beef stroganoff when you want the flavor.
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad you enjoyed it, Laura! I love having an easier way to enjoy those classic beef stroganoff flavors, too.
Mary
0I made this for tomorrow’s dinner. Recipe was very easy to put together. The only thing I did differently was added an extra clove of garlic. The flavor was outstanding.
Wholesome Yum D
0An extra clove of garlic is always a good idea in my book, Mary! I’m happy it was easy to put together and that you loved the flavor.
Susan
0Just made this for lunch today and it was so easy and tastes fantastic!! I substituted the sour cream for Greek yogurt and it was really creamy and had so much flavor! I made this for me to put on veggies and my husband started eating it, which is a huge compliment to you because he’s never really been a fan of any stroganoff!
Thank you Maya!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad you both enjoyed it, Susan! The Greek yogurt sounds like it worked perfectly for that creamy texture. Hope you make it again soon!
Lisa
0This was a huge hit with everybody, even my super picky eater. The one thing he likes, oddly enough, is mushrooms, so I thought I would give it a try. He will not eat onions if they are visible, so we cut them very small. My only issue with this recipe is the serving size of 6. We are a family of 4, and people wanted seconds after dividing it 4 ways! Will double it next time.
Wholesome Yum D
0I love hearing that it was such a hit, Lisa! Getting a picky eater to enjoy it is always a huge compliment. It sounds like doubling the recipe next time is definitely the way to go if everyone is asking for seconds!
Nadine
0Stroganoff 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.
Wholesome Yum D
0So happy it was such a hit in your house, Nadine! Doubling it sounds like it was the right call! Love hearing that it even topped your old version. Enjoy adding it to the rotation!
jhanlon
0This recipe was even better than Grandma’s!! Thanks.. it brought back fond childhood memories!
Wholesome Yum D
0I love that it brought back those childhood memories for you! That means so much. Thank you for sharing that with me.
Susan
0This was wonderful! You are indeed right that it’s a good recipe to use what you have on hand. Here are my substitutions: I used round steak – and instead of spaghetti squash I had a bunch of leftover cooked shredded cabbage that I added in at the end. I was out of mushroom so I used bell pepper
PS the round steak was game (deer) and it worked great. I partially thawed it and sliced it thinly to saute
What a great recipe!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Susan! Your substitutions sound smart, especially using that leftover cabbage and bell pepper. And how cool that it worked so well with venison! Thanks for sharing all the details.
Susan
0I haven’t made this yet but it sounds great. I’m always searching for new recipes and anything with cream cheese… LOL However, I’m not wild about spaghetti squash. Perhaps the way I prepare it? But it seems like a lot of work for little product. I have some Hearts of Palm Palmini Angel Hair Pasta (bought on Amazon) and I’m thinking that might be fantastic with this recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0Susan, I totally get that, cream cheese makes everything better, right? 😊 And you’re not alone with the spaghetti squash struggle… it can be a bit of a hassle. Palmini sounds like a great swap here! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it that way.
Lisa
0I make this often. So good!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy to hear that, Lisa! It means a lot that this one’s become a regular for you. Thanks for making it!
Jennifer V
0Once again your recipe comes through! I made this to eat just by itself. Although I made a few variations, I used your recipe as a base. I read other comments and adapted this to our taste and was very pleased. I removed the sautéed mushroom/onion mixture when done and cooked the meat until I got a maillard reaction. Deglazed with a little dry white wine and continued but switched to worchestershire sauce instead of the coconut aminos. I omitted the beef broth and just added the dairy and some paprika. True comfort food!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad it turned out well for you, Jennifer! I love how you used the recipe as a base and made it your own. Your tweaks sound delicious, especially the wine deglaze and paprika. Definitely cozy comfort food!
Steven Bridge
0I switched the beef with ground turkey and the beef broth with chicken broth. It came out delicious. Using the spaghetti squash was an excellent way to keep my carbs in check. It was delicious and added it to my recipe notebook.
Wholesome Yum D
0Steven, that sounds delicious! Spaghetti squash is such a smart low-carb swap. Great idea adding it to your recipe notebook!
Phyllis Mescia
0Way too juicy! Tasted great but we had to eat it as a soup! Next time NO broth!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Phyllis! It shouldn’t be like soup — it sounds like you didn’t have the heat high enough or cook long enough at one of the steps that needed excess liquid cooked away (either while cooking the mushrooms and onions, or after adding the broth and coconut aminos). You need most of the liquid to cook away and what is left is the flavor. It should be saucy but not soupy, like my pictures above. Hope this helps for next time!
Kelly
0This recipe is phenomenal! This is something we can both look forward to! Bonus: my 6 year old loves it too 🙂 I reduced salt to 1/4 tsp and coconut aminos to 1/2 tbsp. Amazing, thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Thank you, Kelly! I’m so glad even your 6 year old loves this — I have a 7 year old and know it’s not always easy, haha. Hope you make this again soon.
SUSAN WHEELER
0I love this recipe. I used filet mignon tail and it was spectacular.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Susan! Sounds amazing with filet mignon tail.
Jennifer R
0Easy and excellent. I can always count on Wholesome Yum for a great recipe and this one did not disappoint. I pretty much made it exactly as written using lactose-free sour cream and Violife vegan cream cheese (due to dairy intolerance). I served it over organic edamame linguini noodles (low carb and very high protein). I wouldn’t change a thing next time! Thanks for another great recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you can count on my recipes, Jennifer! Thank you for sharing your dairy-free variation and how you served this dish. Sounds great!
Laurel Peterson
0Served this on keto bread and absolutely delicious! Thank you, Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked it, Laurel! Thank you.
lynnhamilton2019
0I have always loved beef stroganoff and this was the easiest recipe to fix for dinner. This one has my two favorites – ground beef and mushrooms! Since I didn’t have zoodles in the freezer, I served it over garlic mashed cauliflower and it was excellent. And I was able to have leftovers since I cook for one. This beats my crock pot recipe from years ago. I love using coconut aminos. Gives it a different flavor. Served with broccoli and it was a healthy dinner.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lynn! That sounds like a wonderful way to serve this dish. I’m so glad it’s your new favorite. Enjoy!
Shelly
0Do you not drain your beef? I made this and drained most of mine and it’s still super liquidy like soup. Flavor is good though.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi again Shelly, Like I mentioned in my other response, I don’t drain it when I use 85/15 beef. If yours was liquidy, the most likely reason is you either didn’t cook the mushrooms for long enough, didn’t simmer for long enough after adding the liquid ingredients, or didn’t use high enough heat for the liquid to reduce. Hope this helps for next time. I’m glad you still liked the flavor!
Shelly
0Do you not drain the fat from the beef?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shelly, I use 85/15 beef and don’t usually need to with high enough heat, but you might need to if you use 80/20.
KSG
0I added a bit of low-sodium soy sauce, worcestershire sauce and paprika, but this is a GREAT recipe! Thank you, thank you!!
KSG
0I failed to say earlier that I love the addition of the cream cheese. Yummy!