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This beef stroganoff is comfort food at its best—tender steak, golden mushrooms, and a luxuriously tangy cream sauce spooned over butter noodles. It feels like a cozy Sunday supper, but it’s easy enough for a weeknight, too (and a little dill + parsley at the end makes it taste restaurant-worthy).
If cozy, beefy comfort food is your thing, this recipe fits right in alongside classics like Beef Stew, nostalgic favorites such as American Goulash, and old-school dinners like Salisbury Steak with that rich, savory gravy. And if you love the flavor of stroganoff but want something a little more streamlined for busy nights, my One Pot Beef Stroganoff is always a great option, too.
This is one of those recipes that feels familiar in the best way — simple, comforting, and always a hit at the table!
Why This Recipe Works
- Restaurant-quality flavor: Better Than Bouillon, broth, and dry sherry layer savory richness into every bite.
- Balanced sauce: Tomato paste, Worcestershire, Dijon, and a splash of lemon keep the cream sauce bright, not heavy.
- Tender steak strips: Quick-searing ensures juicy beef that doesn’t dry out.
- Comfort meets elegance: Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or dressed up for guests.
- Tomato paste adds depth: Just a little brings subtle richness and complexity to the sauce.
Before You Begin
✨ Layer the beef flavor. For a restaurant-quality boost, dissolve 1–2 teaspoons of beef-flavored Better Than Bouillon in 3 tablespoons of boiling water before adding it to the sauce. This ensures it blends smoothly and deeply enriches the flavor.
✨ Use low-sodium broth. The BTB adds plenty of richness, so low-sodium broth keeps the balance right. Taste before adding extra salt at the end.
✨ Sear in batches. Overcrowding the pan makes beef steam instead of brown. Work in small batches for the best caramelization.
✨Don’t skip the Worcestershire, Dijon, and sherry. They’re the secret trio that gives the sauce depth, tang, and just a hint of elegance.
✨ Serving tip: Frozen egg noodles are hearty and soak up that creamy sauce beautifully. For a classic pairing, serve this over Buttered Noodles—they’re simple, silky, and perfect for catching every bit of that rich stroganoff sauce.
Ingredients for Beef Stroganoff
Steak: Sirloin works beautifully, but ribeye or tenderloin tips make it extra tender. I usually reach for sirloin—it’s flavorful, tender, and easier on the budget.
Better Than Bouillon: Dissolve in boiling water before adding—it gives the sauce rich, restaurant-style depth.
Dry Sherry: Dry sherry layers in that European-style flavor.
Egg noodles: I love using frozen egg noodles here — they’re hearty and soak up that creamy sauce like a dream. They do take a little patience to thaw and cook properly, but they’re absolutely worth it. And if you want the easiest cozy option, this is also delicious over my simple buttered noodles.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t overcook the beef
The beef finishes warming in the sauce. Cooking it fully at the start will make it tough.
⭐ Mushrooms need space
Crowded mushrooms steam. If your pan is small, cook them in batches so they brown properly.
⭐ Low heat is non-negotiable for sour cream
Boiling after adding sour cream is the fastest way to break the sauce. Gentle heat keeps it silky.
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce may thicken slightly as it chills—just whisk in a splash of broth or cream when reheating to loosen it back up.
Reheating
- For larger portions, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes. Let ceramic or glass dishes come to room temperature before reheating to prevent shattering. For smaller portions, gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring in a little broth or cream to restore the sauce’s silky texture.
Freezing
- Stroganoff freezes fairly well, though the dairy can change texture slightly. Cool completely, store in airtight containers, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.
Make-Ahead
- The sauce can be made a day ahead without the sour cream and heavy cream. When ready to serve, gently reheat, then stir in the cream mixture just before serving.
🥣 How To Make Beef Stroganoff
What to Serve With Beef Stroganoff
Round out this cozy dish with a few crave-worthy sides:
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Fresh + Crisp Sides: My restaurant-quality house salad with red wine vinaigrette is my top pick here—it cuts right through the richness. If you’d like more variety on the table, cucumber tomato salad, or Mediterranean salad are fresh, colorful options too.
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Comforting Potatoes: Stroganoff is traditionally served over buttered noodles (my favorite!), but it’s just as cozy over garlic mashed potatoes or even rice.
- Cooked Vegetables: Simple roasted peppers bring a sweet-savory pop, while buttery Southern green beans add classic comfort. For a touch of cozy color, honey glazed carrots are always a hit. Steamed broccoli or sautéed Brussels sprouts are also excellent alongside stroganoff.
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Cozy Breads: Homemade crescent rolls or buttery garlic bread are perfect for soaking up that silky sauce.
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Sweet Finishes: End with something classic like peach cobbler, fudge pie, chocolate chunk cookies, or honey bun cake.
✦ Frequently Asked Question
✦ Can I use chuck steak instead of sirloin?
Yes, but slice it very thin against the grain. Chuck needs careful slicing to stay tender.
✦ Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Stroganoff actually tastes even better the next day — just reheat gently.
✦ Can I freeze beef stroganoff?
Freezing isn’t ideal because sour cream sauces can change texture. If you do freeze it, expect slight separation when reheating.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you bake + cook with confidence! 💗
More Cozy Beef + Noodle Favorites
If you can’t get enough of hearty beef-and-noodle dinners, here are a few more family favorites to try next.
- Beef and Noodles – a stick-to-your-ribs classic.
- Meatballs and Gravy – homemade meatballs tucked into a rich brown gravy,
- Spaghetti with Ground Beef – one of my most popular recipes ever!
- Beef Chow Mein – a flavorful noodle stir-fry with an Asian twist.
- Beef Noodle Casserole – creamy, cheesy, and weeknight-friendly.
- Busy Day Soup – quick, easy, and filling.
Tried This Recipe?
If you make this Beef Stroganoff, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card and let me know in the comments. And don’t forget to share your creation on Instagram @gonna_want_seconds—and tag me — I love seeing your kitchens in action!
💌 From quick weeknight dinners to nostalgic desserts, my newsletter has it all. Subscribe today (it’s free!) so you never miss a recipe. 💌
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak thinly sliced into strips across the grain (or substitute ribeye/tenderloin tips for extra tenderness)
- 3 tablespoons, plus more if needed olive oil, divided
- 1 large shallots, dices
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (14.25-ounce) can low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons beef-flavored Better Than Bouillon
- 3 tablespoons boiling water
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 pound Grandma's frozen uncooked egg noodles, cooked per package directions, then lightly tossed with butter
Instructions
- Sear the Beef: Pat beef strips (1 1/2 pounds) dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef quickly on both sides until browned but still pink in the center, adding more oil if needed for the second batch. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove to a plate with juices and set aside.
- Cook Aromatics + Mushrooms: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan. Sauté the shallots (1) and onion (1) until softened, 5–7 minutes. Add mushrooms (8 ounces) and cook until golden and their liquid has evaporated, 5–6 minutes.
- Build the Sauce Base: Sprinkle flour (2 tablespoons) over the vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Stir in tomato paste (3 tablespoons), then slowly whisk in half the beef broth. Dissolve 2 teaspoons beef flavored Better Than Bouillon in ¼ cup hot beef broth until fully melted, then add it to the pan along with the remaining broth, stirring constantly until lightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
- Deglaze + Layer Flavors: Add sherry (3 tablespoons), Worcestershire (2 teaspoons), Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon), tarragon (1/2 teaspoon), thyme (1/2 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1/4 teaspoon). Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Finish the Sauce: Reduce heat to low. Return beef to the pan and stir. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes to heat (don’t overcook or beef will toughen).
- In a small bowl, whisk sour cream (8 ounces) and heavy cream (1/2 cup) together until smooth, then stir into the sauce. Heat gently—do not boil—until warmed through and silky.
- Brighten + Garnish: Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (1 1/2 teaspoons) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon) if needed, and add more lemon juice, to taste, if desired.
- Serve over-cooked and lightly buttered egg noodles (1 pound), spoon stroganoff over noodles, and garnish with parsley (2 tablespoons) and dill (1 tablespoon).
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Don’t overcook the beef. The beef finishes warming in the sauce. Cooking it fully at the start will make it tough.
- Mushrooms need space. Crowded mushrooms steam. If your pan is small, cook them in batches so they brown properly.
- Low heat is non-negotiable for sour cream. Boiling after adding sour cream is the fastest way to break the sauce. Gentle heat keeps it silky.
Nutrition
Reader Interactions
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Wonderful receipe
Yaaay! Thank you 🙂
Such a good recipe! My fiends from Brazil use tomato paste in their stroganoff so I had to give it a try and thankfully I came across this recipe!! This was a few years ago and I’ve now made this recipe for my family probably 12-14 times…everyone just loves it! Using 1/2 the broth allows you to control constancy but I generally use the full amount. I haven’t needed to but you can always thicken with a bit of wondra before adding sour cream as needed. Tweaking with more/less of any of the ingredients as your taste buds see fit works well…I use butter instead of oil and often pile on the mushrooms but ya, almost impossible to make this recipe ‘wrong’….just use all the ingredients, don’t skip the tarragon and your family will be delighted!!
Thank you for sharing!!!
This was AMAZING! Definitely one of the best beef stroganoff recipes I have tried. My family devoured this recipe. I adjusted a few things to cater to my family’s taste. I added 4 garlic cloves with the onions, used butter instead of olive oil, and doubled the mushrooms. I got 3 whole sirloins seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder; cooked them to medium/medium rare, and let them rest until the sauce was simmering. I used white cooking wine instead of dry sherry, only used 1 teaspoon of salt(since the steaks were salted and the butter used in sauce and noodles was salted butter.) Lastly, I added a little extra flour, sour cream, and almost the whole can of broth to account for the extra ingredients and sprinkled it with dried parsley since I didn’t have fresh on hand. I was hesitant about using the tomato paste but trust me it was a surprisingly great addition. It was so creamy and delicious, the steak was juicy and cooked to perfection and we are definitely adding this to our list of routine dinner options.
Hi, Dre! Wow, thank you so much for your positive review. I’m gonna try your version!
It was really really good, only thing is next time I am going to add only 2T of tomato paste. I did season as I cooked. It was really good.
Glad you liked it, Asia! Thank you for sharing! 😀
Very similar recipe to what my mom made when I was a kid. This is one of my favorite meals!
Are ya’ll using tomato PASTE or tomato sauce? Using sauce would account for the red runniness…
Hi Kimberly,
This receipe was a huge hit for dinner tonight! I did make a few changes as I am not sure if the spices called for would work for us.
First, I soaked my beef pieces in beer for about an hour. Looking for natural tenderizing. Second I replaced tarragon and thyme with Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning. Lastly, instead of dry sherry, I chose a nice Argentine Malbec. Rutu 22.
The receipe was awesome. Very complex flavors. First you get a little flavor of the Malbec, and then the savory sensation of the sauce. The finish is smooth and creamy. Oh yeah, I put a full stick of butter in my egg noddles. Had a side of Leisure Peas and salad with blue cheese dressing. The extra Rutu 22 was put to good use.
Thank you for sharing great receipes! Everything that I have made from your receipes has been awesome. This one is no doubt a 5 star!
Hey Phillip. Sounds like a yummy way to make this beef stroganoff! I’m so glad you enjoyed and I’m over the moon about that you’ve enjoyed everything you’ve tried from our site!! 🙂
I have made this recipe several times with beef and it has been excellent every time, but tonight I made it with venison and it was exceptional! This recipe is a keeper!
So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
kathleen, tried this recipe and it was awesome. not sure how some say it was red in color, im thinking she may have used more than 3 tablespoons tomatoe paste. I think also maybe try not salting the mushrooms while cooking as it releases moisture and also it is a must to use regular sour cream and not low fat as the low fat is too thin and will not thicken.
Hey Jelena! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂 My fam really adores it! Thanks so much for your input!!! I appreciate you sharing your experience!!!
Kathleen, we tried your recipe tonight and everyone loved it. I had thawed out a chuck roast so cute it up in bite size chunks and used it. When I read the ingredients I was confident that it would not be watery and mine wasn’t. I let it simmer after adding the beef broth then again after the Sherry and again after the tomato paste. I also use cast iron and I think that also makes a difference. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Deana. I’m so glad you liked the recipe. I really appreciate you sharing your experience! 🙂
I too has similar results with the recipe being extremely watery when following the recipe exactly. I just think that 14 oz of broth, the can of tomato paste plus the sherry and the liquid from the mushrooms and onions is too much. That being said, you can either reduce the broth by half using 7 oz and half the called for amount of tomato paste because that’s just too much tomato paste for this size recipe and would completely over power the flavors, or do what I did and spend the time reducing it down through evaporation process
The flavor of this stroganoff is absolutely delicious when using half the called for paste and reducing the liquid and I absolutely make this again!
Hi Kimberly. Thank you so much for your input! I can’t figure out why some people are having varying results. I’ve updated the post and amended the recipe. Thanks again 🙂
Mine turned out very liquidy and red. I would completely omit the tomato paste next time. It tastes nothing like beef stroganoff and everything like tomato.
Hi Christi. Not sure why you had those results! Was there extra liquid from washing the mushrooms maybe?