Welcome to The Storied Recipe where every recipe comes from one of my global guests. This one is a little different, however, as it comes from one of my most popular episodes ever - an episode with my 4 sons! This super quick 5 Ingredient Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe is my son Marcus's favorite meal - and one he can make as easily as I do!
This simple one pot beef stroganoff recipe is a meal you can make in under 10 minutes with 5 ingredients.
If you like mushrooms, sure - feel free to include them. But if you don't, stroganoff with no mushrooms is comforting, warm, creamy, and full of just rich, filling, meaty goodness.
Personally, I think this is the best beef stroganoff recipe when you're looking for comforting meals for the whole family on busy fall evenings. It pairs well with a good salad like Appalacian Kilt Lettuce or these hearty spiral Pesto Rolls.
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5 Simple Ingredients
This creamy beef stroganoff calls for just 5 key ingredients:
Hamburger meat - no need to even go lean on this one. You can go with the cheapest 80% lean if you'd like.
Montreal Steak Seasoning - the quickest, easiest way to add a lot of flavor. See for substitutions below.
Cream Cheese - low fat, high fat, up to you.
Sour cream - same notes as cream cheese!
Beef broth - all the flavor is in here!
Questions
Does your one pot stroganoff include cream of mushroom soup?
No. This is a no mushroom stroganoff! (Unless you want to add them). That includes gloopy Cream of Mushroom Soup!
Does stroganoff have cheese in it?
It does not. You can read more about the origins of stroganoff below, but simply put, there are lots of variations on a traditional stroganoff. But once you add cheese, you've moved into the hamburger or cheeseburger casserole realm.
Instructions: How to Make Stroganoff from Scratch
Traditional Method (The Béchamel Sauce Method):
- Melt 1tbsp fat (usually butter, but can be oil or beef drippings) over low heat
- Add an equal amount of flour, whisking constantly
- Add 4 cups liquid (usually beef broth) slowly, while whisking
- Whisk occasionally until the sauce thickens and bubbles around the edges
- Add sour cream
This super easy method:
- Rather than making a Béchamel Sauce, this depends on the thickness of the cream cheese.
- Add the cream cheese and sour cream together to the beef.
- Whisk into a thick sauce.
- Slowly add beef broth until desired thickness.
Substitutions & Optional Ingredients
More flavor:
- Add Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon at a time for flavor
- Add Dry Mustard Powder 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to taste
- Add up to a cup of white wine for a more elegant and traditional dish
- In place of Montreal Steak Seasoning, add equal parts salt & pepper and garlic powder to taste, 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
- For an earthier flavor, replace the beef broth with vegetable broth or add 1 tablespoon tomato paste at a time, to taste.
Can I use something other than ground beef?
Sure! Here are a few ideas:
- Ground turkey. Just make sure to season a little more heavily.
- Top sirloin for special occasions! Grill for tender chunks of beef or pan fry for succulent thin beef strips.
- Stew meat - If you cook the stew meat in the slow cooker, you can just add the cream cheese and sour cream directly into the crockpot.
More options for creamy sauce:
- Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt for a tangy flavor or more protein
- Heavy cream can replace sour cream for a super rich version
Equipment
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
The only thing quicker than this easy ground beef stroganoff recipe is pulling a bag out of the freezer! This is super easy to double/trip/quadruple and freeze for those crazy nights.
Once you make the sauce, let it cool until it is a little easier to handle
Separate into gallon freezer bags or an airtight container
Store the wet ingredients (lettuce, tomato, onion) separately from the dry ingredients (buns) in the fridge, and recombine when ready. Good for 2-3 days.
What is Beef Stroganoff: History and Tradition
- Beef stroganoff traces its origins back to 18th and 19th century
- A chef for the Stroganov family created this dish just for them.
- Stroganoff quickly become popular among mushroom lovers
- Along with the mushrooms, traditional ingredients include thinly sliced beef, onions, sour cream, and sometimes mustard for an extra kick of flavor.
Abby Wright says
My husband is allergic to mushrooms. This was perfect with a little tweaking!
Thank you so much!
admin says
Hi Abby! Thanks so much for commenting!!! I'm glad it worked for you!! Maybe now your husband will love this "gray stuff" as much as my son Marcus, lol! 😉