Eastern European Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Beef Stroganoff
Tender strips of beef sautéed with onions and mushrooms in a velvety smetana sauce — Russia's elegant, creamy classic spooned over egg noodles or rice.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Season the beef strips generously with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a large skillet over high heat and sear the beef in batches until browned but not cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
- 2
Add the remaining butter to the same skillet and cook the onion until softened, about 4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and it evaporates, 5 to 6 minutes.
- 3
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions and stir to coat, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- 4
Gradually whisk in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the Dijon mustard, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the sour cream until smooth; do not let it boil or the sour cream may curdle.
- 6
Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pan and simmer gently just until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 7
Serve hot over buttered egg noodles or rice, with a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
70/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving465
Calories
33 g
Protein
6 g
Carbs
34 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Beef Stroganoff is a 19th-century Russian dish named for the Stroganov family, prominent aristocrats whose chef combined the French culinary tradition of finishing sauces with mustard with a Russian fondness for sour cream to create what became one of the most exported dishes in the world. The original recipe was simpler than most versions known today — thin strips of tender beef in a mustard-and-sour-cream sauce — and the addition of mushrooms and onions, standard in modern versions, came later. Despite its global reach, the dish at its core is about the contrast between lightly cooked, still-tender beef and a tangy, enriched pan sauce.
Listahan note
This version uses a short, high-heat sear for the beef strips rather than a long braise, so the meat stays tender and pink inside while the sauce is built separately and combined at the last moment.
Technique cues
- Sear the beef in very hot oil in a single layer without stirring — moving the strips constantly prevents browning and creates steam-cooked, grey meat instead of a properly seared steak strip.
- Do not boil the sauce after adding the sour cream; heat it gently to just below simmering or it will separate into a grainy, oily liquid rather than a smooth, velvety sauce.
- Add the seared beef back into the sauce off the heat at the very end — carryover heat from the sauce is enough to finish the beef without overcooking it.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Cook egg noodles or rice while you saute the mushrooms and onions — both take about 10 minutes, so they finish at the same time as the sauce.
- Make-ahead
- The mushroom-and-onion sauce base can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; sear the beef and finish the sauce fresh at serving time for the best texture.
- Leftover move
- Serve leftover Stroganoff over mashed potatoes instead of noodles — the creamy sauce integrates beautifully with the potato and the dish feels entirely refreshed.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Use a single wide skillet for searing the beef and building the sauce — the browned bits left from the beef are essential flavor in the sauce, so do not rinse the pan between steps.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
beef tenderloin or sirloin
primary protein
Purpose: A tender cut sliced thinly across the grain cooks in seconds over high heat and stays silky rather than chewy, which is what distinguishes a properly made Stroganoff from a tough stew.
Handling: Freeze for 20 minutes before slicing so it firms up enough to cut into clean, thin strips rather than squashing under the knife.
Adaptation: Flank steak sliced thinly across the grain provides a more affordable cut with similar tenderness when not overcooked.
sour cream
sauce base
Purpose: The sour cream is the defining element — it creates the signature tangy, rich, slightly thick sauce that is unmistakably Stroganoff.
Handling: Bring to room temperature before adding to the hot pan so the temperature difference does not cause it to seize or curdle.
Adaptation: Creme fraiche is a more stable alternative that can be simmered briefly without separating.
cremini mushrooms
body and earthiness
Purpose: Mushrooms absorb the butter and pan drippings and add an earthy depth that supports the beef without competing with the sour cream sauce.
Handling: Slice and cook in butter over medium-high heat until all moisture evaporates and the mushrooms are golden — never add mushrooms wet or they steam rather than saute.
Adaptation: Dried porcini rehydrated in warm water and added with their strained soaking liquid adds even deeper mushroom flavor.
Dijon mustard
sauce sharpener
Purpose: Mustard was a defining ingredient in the original Stroganov recipe — it adds sharpness and complexity that keeps the sauce from being one-dimensionally rich.
Handling: Whisk into the sauce base before adding sour cream so it distributes evenly.
Adaptation: Grainy whole-grain mustard adds a textural and visual element alongside the pungency.
beef broth
sauce liquid
Purpose: Broth deglazes the browned bits from the searing pan and forms the body of the sauce that the sour cream enriches.
Handling: Use a good-quality, low-sodium broth so you can control final seasoning without the sauce becoming overly salty as it reduces.
Adaptation: Dry white wine used as half the liquid quantity adds brightness and acidity to the sauce.
Technique notes
- Season the beef generously with salt right before searing — salting too early draws moisture to the surface and inhibits browning.
- A dry, hot pan (no steam) is essential for proper searing; pat the beef completely dry with paper towels before it goes in the oil.
- Finish with a small squeeze of lemon juice just before serving to brighten the sauce and cut through the richness of the sour cream.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry instead of flour and serve over rice noodles or steamed rice rather than egg noodles.
- Dairy-free option
- Full-fat canned coconut cream with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar makes a surprisingly good sour cream substitute; the coconut note is subtle when balanced with mustard and broth.
- Budget cut
- Beef chuck, sliced thin and tenderized with a brief marinade in buttermilk, produces a very acceptable result at a fraction of the cost of tenderloin.
Serve alongside
- Egg noodles or wide pappardelle
- Steamed white rice
- Pickled beets
- Russian Pinot Gris or dry white wine
- Cold dark beer
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Beef Stroganoff keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat over low heat and add a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freezing is not ideal for the sour cream sauce which can separate on thawing; freeze only the unsauced beef and mushroom base if advance prep is needed.
Equipment
- Wide stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet (not nonstick, which inhibits browning)
- Sharp chef's knife for thin, uniform beef strips
- Instant-read thermometer for checking sear point
- Large pot for cooking noodles alongside
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