Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff (2024)

Why you’ll love it

Whether you call it hamburger stroganoff or ground beef stroganoff, there’s no denying that this beef in a creamy sauce is simple, old-fashioned comfort food done right! This popular variation on a classic makes an easy, quick, and inexpensive weeknight meal.

The key to making this easy stroganoff extra flavorful? It’s getting a good sear on the mushrooms and onions. That browned goodness just makes this dish so tasty. The signature sour cream and mushroom sauce that stroganoff is known for is ultra delicious.

What you’ll need

• Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
• Mushrooms – we’re using cremini mushrooms, which are sometimes labeled as baby bellas
• Onion and garlic – tasty aromatics. I like using sweet (Vidalia) onion.
• Beef – I like to use lean ground beef so I can generally skip the step of draining any fat
• Flour – to thicken up the sauce
• Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard – this duo are a fantastic flavor enhancer
• Beef broth – the savory base of the sauce
• Sour cream – use full-fat sour cream because it’s much tastier, the sauce will be silky, and it’s less likely to curdle

Pro Tip

Feel free to add more garlic, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce if you want to punch the flavor up even more!

How to make ground beef stroganoff

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Heat up the oil and butter in a skillet, then sauté the onions and mushrooms until all the water has cooked off and everything has a nice sear. Transfer to a plate. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with your spoon, followed by the garlic. Cook until browned.

Stir in the flour, cooking for a minute or so. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and beef broth. Cook until the mustard and flour have dissolved in, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom.

Return the mushroom and onion mixture to the pan, and stir it in. Take it off the heat, and stir in the sour cream. Season with salt & pepper. Serve as desired (see suggestions below) and enjoy.

Substitutions and variations

• I don’t recommend substituting the sour cream for anything else. It’s a signature component of any stroganoff recipe.
• I typically use cremini mushrooms, but feel free to substitute with white mushrooms.
• Don’t have beef broth? A bouillon cube (or Better Than Bouillon) plus water works.
• If you want the sauce to be very saucy, add in another 1/2 cup of beef broth.