Beef stroganoff should be tender, rich, and comforting. The beef should be so soft it falls apart. The sauce should coat every piece of meat and every noodle without being gluey or heavy. And it should taste like something you spent all day making, even when you didn’t.
The slow cooker makes this possible. Hours of gentle heat break down tough cuts of beef into something buttery and tender. The mushrooms release their liquid and concentrate in flavor. The sauce develops depth. All you have to do is prep the ingredients, walk away, and come back to dinner.
What You’ll Need
For the Stroganoff:
- 2 lbs beef stew meat or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving:
- 12 oz egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
- Extra parsley for garnish
Tools:
- Slow cooker (6-quart)
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
Searing the Beef (Optional but Recommended)
Season the beef pieces with salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. The beef won’t cook through—you just want color and flavor.
Transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker.
This step is optional. You can skip it and put the raw beef straight into the slow cooker. But searing adds depth of flavor that’s worth the extra 10 minutes.
Building the Base
If you seared the beef, use the same skillet (don’t clean it). Add the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it starts to soften, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the garlic and sliced mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker.
Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Slow Cooking
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. The beef should be fork-tender and easy to pull apart.
About 30 minutes before serving, fish out the bay leaves and discard them.
Making the Sauce
In a small bowl, mash together the butter and flour with a fork until it forms a paste. This is called a beurre manié and it will thicken your sauce.
Drop small pieces of the butter-flour mixture into the slow cooker. Stir gently until it dissolves. Let it cook for another 20-30 minutes on high. The sauce will thicken noticeably.
Turn off the slow cooker. Let it cool for about 5 minutes—you don’t want the sauce boiling when you add the sour cream or it might curdle.
Stir in the sour cream and chopped parsley. Mix until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or Worcestershire if needed.
Serving
Cook your egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain them well.
You can either toss the noodles directly into the slow cooker with the stroganoff, or serve the beef and sauce over individual portions of noodles. The second method keeps leftovers from getting soggy.
Garnish with extra parsley.
This makes 6 servings. It’s rich and filling, so portions don’t need to be huge.
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the beef stroganoff and noodles separately if possible. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
The stroganoff freezes well without the sour cream. If you want to freeze it, stop before adding the sour cream. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat, then stir in the sour cream before serving.
