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Simple and Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff: Your New Favourite Comfort Meal

Are you looking for a meal that feels like a warm, comforting hug in a bowl? Something speedy enough for a busy weeknight, yet special enough to feel like a treat? We certainly understand that dilemma. It’s a common challenge to want a wholesome, home-cooked meal when time is short. That’s why we’re delighted to share the ideal solution: our recipe for Simple and Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff.

This dish elevates humble beef mince into something truly rich, savoury, and deeply satisfying. You can set aside thoughts of traditional, lengthy recipes that call for expensive cuts of steak. We have refined the method to deliver all the classic tangy flavours you adore, but without the fuss. In less than 30 minutes, you can serve up a dish of tender beef and mushrooms enveloped in a luscious, creamy sauce, all tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. Let’s get started!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Budget-Friendly Comfort: We opt for ground beef (mince) over more costly steak, which makes this classic Russian-inspired dish affordable for everyone without sacrificing its deep, savoury character.
• Incredibly Quick: This is the ultimate weeknight dinner. From the moment you start to serving it up, this gorgeous meal can be on your table in under 30 minutes. It’s often quicker than waiting for a takeaway!
• Rich, Creamy Flavour: Our recipe balances earthy mushrooms, a savoury beef broth, and the perfect tang of sour cream to create a sauce that is both wonderfully indulgent and completely irresistible.
• Family-Approved: This is a recipe that is sure to be a winner with the entire family. Its mild yet flavourful nature makes it a dish that both grown-ups and kids will be requesting time and again.

Ingredients

• 500g lean ground beef (beef mince)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 500ml beef broth or stock
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 150ml full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 300g egg noodles or pappardelle pasta
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

How to Make Simple and Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff

Putting this dish together is a wonderfully straightforward affair. We’ve outlined the process in clear, simple steps to help you achieve a flawless result every time. This truly is an easy beef stroganoff that anyone can confidently prepare.

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

First, bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your chosen pasta, such as egg noodles, and cook it according to the package instructions until it’s al dente. Once ready, drain the pasta well, setting aside a small cupful of the cooking water just in case you need it later, and put the pasta to one side.

Step 2: Brown the Beef and Sauté the Vegetables

1. Take a large, deep-sided frying pan or Dutch oven and place it over a medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
2. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the ground beef to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break it apart and continue to cook until it is evenly browned, which usually takes around 5-7 minutes. Carefully drain away any excess fat.
3. Next, add the chopped onion to the pan with the beef. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes, or until the onion has softened and turned translucent.
4. Stir in the minced garlic and the sliced mushrooms. Continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to release their juices and begin to brown. This process is key to building a wonderful depth of flavour.

Step 3: Create the Creamy Stroganoff Sauce

1. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour directly over the beef and vegetable mixture. Stir it through continuously for about a minute. This step cooks off any raw flour taste and is the foundation for thickening our sauce.
2. Gently pour in the beef broth bit by bit, stirring all the time to prevent any lumps from forming. Bring the entire mixture to a gentle simmer.
3. Once it’s simmering, stir in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Allow the sauce to bubble gently for 3-4 minutes so it can thicken to a lovely, rich consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
4. Turn the heat down to its lowest setting. For the crucial final touch, remove the pan from the heat completely before you add the sour cream. Gently stir in the room-temperature sour cream until it is smoothly incorporated. This method ensures the sauce remains perfectly smooth and doesn’t curdle.

Step 4: Combine and Serve

Add the cooked, drained pasta straight into the pan containing the stroganoff sauce. Gently fold everything together until the pasta is beautifully coated in that sublime, creamy sauce. We recommend serving it immediately, garnished with a generous scattering of freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant burst of colour and freshness.

A Brief History of Beef Stroganoff

Have you ever wondered about the origins of this famous dish? Beef Stroganoff has a rich history that traces back to 19th-century Russia. It takes its name from a member of the influential Stroganov family, who were notable merchants and public figures. Although its precise beginnings are a matter of some debate, the earliest known recipe was published in a Russian cookbook in 1871. That original recipe featured sautéed cubes of beef in a sour cream sauce—while it differs from many modern interpretations, the heart of the dish has endured. To learn more, you can explore the history of Beef Stroganoff on Britannica. Our version using ground beef is a contemporary, practical take on this enduring classic.

Our Top Tips for the Perfect Stroganoff

• Use Room Temperature Sour Cream: This is our most important tip! Introducing cold sour cream to a hot sauce is the primary cause of curdling or splitting. Simply let it rest on your kitchen counter for 20-30 minutes before you start, and you’ll be rewarded with a silky-smooth sauce.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: When you’re browning the beef and mushrooms, give them plenty of room in the pan. This encourages them to sear properly and develop a deep, savoury flavour through the Maillard reaction, rather than simply steaming.
• Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Both the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce contribute saltiness, so it’s wise to taste the sauce before you add your final seasoning. A generous crack of black pepper can really elevate the final dish.
• Choose Full-Fat Sour Cream: For the richest, most stable sauce, we strongly suggest using full-fat sour cream. Lower-fat alternatives contain more water and are more likely to split when heated. This dish is all about pure comfort, so it’s a wonderful excuse to indulge. This advice is vital for any great creamy mushroom pasta.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

Although we think this recipe is perfect as it is, it’s also wonderfully adaptable. Here are some of our favourite ideas for putting your own spin on it.

Delicious Variations

• Try Different Meats: This recipe is just as delicious when made with ground turkey or ground chicken for a slightly lighter meal.
• Make it a One-Pan Meal: To transform this into a true one-pan beef pasta, you can cook the pasta right in the sauce. Just add an extra 250ml of beef broth along with the uncooked pasta when you add the stock, then cover the pan and let it simmer until the pasta is perfectly al dente.
• Add More Veggies: Feel free to stir through some fresh baby spinach towards the end of cooking until it just wilts, or add a handful of frozen peas for a lovely pop of sweetness.

What to Serve with Your Stroganoff

This dish is very much a complete meal on its own, but if you fancy serving it with a side, we would suggest:

• A simple green salad tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing.
• A portion of steamed green beans or broccoli.
• Some warm, crusty bread, which is perfect for mopping up every last drop of that amazing sauce.

If you’re on the lookout for other easy pasta dishes, our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe is another brilliant choice for a weeknight. For something completely different yet equally speedy, why not try these Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls?

FAQ

A Comforting Classic Made Simple

So there we have it—a wonderfully simple and creamy ground beef stroganoff that truly delivers on comfort, flavour, and speed. This recipe is proof that you don’t need complex ingredients or to spend hours in the kitchen to produce a truly memorable meal. It’s the ideal dish to have in your collection for those busy weeknights, relaxed weekends, or whenever you crave a comforting taste of home.

We sincerely hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It has become a firm favourite in our own kitchens, and we are so pleased to be able to share it with you. We hope you’ll give it a go this week!

Did you make this Simple and Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff? We would love to know what you think! Please feel free to leave a comment and a rating below – we always appreciate hearing from you.

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 500ml beef broth
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 150ml full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 300g egg noodles or pappardelle pasta
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain any excess fat.
3. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms have browned.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the beef broth, stirring continuously. Bring to a simmer.
5. Stir in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the room-temperature sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat everything in the sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.

Nutrition (per serving):
780 calories,
70g carbs,
39g protein,
39g fat