Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff is a quick and flavorful main entrée with ground beef, mushrooms, and a naturally creamy sauce made without canned soup. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s simple, satisfying, and comes together in one skillet.
Looking for more beef recipes?
Check out ground beef vegetable soup, ground beef and kale soup, and braised chuck roast.
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💡Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Dietary Info: Keto, Primal
- Tools Needed: Large skillet
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love this Ground Beef Stroganoff
If your weeknight dinners are starting to feel like a Groundhog Day rerun of tacos and pasta, it's time for a little shake-up.
Enter: Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff (no canned soup, promise!).
This version leans a little more traditional - with a splash of Dijon mustard and Worcesterhire sauce for that classic, savory depth. But it's still just as quick and comforting as the simpler one I share in Dinner, Decoded.
That's the beauty of the system: once you get the rhythm, you can easily tweak the recipes to fit your mood or what's in your fridge. So if you're craving that rich, old-school stroganoff flavor without the canned shortcuts, this one's your next go-to.
Ingredients for Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Ground beef – Use whatever ground beef mixture you have. If it's a little high on the fat content, that just means all the more flavor in that skillet. Fat = flavor.
- Mushrooms – I like to use cremini or button mushrooms for this recipe since they are most accessible.
- Onion and garlic – A good Stroganoff always starts with yellow onion and minced garlic
- Seasonings – A simple blend of sea salt, black pepper, and Dijon mustard, plus a dash of Worcestershire sauce adds classic Stroganoff flavor.
- Beef bone broth – Try my beef bone broth recipe - it's rich and gelatinous and so nourishing! But store-bought beef broth will work in a pinch.
- Sour cream and heavy cream – Gives the sauce that creamy, velvety texture - you'll love my homemade sour cream recipe!
- Butter – Used to caramelize the onions and also adds lots of rich flavor.
Make it Ancestral
Use an ancestral ground beef blend that includes organ meats from pasture-raised cattle for extra nutrients and rich flavor. Choose grass-fed butter or ghee for cooking, and use real bone broth to build a nourishing sauce. If you really want to make this whole recipe from scratch, consider making my Worcestershire sauce recipe (it's soy-free!!)
How to Make Beef Stroganoff with Ground Beef
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Sauté
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic cloves and cook just until fragrant.
Step 2. Brown
Add mushrooms and sauté until they release their juices and begin to brown.
Step 3. Cook
Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4. Simmer
Stir in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in the bone broth and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens naturally from the beef and mushrooms.
Helpful Tips
- Brown beef properly - let the beef cook undisturbed for a few minutes before stirring to get better browning and flavor.
- Prevent cream curdling - always reduce heat to low before adding sour cream and heavy cream, and warm gently while stirring.
- Avoid thin sauce - gently simmer for a few more minutes uncovered to reduce the sauce and thicken it.
Troubleshooting
- Too dry? Add a splash of beef bone broth or a bit more cream to bring back moisture and richness.
- Not browning? Try increasing the heat slightly or finish the dish under the broiler for a few minutes to get that golden, caramelized color.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this ground beef stroganoff recipe over pasta, Instant Pot buckwheat, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, or bone broth rice. Pair it with any roasted vegetable like roasted broccolini or roasted carrots with garlic and you have a hearty and delicious meal ready.
Fresh salads: Round out your plate with a cabbage cucumber salad or tomato cucumber salad to add some fresh flavor.
Condiments: Include a small side of fermented vegetables such as raw sauerkraut, fermented carrots, or pickled red onions to support digestion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover ground beef stroganoff in an airtight container for up to 3 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. To reheat, transfer the ground beef stroganoff to a small saucepan and warm over medium-high heat, stirring often.
Absolutely. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently to prevent the cream from separating.
You technically can, but this version cooks much faster and tastes better on the stovetop. I usually reserve the slow cooker for chuck roast stroganoff, where the longer cook time really pays off.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this ground beef stroganoff? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe (without canned soup)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup beef bone broth
- ½ cup sour cream or crème fraîche
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 garlic cloves and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add 8 ounces mushrooms and sauté until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add 1 pound ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Pour in ½ cup beef bone broth and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens naturally from the beef and mushrooms.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in ½ cup sour cream and ¼ cup heavy cream. Warm gently - do not boil - until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or buckwheat.
Notes
- Brown beef properly - let the beef cook undisturbed for a few minutes before stirring to get better browning and flavor.
- Prevent cream curdling - always reduce heat to low before adding sour cream and heavy cream, and warm gently while stirring.
- Avoid thin sauce - gently simmer for a few more minutes uncovered to reduce the sauce and thicken it.
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