Meaty, Creamy, Almost Fancy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

If you're like us, you grew up on Hamburger Helper dinners like chili macaroni, tomato penne, and beef stroganoff. A delight for the kids and an easy night for parents, these one-pot meals were every family's dream. What if we told you we had a recipe that was just as easy, deliciously homemade, and just a little bit fancier?

Developer Michelle McGlinn shares her version below of the creamy sauce and steak meal complete with egg noodles and thyme. In this spruced-up version, cognac is used as the base of the sauce for a rich, nutty flavor. If you don't have cognac on hand, brandy works as a replacement, or you can swap for white wine for a lighter flavor. Though the alcohol cooks off while it reduces, you can also make this spirit-free by omitting the cognac entirely.

Making beef stroganoff from scratch is so easy and delicious, you'll never look back. While this version is kid-friendly, the near-luxurious flavor makes it perfect for date night also. Plus, it's easy to save and reheat, making it ideal to store as meal prep, too. Want more ingredient swap and pairing ideas? Check out our meaty, creamy beef stroganoff recipe below.

Most stroganoff is made up of a few staples: Beef, baby bella mushrooms, broth, sour cream, mustard, and egg noodles. For quick and easy beef stroganoff, it is common to use sirloin or ribeye steaks for a fast sear and tender results. Big cuts of beef chuck are only used for slow-cooked, stewed versions of stroganoff, as they take much longer to become tender. The best way to go is buying sirloin strips made for stir-fry, which will cook fast.

To make this classic dish a little more special, we are adding a few ingredients to the list of staples. Deglazing the vegetables with cognac offers a rich caramel flavor to the sauce, complimented by earthy herbal thyme. You'll also need salt, pepper, butter, flour, and some fresh parsley for garnish.

Season the beef liberally with salt and pepper, then heat the oil in your skillet so that it is very hot. You want the oil to be hot so that when you add the sirloin, it immediately sizzles and sears. We want to cook quickly to avoid overcooking, and the key is starting with a hot skillet and removing once the steak is just browned. It will still be pink in the middle, but we will finish cooking them through later when the sauce is simmering.

Next, turn the heat down and add the butter. Cook the onions and mushrooms until the onions are soft and translucent and the mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle the flour into the softened vegetables to make a roux, stirring to dissolve the flour into the butter remains. This will give the vegetables a paste-like consistency, which will cause them to begin sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Work quickly to deglaze the pan before the flour burns by pouring in the cognac and stirring into the mushroom mixture. While the cognac reduces, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Once you've created the roux and deglazed the pan with cognac, start building the creamy stroganoff sauce. Pour in the beef broth and stir with the mushroom mixture to combine. Season the broth with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme, and allow it to thicken slightly from the flour. Add in the sour cream and mustard and use a whisk to combine into the broth, whisking vigorously to avoid clumping pieces. Bring the heat to low while the sauce heats through and melts the sour cream.

Once the sauce is thick and creamy like a gravy, return the beef to the skillet and stir into the sauce to heat through. Spoon the beef and sauce over a heaping bed of egg noodles and sprinkle with parsley for a pop of color. Don't have egg noodles? Stroganoff is also traditionally served with white rice, long pastas, and even crispy potato straws, which can all be swapped for egg noodles for delicious variations.

While this one-pot meal is easy and filling, try this rich beef stroganoff alongside roasted carrots, garlicky steamed spinach, or charred broccoli for a full and nutritious meal.