Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff recipe offers a rich and creamy dish with tender chunks of beef simmered slowly to perfection. Featuring garlic butter mushrooms and a luscious sour cream sauce, this comforting classic can be prepared using a slow cooker, stovetop, or instant pot for convenience and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 1.75kg (3.5lb) beef chuck or other stewing beef, cut into 4cm (1.5”) cubes
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 20 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, halved then sliced into 1cm (2/5″) slices
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 7 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 litre (1 quart) reduced salt beef stock/broth
Mushrooms and Sauce
- 1.5 cups full-fat sour cream
- 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
- 700 g (1.2 lb) mushrooms, sliced into 0.5cm thick slices
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
To Serve
- Wide egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes
- Chives for garnish
Instructions
- Season beef: Pat the beef cubes dry and evenly sprinkle with 1.5 tsp salt and 1.5 tsp pepper to season all sides thoroughly.
- Brown beef: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy-based pot or skillet over high heat. Add beef cubes in a single layer without overcrowding. Brown aggressively on all sides for about 4 minutes. Remove browned beef and repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil if needed.
- Sauté aromatics: Let the pot cool slightly then melt half the butter (1 tbsp). Add minced garlic and sliced onion. Cook for about 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add flour and mustard: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the garlic and onion, stirring constantly. Add Dijon mustard and stir; mixture will appear gluey, but will dissolve once liquid is added.
- Add beef stock: Gradually pour in half the beef stock while stirring to create a lump-free gravy, using a whisk if needed. Add remaining stock, stir well, scrape bottom of pot, and bring to a simmer.
- Cook beef (Slow Cooker method): Transfer all liquid into a slow cooker and add browned beef cubes. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours until beef is tender and easily falls apart.
- Cook beef (Stovetop method): Add browned beef back to pot with sauce, cover with lid, reduce heat to low or medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook about 2 hours, checking at 1.5 hours, until beef is tender.
- Cook beef (Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker method): For gluten-free, skip flour. Combine ingredients as per slow cooker method and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
- Prepare garlic butter mushrooms: Melt half the butter (1.5 tbsp) in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the sliced mushrooms, cook until nearly golden (~3 minutes). Add half the minced garlic, salt, and pepper; cook until mushrooms are fully golden. Remove mushrooms and repeat with remaining butter, mushrooms, and garlic.
- Finish the stroganoff: Mix full-fat sour cream with about 1.5 cups of cooking liquid from slow cooker or pot. Gently stir this creamy mixture into the stew. Carefully fold in the garlic butter mushrooms.
- Serve: Spoon beef stroganoff over cooked wide egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Garnish generously with freshly chopped chives for color and flavor.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, omit the flour and use the Instant Pot method.
- Use reduced salt beef stock to control sodium levels.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when browning beef to ensure proper caramelization.
- Slow cooking on low yields the most tender beef but requires the longest cooking time.
- Garlic butter mushrooms add a rich, savory depth to the dish—don’t skip this step.
- Serve with wide egg noodles for a traditional stroganoff experience or opt for mashed potatoes or pasta as alternatives.
- Stir sour cream in gently to prevent curdling and achieve a smooth sauce.
