Vikalinka

She laughs without fear of the future. And she cooks.

Best Beef Stroganoff

Making the best Beef Stroganoff is easy! All you have to do is to follow my detailed instructions!
Best Beef Stroganoff

The two times in my life when I remember my Russian food cravings becoming especially strong were the times I was pregnant with my babies.

It seems I am at it again. No, not the pregnant bit but the longing for food I grew up with. When life gets especially hectic cozy Slavic food laced with butter and sour cream comes to the rescue once again.

I guess it came at a good time since I will be flying to St Petersburg in 3 short weeks. Just for a weekend and strictly for work but how can I not get excited when I haven’t been back in more than a decade!

I just found out that my hotel is offering complementary tea and fresh pastries 24/7.

What! I am simultaneously thrilled…and terrified.  I guess 3 days can’t do too much damage on my waistline…or can they?

Best Beef Stroganoff

I’ve been thinking lately that I don’t share nearly enough Russian recipes here. This needs to change. Pronto. I guess Beef Stroganoff to a Russian is like a Carbonara to an Italian.

Something we just whip up without a recipe in little time using very few ingredients.

The outcome is always the same-immediate bliss followed by a food coma. It’s good and it’s very easy. If you follow a few simple rules you will make the best stroganoff.

Best Beef Stroganoff

How to make best Beef Stroganoff

What meat is used for Beef Stroganoff?

First off, the beef quality is paramount; avoid stewing beef and buy sirloin or rump steak. You only need a pound so buy the best you can afford.

Secondly, if steak is too expensive go ahead and buy a more affordable pork loin. Really, it’s allowed. Many Russian cooks make Stroganoff with pork.

Lastly, use a heavy bottomed skillet and avoid a non-stick. You want your meat to stick to the pan so it gets coated with brown bits because once you hit it with a shot of brandy they get released into the sauce and that’s where wonderfully complex flavour comes from.

What is beef stroganoff served with?

I know it sounded like I just mentioned the last thing but I have more. Dill pickles and mounds of mashed potatoes make beef stroganoff the best dinner EVA!

Don’t even think about serving your Stroganoff with egg noodles. So wrong. No idea where it came from. No noodles.

You can watch me make it here!!

Best Beef Stroganoff

For Creamy Chicken Stroganoff recipe click here!

If you make my  Best Beef Stroganoff , I would love to see your photos! Tag me @vikalinka on Instagram when you are sharing your delicious plates! Are you following me on Instagram? If not, let’s be friends!

Best Beef Stroganoff

Authentically Russian beef cooked in creamy mushroom sauce. 
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Russian
Keyword: best beef stroganoff
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp-oil
  • 1 tbsp-butter
  • 1- onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 lbs- crimini mushrooms sliced
  • 1 lbs-beef steak cut in strips
  • 1/4 cup- brandy
  • salt
  • pepper freshly ground
  • 1/2 cup-beef stock
  • 1- bay leaf
  • 1 tsp-whole grain mustard
  • 1 cup- full fat creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 3-4 sprigs-flat-leaf parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet and cook onions and mushrooms over medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Add cut steak to the same skillet and quickly fry over high heat for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add brandy and continue cooking until alcohol burns off, add stock, mustard, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release all the brown bits, they will add much flavour to the sauce.
  • Bring mushrooms and onions back to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until everything is heated through and bubbling.
  • Stir in sour cream and parsley and take off the heat.
  • Serve with mounds of mashed potatoes or rice.
Tried this recipe?Mention @vikalinka or tag #vikalinka!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I’m about to try out your recipe and I am very excited to do so. My recipe is more time consuming than yours, so if this is a hit like others have said, then this will be my go to moving forward. I’ll post a pic to your insa when done! I’m topping with some fresh dill and chives as that is the only fresh herbs I have on hand, and I’m serving over egg noodles. Eek! I know!!! Not what you seem to like, but it’s soooooooo good! Haha! With that said, the next time I make this I swear I’m serving with mashed potatoes. Really, when I make mashed potatoes I always have more than enough left over for another meal and will make Shepherds Pie, but now I have another go to for leftovers! Super stoked. Thank you for your time and pic plus follow up coming shortly!

    Reply

  3. Hello i made this last night and it was the best beef stroganoff recipe ever. So simple so flavourful The brandy adds to the layers of richness. Thank you for sharing your family tradition with ya. Yummy I’m so glad i have a tiny bit of leftovers for my lunch today

    Reply

  4. Went to St Petersburg this month .. beautiful place . Had a beef stroganoff there. .. cooked this recipe and it’s delicious .. thanks

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  5. I love stroganoff with noodles!! I’ve a,ways eaten them that way but mashed potatoes would be great too. And starchy component would not go amiss. I think whatever you like is perfectly permissible.

    Reply

    • You can absolutely eat Beef Stroganoff with whatever you like, Nova. I am simply sharing what is traditional since it is my cultural background. Many people might not be aware that in Russia stroganoff is always served with potatoes. Learning about other cultures is fun! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Thank you. This brings me back to my Ukrainian Grandmother making this, and yes, ALWAYS over mashed potatoes. I tried to recreate hers but it never tasted the same. I now know i was missing the brandy. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!

    Reply

  9. If I double the recipe would it serve 12? I go to the beach with 12 on a Saturday and am in charge of Sunday dinner. If I make this ahead, will it freeze and reheat? Any help appreciated.

    Reply

    • Hi Jeanette, if some of those 12 are children, then yes! I would make sure there are sides like salads, bread, rice or potatoes to stretch this meal over 12. I wouldn’t freeze Beef Stroganoff, some brands of sour cream tend to separate after being frozen and reheated. It’s perfectly safe to keep it in the fridge for a couple of days. Also, reheat over low heat once again to avoid separation and curdling.

      Reply

  10. Hi. I have a simple question. Could this be topped over buckwheat kasha? Or would this be non-traditional?

    I will be trying this recipe later for dinner!

    Reply

  11. I don’t want to say this recipe is the most popular for a reason. There are so many other recipes on here that should definitely be tied for most popular. HOWEVER, that being said, this recipe is the most popular, for a reason. 🙂

    Reply

    • Hahaha, thank you, Erin. The popularity of this recipe really took me by surprise since it’s such an easy one and something that we eat so often!

      Reply

  13. Hi There!
    Two questions:
    1. I don’t know much of anything about brandy… Is there a particular type I should get (or avoid?) I know there are flavored brandies… Are there better/worse brands?
    2. I’ve been scouting Strog recipies because I’m going to serve this for a Russian family I’m friends with and I wanted to make them something homey. In other articles I’ve read, people have said that the inclusion of mushrooms is an American thing — that Russians don’t usually add mushrooms into this dish. Is that true?
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Hi Lili, you will need a regular brandy, no flavour. Any brand you can afford. I assume you are not a brandy drinker, so I wouldn’t splash out on an expensive bottle. AS far as mushrooms go there are absolutely mushrooms added to Russian Stroganoff. Mushrooms are a huge part of Russian cuisine and they are added to Stroganoff unless people are allergic to them or don’t like them for some reason.

      Reply

  14. This is truly the best beef stroganoff I have ever had. I tried it with the non-traditional pasta made from scratch and with the mashed potatoes and Wow! Amazing!

    I had to make a few modifications because I didn’t have everything in stock. So I used homemade cream of chicken soup (not store bought) in lieu of the beef stock and Jamesons’ Irish whiskey instead of the brandy.

    This will be the only recipe I use for making this ever!!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing this with us:)
    Spaciba Bollshoi (they need to add a Cyrillic alphabet)

    Reply

  15. Made this for dinner tonight; minus the mushrooms (family’s ; though not my preference). It was delicious! I was skeptical about the brandy; but it definitely added a depth of flavor. I have saved this to my “keeper dinners” and will make it again for sure. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply

  18. I had a craving for beef stroganoff, I have not made it in years, (hubby hates onion and mushroom) this recipe was sooo good. I had some creme fraiche left over from Christmas which initially inspired me, and a pound of chuck roast left over from another recipe, I was expecting it to be a little tough due to the cut of meat, but I added a little extra stock and let it simmer for an extra half hour, it wasn’t as tender as a good steak would have been, but it wasn’t too bad at all. And the flavour.. reallllly good!! I did serve it with mashed cauliflower, perfect for a low carb meal. Even my mushroom and onion hating husband ate it (some mushrooms pushed aside though)

    Reply

    • I love the cauliflower mash here, Shannon. I am going to do it myself as I am going low carb after Christmas to shed a few holiday pounds. So happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed it! It’s such creamy comfort!

      Reply

  19. I must say I haven’t made Beef Stroganoff for a long time, My son just asked me to make some. I have a recipe in my (very old) Time/Life cookbook. I haven’t looked at it for ages, as I, too, am a great believer of “winging it”. It is a recipe from Sofka Skipwith’s book: Eat Russian. Funny, when I last looked, Mr Google hasn’t yet been invented. Just discovered she is quite famous (for things other than her cookbook)
    Anyway, reading your recipe sounded quite familiar, so I dragged the book out to compare. It is very similar, except it has a tablespoon of pureed tomato and 30gr of flour(which is made into a roux)
    I will definitely try your version, sounds simpler.
    The one thing she says (which may answer one of the comments above) is: “If the meat is cut too thin, it hardens in cooking”

    Reply

    • I just looked her up Judy and wow, what a remarkable woman. I’ve never heard of her before or her book. I am going to try and find it. Good luck with my recipe. I hope you like it. Best, Julia

      Reply

  20. I made this dish for my boyfriend tonight and if I get a marriage proposal in the near future, I’ll have you to thank. It was unbelievably delicious, each bite revealing another layer of beauty. Thank you!!!

    Reply

  21. I seem to have a problem with my sauce curdling, just a little, after I add the sour cream or yogurt; any suggestions as to what I’m doing wrong? Other than that it’s a very good recipe. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Linda, sour cream can sometimes curdle at high temperature, so I would suggest lowering your heat a bit or take the pan off the heat, add sour cream and warm it through on low simmer. If you are doing all that and it still separates, I would try another brand of sour cream as it also can be a factor. DO let me know if that helped!

      Reply

      • The way I have always prevented curdling is that you add a bit of the hot stroganoff to the cream mixture, stirring well, than a bit more, etc, before then adding the mixture back to the pan. Adding the hot ingredient gradually to the cold sour cream tempers.

        Reply

  22. Hi i made this last night for myself and my Mother, i am currently on a non dairy health kick so made this recipe exactly but subsituted butter and cream/sour cream for non dairy alternatives and it was still beautiful! Definately one of my go to recipes now!

    Oh and i served it with wild rice and lemony green beans (i am from the uk) 😉

    Reply

  23. Hi, Vikakinka,
    I found and prepared your recipe last night, substituting white wine for brandy and omitting beef stock and parsley because I didn’t have any. I threw in some Worcestershire sauce to help compensate for the missing beef stock. A roaring success!

    I’m writing because, by coincidence, I came across a recipe that was in a fund-raising cookbook published in 1948, by some US military wives then living in Germany.

    After ready many of the comment on this page and ascertaining that no one had confessed to using “catsup” in their version, I thought this would be worth contributing. The cookbook is charming, too.

    BEEF STRAGENEUFF
    (Is that a German spelling of Stroganoff, or a little joke?)

    1 large onion (sliced)
    1 T butter
    2 lbs. round steak (cut in strips)
    3 T soy sauce
    6 T catsup
    2 C sour cream
    ***
    1 T flour
    2 T water
    1/2 C mushrooms

    Cook onion in butter until clear. Add meat and brown.
    Add seasonings and cream. Cook slowly until meat ls
    tender. Mix flour and water together and add, stirring
    until thick. Add mushrooms and serve on rice.

    The article about the book is here, on slate.com:
    http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2017/08/04/a_cookbook_published_by_american_women_during_the_berlin_blockade.html

    and a scan of the book itself is here:

    http://www.berlinbrats.org/pdfs/49Vittles.pdf

    Reply

    • This is interesting because of the book’s historical value but definitely an Americanised version of Stroganoff. There wouldn’t be catchup or soy sauce in an authentic recipe since they are very non-Russian ingredients. 🙂

      Reply

  24. This recipe looks amazing, but I don’t like sour cream. Could I substitute milk or whipping cream instead?

    Reply

    • You could use whipping cream, Michael but a slightly tangy taste is what characterises Beef Stroganoff, otherwise it will just taste like a classic French dish. Russian smetana (sour cream) tastes less sour if you have an Eastern European shop nearby!!

      Reply

  25. What’s up with the mashed potatoes, I was always taught it was pan fried potatoes. I can’t stand pickles = YUCK!

    Reply

  26. My grandmother used to make hers with dill pickles and it was SO GOOD! never been able to find a recipe with them included until today. Спасибо!

    Reply

  27. I made it one time in 1975 for a guy I was dating that was from Bulgaria. A friend of mine gave me a recipe he had from an International cookbook. I must have spent a half a weeks salary on the ingredients (made a sour cream cake too). He sits down and says “I’m not very hungry” and puts about a tablespoon of everything on his plate. I was so pissed when he did that…but then he took his first bite and his eyes lit up and says “This is fantastic! I have had this is Russia and this is just as good or better!” He ate two whole plates of it, plus my cake. I was very pleased. Have not made it since then, but may just have to make it this week. Your recipe looks very good and easy too.

    Reply

  28. I am looking forward to trying your recipe. My Grandfather was from Russia, and he made excellent stroganoff. It is one of my favorite things to eat.

    Reply

  29. I prepared this today and added some garlic, a little bit of low sodium soy sauce and a little tapioca flour to thicken it up a little. The mustard and brandy really give it a very nice flavor and this is by far the BEST Stroganoff I have ever made. I served it with Jasmine rice. If you are looking for a good Stroganoff recipe, then look no further – this is it 🙂 Thank you for sharing such a wonderful dish.

    Reply

    • Thanks you for your feedback, Desiree! I am happy to hear you enjoyed my Beef Stroganoff and you are very welcome. I hope you can try other recipes on my blog! 🙂

      Reply

  30. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I appreciate authentic recipes that reflect tradition. I’m going to make this today with the proper sides of potatoes and pickles. Yes, please post more Russian recipes! I adore Russian borscht; there is a version I always have at the Olive Tree Cafe in Greenwich Village NY, made with beef flanken; a Ukrainian friend told me that it’s authentic. They won’t give away the recipe but has dill, cabbage, beets, tomato and a touch of apple. If this is indeed Russian, I would adore a recipe. 🙂

    Reply

  31. My Mom always dredged the steak strips in flour which thickens the sauce a bit. Sauteed the onions and added just a little garlic. Usually thick enough for us and we always had ours served over wide noodles, Fresh green beans seasoned with bacon drippings and thick crusty hot bread.

    Reply

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