Beef Stroganoff With Buttery Mash

Ingredients

• Not specifiedBeef steak, cut into strips
• To tasteSalt and pepper
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)Olive oil
• 1 cubeButter
• 1 mediumOnion, sliced
• 3Garlic cloves, minced or diced
• 5–6Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 2 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 2 tbspSour cream
• 30 g (¼ cup)Flour
• 240 ml (1 cup)Beef broth
• 120 ml (½ cup)Heavy cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the beef

   Coat the beef strips with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat the oil

   Set a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.

3. 3

   Brown the beef

   Add the beef strips and cook until golden brown.

4. 4

   Set beef aside

   Lift the browned beef out of the pan.

5. 5

   Cook the aromatics

   In the same pan, add the butter, onion and garlic. Sauté for 1½–2 minutes.

6. 6

   Add sauce ingredients

   Add the mushrooms, then the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and sour cream. Cook for a further 1 minute before adding the flour.

7. 7

   Stir in cream

   Add the heavy cream and mix well.

8. 8

   Return the beef

   Add the cooked beef strips to the pan.

9. 9

   Finish cooking

   Cook over low heat for a further 3 minutes.

10. 10

    Serve the stroganoff

    Serve with buttery mash.

11. 11

    Garnish with chives

    Garnish with chives.

What is beef stroganoff?

Beef stroganoff is a dish of beef served in a creamy, savoury sauce, commonly accompanied by potatoes, noodles or rice. It is associated with Russian cooking and has many versions beyond its original home.

This version builds its sauce in the same pan used to brown the beef, bringing together mushrooms, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cream. Buttery mash makes a soft, filling base for the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 700 calories, 36g protein, 50g carbs, 37g fat.

The beef is the main source of protein, while the flour and the suggested buttery mash contribute much of the carbohydrate. Cream, sour cream, butter and oil provide most of the fat. Pair a moderate serving with a green vegetable; the recipe does not specify the beef or mash quantities, so the nutrition estimate is approximate.

Choosing the ingredients

Beef: Use steak that can be cut into strips, and slice it across the grain where possible so the pieces are easier to chew. The recipe does not specify a quantity, so use the amount you have planned for four servings.

Mushrooms: Slice them evenly so they cook at a similar pace. Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce give the creamy mixture a savoury, tangy edge.

Brown the beef first

Beef strips: Season them before they go into the pan, then cook until golden brown. If the pan is crowded, the beef may release moisture rather than brown; work in batches if needed.

Pan flavour: Keep the same pan for the onion, garlic and sauce ingredients. The browned residue left behind helps flavour the sauce as it cooks.

Build a smooth sauce

Flour: Stir it into the mushroom mixture before adding the cream, as directed. Mix thoroughly to avoid dry pockets of flour.

Cream: Add it after the flour and stir well. Keep the heat low once the beef goes back in, so the sauce warms through without boiling hard.

Check the texture and timing

Onions and garlic: Sauté them for the stated 1½–2 minutes, until softened and aromatic, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Final simmer: The method calls for 3 minutes on low heat after returning the beef. The finished sauce should coat the beef; avoid extending the cooking unnecessarily, which can make the strips tough.

Serve with buttery mash

Mash: Serve the stroganoff alongside buttery mashed potatoes so the sauce can be spooned over them. The mash is mentioned in the method but its ingredients and quantities are not specified here.

Chives: Scatter them over the finished dish as a fresh garnish. A simple green vegetable alongside can round out the plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the beef dry before seasoning if it is wet, to help it brown.
• Slice the beef into similarly sized strips so it cooks evenly.
• Use a wide pan or brown the beef in batches if the strips do not fit in a single layer.
• Stir the flour into the mushroom mixture before adding the cream.
• Keep the heat low during the final 3 minutes and stir gently.
• Prepare the buttery mash separately, as its ingredients are not listed here.

Variations

• Add paprika: Stir a little into the sauce for a warm, earthy note.
• Use crème fraîche: Replace the sour cream with crème fraîche for a similarly tangy finish.
• Add extra mushrooms: Increase the sliced mushrooms for a more substantial mushroom presence.
• Serve with noodles: Swap the buttery mash for cooked egg noodles.
• Add parsley: Use chopped parsley in place of chives for a different fresh garnish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: The beef can steam rather than brown; cook it in batches if necessary.
• Burning the garlic: Keep it moving with the onion and remove the pan from the heat briefly if it starts to darken too quickly.
• Adding flour in lumps: Sprinkle it over the mushroom mixture and stir it in thoroughly before adding cream.
• Boiling the sauce hard: Keep the heat low after the beef returns so the sauce warms gently.
• Overcooking the beef: Follow the stated 3-minute finish on low heat and avoid prolonged simmering.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover stroganoff promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot, stirring often; add a small splash of broth or cream if the sauce has thickened. Store mash separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions