Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff (From Scratch)
Last Updated on February 4, 2026 by Kiersten James
This easy ground beef stroganoff is made from simple, fresh ingredients and can be on the table in just 30 minutes. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner recipe for busy families when time is short.
Beef stroganoff is one of my favorite dinners that I probably don’t make as often as I’d like. It’s a warm, cozy, flavorful meal that comes together quickly but tastes and appears like I spent much longer on the preparations.
Growing up, my grandmother would make this for us, and she always used ground beef. This is the way I’ve always eaten it and prefer it even to restaurants.
Her infamous white gravy was the base for many dishes, and it makes an appearance here as well.
If you can, try to buy whole baby bella mushrooms over white mushrooms. Whole mushrooms have a much better texture and flavor.
I generally like to use ingredients that have not gone through the added processing and handling (enough foodborne illnesses come from pre-cut fruits and vegetables for me to opt out.
If you are very short on time and need to buy the pre-sliced, go right ahead!
Preparing Mushrooms for Cooking
I was taught by my Sicilian mother-in-law to never rinse mushrooms, as it ruins the flesh and texture. The spongy nature of the flesh absorbs water and alters the results of cooking.
Instead, take a dampened paper towel or cloth and gently wipe the mushrooms clean. Knock off any clumps of dirt as you go.
Once wiped clean, twist or pop off the stems. Slice and discard the very ends of the stem that were exposed to air, and, if you want, you can finely chop them to use in the cooking.
For this hamburger stroganoff recipe, I discard the stems and only use the caps.
Make A Healthy Version
You can use 1% (low-fat) milk, reduced-fat sour cream, and 90% lean ground beef if you prefer.
Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff (From Scratch)
Ingredients:
- 2lbs ground beef
- Medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 16oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Season with one teaspoon of salt.
While the beef is cooking, dice the onion and clean/slice the mushroom caps.
When the beef is about halfway cooked, add the onion to the skillet and sautee for 3 to 4 minutes.
Draw up a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. This is done in the background while you finish the stroganoff gravy.
Turn the heat down to low, remove the beef and onion mixture with a slotted spoon to a bowl for later. Drain the grease, then add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet to melt.
Sauté the mushrooms and minced garlic over low heat in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir often to prevent the garlic from browning and turning bitter.
Remove the mushroom garlic mixture with the slotted spoon to the same bowl as the beef and keep it aside.
By now, you should be able to drain the egg noodles. Add a little olive oil to the noodles immediately after draining and mix well to prevent sticking.
In the same large skillet you were using before, still over low heat, add the milk, flour, paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and ground pepper. Whisk continuously for about a minute, add the sour cream, then whisk again until everything is well combined.
Fold the beef, mushrooms, onion, and garlic back into the skillet and gently mix with a wooden spoon until the gravy is well distributed. Cook over low heat, uncovered, until the gravy becomes thick – about 3 minutes.
Stir often to prevent scorching. You can turn the heat off periodically if you need to. My stove is gas, and sometimes even the lowest heat setting is too hot for a milk-based gravy like this.
Serve ground beef stroganoff over a bed of warm egg noodles, garnished with a bit of parsley.
For us, this is a winter dish, so I nearly never have fresh parsley on hand. A sprinkle of dried parsley does the job here to add some attractive color for serving.
If you happen to have a window pot handy, you can chop up some fresh herbs instead.
Cozy Winter Cooking Ideas
Nona’s Authentic Pasta Fagioli (Fazool)
Long Island Italian Sunday Gravy (Meat Sauce)
Amish Chicken Pot Pie with Square Noodles
Perfect Italian Garlic Prime Rib Roast (Bone In)
Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff (From Scratch)
This easy ground beef stroganoff is made from simple, fresh ingredients and can be on the table in just 30 minutes. It's the perfect weeknight dinner recipe for busy families when time is short.
Ingredients
- 2lbs ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 16oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Season with one teaspoon of salt.
- While the beef is cooking, dice the onion and clean/slice the mushroom caps.
- When the beef is about halfway cooked, add the onion to the skillet and sautee for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Draw up a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. This is done in the background while you finish the stroganoff gravy.
- Turn the heat down to low, remove the beef and onion mixture with a slotted spoon to a bowl for later. Drain the grease, then add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet to melt.
- Sauté the mushrooms and minced garlic over low heat in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir often to prevent the garlic from browning and turning bitter.
- Remove the mushroom garlic mixture with the slotted spoon to the same bowl as the beef and keep it aside.
- By now, you should be able to drain the egg noodles. Add a little olive oil to the noodles immediately after draining and mix well to prevent sticking.
- In the same large skillet you were using before, still over low heat, add the milk, flour, paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and ground pepper. Whisk continuously for about a minute, add the sour cream, then whisk again until everything is well combined.
- Fold the beef, mushrooms, onion, and garlic back into the skillet and gently mix with a wooden spoon until the gravy is well distributed. Cook over low heat, uncovered, until the gravy becomes thick - about 3 minutes.
- Stir often to prevent scorching. You can turn the heat off periodically if you need to. My stove is gas, and sometimes even the lowest heat setting is too hot for a milk-based gravy like this.
- Serve ground beef stroganoff over a bed of warm egg noodles, garnished with a bit of parsley.
For us, this is a winter dish, so I nearly never have fresh parsley on hand.
A sprinkle of dried parsley does the job here to add some attractive color for serving.
If you happen to have a window pot handy, you can chop up some fresh herbs instead.
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