Easy One Pot Beef Stroganoff

When Dallin dreams of comfort foods it isn’t sugar plum fairies dancing in his head … it’s a creamy hot bowl of beef stroganoff. We have tried many a recipe in an effort to achieve true perfection. And truly, this Easy One Pot Beef Stroganoff recipe is the stuff of dreams!

Now I should preface that Dallin prefers a more hamburger helper style Beef Stroganoff. For those not familiar with this very American delicacy – it is also known as the poor man’s beef stroganoff as it is made with ground beef instead of strips or chunks of beef.

HISTORY LESSON

A little history trivia for you … of what nationality was the creator of beef stroganoff? With a name like stroganoff you might think the originator was Russian, but you would be partially mistaken.

The one to which we owe all gratitude for such a delicious dish is a French chef, named Charles Briere, who was working for a wealthy Russian family living in St. Petersburg.

Briere needed a dish to enter into a cooking competition in 1891. Story has it that following customs of the time he named his award-winning dish after his employer, Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov. It is questioned whether Briere is the original creator of the dish, but despite that Briere is definitely the man who brought this dish to its glory.

In fact, Beef Stroganov quickly became a sensation, first in Russia and then in China, eventually followed by America. Its popularity really taking off after World War II. Decadent yet simple to make, Stroganoff became a signature dish in countless homes across America.

KEY INGREDIENTS FOR BEEF STROGANOFF

While there are many variations from the original beef stroganov dish of Briere, there are still distinct savory flavors that most would say make a stroganoff a stroganoff.

ONION

The first flavor you are going to want to make sure is present in your one pot, beef stroganoff is onion. This is a key flavor profile you cannot miss out on. If you have picky eaters who do not love the texture of onion there are ways to disguise this key ingredient without missing out on any flavor. 

Your first option would be to use onion powder in lieu of actual diced onion. A second option (and our preferred method), is by grating your onion instead of dicing it. Sauté the onion as normal and the texture is no longer an issue as it is disguised amongst all the other ingredients. 

GROUND BEEF

Next, a good quality lean ground beef. We have found that the best ratio of fat content is 85 to 90 percent lean ground beef. A more traditonal stroganoff would use chunks or strips of beef in lieu of ground beef.

GARLIC

If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor you could always substitute the powder for minced garlic. You would use 2 teaspoons of minced garlic in lieu of the 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder called for in this recipe. 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PASTA

Stroganoff is typically served over egg noodles but that doesn’t mean it can’t get switched up! Check out this Pasta Guide for which kinds of pastas work best with different kinds of sauces. For this recipe you are going to want to use a pasta that pairs well with a rich meat sauce, heavy cream sauce, or Bolognese sauce. 😉

HOW TO MAKE EASY ONE POT STROGANOFF

As this is a one pot recipe you will want to make sure you are using a large, deep skillet or pot. Add your onions and oil to the pan and sauté till an almost translucent color. Once onions are ready you will add your ground beef, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to skillet. Brown the meat, breaking it up into bite size pieces.

Next you will add your dijon mustard. Once combined add your cream of mushroom soup. After fully incorporated add the mushrooms, uncooked pasta and beef broth to the pan.

Cook pasta till all the liquid has been absorbed. If the noodles are not entirely cooked before the broth has cooked off, or are sticking to the bottom of the skillet, you may need to add additional water, but do it slowly. You do not want the pasta to overcook. You want the pasta to be al dente. Once all cooked take the pan off the heat. Add your sour cream and mix together it all together.

Priyatnogo Appetita! (Enjoy!)

WHAT IS AL DENTE ANYWAY?

Al dente when translated means, to the tooth. Meaning, pasta al dente is tender, yet still firm to the bite when cooked. Al dente is that happy place just before a pasta becomes too mushy or soggy to enjoy.

The best way to test if your pasta has reached al dente is by using the good ole’ taste test. In the last minute or two before a recipe or box suggests pasta should be reaching doneness you will want to pull out a piece of pasta from the dish. Bite the pasta in half.

Al dente pasta when bitten into, will have a small white dot or line, depending on the shape of your pasta, at the center. The white is the inner layer of pasta that is still under cooked. If there is no lighter coloring in the center of the pasta you have surpassed al dente.

PRO CHEF – Mom Hacks

If you have anyone in your dinner party that isn’t a fan of the texture of onions but doesn’t mind the flavor, here is a Pro Chef – Mom Hack just for you.

Instead of dicing your onion try grating or pureeing it. This disguises the texture not everyone loves, without having to miss out on that key flavor profile. In our experience grating your onion works in many recipes and truly goes undetected by even the pickiest of eaters.

Wanting to cut back on the fat content in this recipe? Try substituting the ground beef for ground turkey. Or another way to assist in the mission is by substituting sour cream for greek yogurt. (We do have some suggestions though if choosing to go this route.)

Fage Greek Yogurt is the brand we have found to work best when cooking. Be warned though, greek yogurt does not thicken like sour cream in a recipe when cooled. It will make your stroganoff sauce much wetter. To combat this, I would suggest cutting it back to 1/4 cup and then add more as needed, till you reach your desired consistency.

HUNTING FOR COMFORT FOOD?

Let us help with that! One of my favorite comfort food go-to recipes, is Cheesy Funeral Potatoes. Cheesy, hot delicious potatoes can never do you wrong. Also, don’t miss our Homemade Sausage Stuffing or Chicken Crescent Roll Ups or German Dutch Baby Pancakes.