This weeknight-friendly beef stroganoff takes a shortcut to a rich, tangy sauce with canned cream of mushroom soup.
You know how some titas use cream of mushroom soup as a white sauce in baked spaghetti? This hack works similarly in beef stroganoff, the Russian dish of beef and mushrooms in a sour cream-based sauce.
Traditional beef stroganoff recipes require a roux: a mixture of fat and flour that thickens sauces. A roux is fundamental to making French mother sauces like bechamél (white sauce) and velouté (stock-based sauce).
Here’s where the hack comes in. Canned cream of mushroom is essentially a velouté—a roux thinned out with mushroom stock. When used in beef stroganoff, the soup infuses all its mushroom flavor to the sauce while making it creamier as it reduces. Just like a roux!
Once you’ve made your sauce, give it that signature stroganoff tang with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and sour cream (yogurt works in a pinch). Serve it over steamed rice or egg noodles, and you have a weeknight-friendly meal that’s all comfort, less fuss.
Cook beef: Season beef strips with salt and pepper. Heat about 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sear until browned on both sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
Cook mushrooms: Reduce heat to medium and add sliced mushrooms to the same pan. Season mushrooms with salt to draw the moisture out. Stir frequently until mushrooms have browned, then remove from pan and set aside.
Make sauce: Add garlic and onion to the pan. (If the pan looks dry at this point, add a bit more oil.) Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cream of mushroom soup and beef stock to the pan. Stir to combine and season with Worcestershire sauce.
Return beef and mushrooms: Add beef and mushrooms to the sauce. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching the bottom, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
Finish and serve: Stir in Dijon mustard and sour cream or yogurt to give the sauce some tang. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot with steamed rice or egg noodles.
