Skillet Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Ground beef stroganoff is the ultimate winter comfort meal. This simple, creamy ground beef stroganoff comes together quickly and delivers rich, savory flavor that the whole family will enjoy.

Comfort Food at its Finest!

If you love stroganoff, this ground beef version is an easy weeknight alternative to the traditional sliced-beef recipes. Using ground beef speeds up the cooking time and ensures beefy flavor is distributed throughout the sauce. The combination of sautéed mushrooms, fresh thyme, a splash of Worcestershire, and a creamy sour cream–Greek yogurt finish gives classic stroganoff flavor in a friendly, fast format.

What is beef stroganoff?

Beef stroganoff is a hearty Russian-inspired dish of tender beef served in a savory, creamy sauce and traditionally served over egg noodles. Classic versions use sliced beef, mushrooms, onions, and a sour cream–based sauce. This recipe swaps sliced beef for ground beef for convenience while keeping the familiar mushroom-and-sour-cream profile.

If you prefer a more traditional method, you can use sliced or braised beef instead of ground beef; this recipe focuses on a quicker ground beef approach that still captures the classic flavors.

What You Need for Ground Beef Stroganoff

• Ground beef: 1 lb. (85/15 works well, but any ratio is fine).
• Egg noodles: 6 oz. extra-wide egg noodles hold up best in the sauce and make great leftovers.
• Mushrooms: 8 oz. crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced, for umami depth.
• Onion & garlic: 1/4 large white onion (diced) and 3 cloves garlic (minced).
• Butter & flour: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (separated) and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour to form a roux for thickening.
• Beef broth: 1 cup of regular beef broth (not low sodium) plus extra to adjust consistency.
• Worcestershire sauce: 1 tablespoon for savory, slightly tangy depth.
• Fresh thyme: 1 tablespoon, roughly chopped; its aroma brightens the sauce.
• Sour cream & Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup Greek yogurt for creaminess—use full-fat for the best texture.
• Salt & pepper: 1 teaspoon salt total (split between stages) and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff

Cook the egg noodles

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside. Cooking them to al dente prevents overcooking later when they join the sauce.

Brown the ground beef

Heat a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the ground beef and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon. When the beef is nearly cooked through, stir in the diced onion and minced garlic and continue cooking until the beef is fully browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms

In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook over medium-low for 6–8 minutes, tossing every few minutes. Increase the heat to high for about a minute to brown the mushrooms and enhance their umami flavor.

Make the stroganoff sauce

While the mushrooms brown, whisk together the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss the mushrooms in the melted butter, then sprinkle the flour over them and toss so they are evenly coated. Increase heat to medium-high and slowly pour in the beef broth mixture while whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.

Reduce heat to low, stir in the fresh thyme until fragrant, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream, Greek yogurt, and pepper until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with 1–2 tablespoons more beef broth.

Return the browned ground beef to the pan, stir to combine, and warm over low heat until the mixture reaches the desired serving temperature.

Mix and serve

Fold the cooked egg noodles into the sauce until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of fresh thyme or cracked black pepper if you like.

How to Serve Ground Beef Stroganoff

Extra-wide egg noodles are ideal because they hold up well in the creamy sauce. If you don’t have egg noodles, wide pasta such as pappardelle works nicely. Mashed potatoes are also a classic and delicious alternative base for serving stroganoff.

Storage

Allow the stroganoff to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3–5 days. Reheat gently over low heat, thinning the sauce with a little beef broth or water if needed to restore creaminess.

Can You Freeze Beef Stroganoff?

You can freeze the cooked meat and mushrooms, but if you plan to freeze leftovers, wait to add the egg noodles, Greek yogurt, and sour cream until after reheating. Dairy like yogurt and sour cream can separate or become grainy after freezing and thawing, and noodles can get mushy. Freeze the base sauce and beef in a sealed container; when ready to serve, thaw, reheat gently, and stir in fresh sour cream/Greek yogurt and freshly cooked noodles.