Beef stew meat, brown gravy, and a few other pantry favorites are all you need to make this delicious Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. This hearty meal served with crispy garlic bread is the perfect meal for weeknights or weekends.
If you like hearty meals like this, you’ll enjoy my Slow Cooker Beef Noodle Casserole and Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole.
Why this is the best beef stroganoff
This delicious meal always comes in handy when I am craving something with a creamy sauce, beef, and pasta. It’s a wonderful recipe with minimal ingredients, quick prep time, and yields tender chunks of beef packed with so much flavor.
If I’m having friends or family over, this is a recipe I’ll make that will wow them and leave them asking for the recipe. Take the guesswork out of what you’ll cook for dinner tonight and make this beef stroganoff.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Stew Meat Cubes – or 2 pounds of beef roast into cubes.
- Brown Gravy Mix – I use McCormick Brown Gravy Mix
- Water – Use only 1.5 cups (note- this is less than what the packages of gravy call for, using less will produce a thicker sauce).
- Seasonings – Thyme, oregano, and black pepper
- Yellow Onion – Diced
- Mushrooms – Use fresh mushrooms, sliced.
- Egg noodles – Do not add to the slow cooker raw, cook on the stove-top according to package directions and drain well before adding, at the end of the cooking time
- Sour Cream – This is the key ingredient in the dish, makes the sauce mellow and creamy. Add this at the end of the cooking time as well.
Step-by-Step Directions
- Whisk together the two brown gravy mixes and the water until smooth.
- Add the beef to the slow cooker, no need to brown.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, and seasonings over the beef.
- Pour over the gravy mix and water.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook covered on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Cook the noodles on the stove-top as directed on the package.
- Add the sour cream into the sauce and stir until smooth.
- Add the drained noodles. Stir and serve
What do I serve with beef stroganoff?
- Serve alone with no sides if you are in a hurry or low on groceries.
- Green salad or green vegetables.
Meat Variations
- Meatballs – Use 1 pound of frozen meatballs, but cut the timing back to 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
- Ground beef – Be sure to brown and crumble the meat before adding to the slow cooker
- Chicken – You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs, and make chicken stroganoff. Change the brown gravy packets to chicken packets. Shred the chicken before adding the noodles and sour cream.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can use 8 ounces of any pasta you would like, even whole grain. Cook according to package directions and drain well before adding to the slow cooker.
Yes! Just skip adding the pasta to the sauce and beef and spoon this beef stroganoff mixture over hot steamed rice.
Yes, you can, but the consistency of the sauce will be thinner.
Yes. You can play around with flavors by using mushroom soup, onion soup mix, fresh minced garlic (or garlic powder), and seasonings like fresh parsley or other fresh herbs.
More slow cooker recipes with beef stew meat:
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. beef stew meat (raw cubed beef)
- 1.74 oz brown gravy packets (two .87 oz. packets gravy packets)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- ½ tsp. dried leaf thyme (not ground)
- ½ tsp. dried leaf oregano (not ground)
- ½ tsp. black pepper
Add these items after cooking time is up:
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 8 oz. egg noodles cook according to package directions on the stove top
Instructions:
- Add stew meat, onions and mushrooms to slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the thyme, oregano and pepper.
- In a small bowl whisk together the water (only 1.5 cups, not what the packages say) and gravy mixes. Pour over the meat and veggies in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Add the sour cream, stir until smooth.
- Add the drained cooked noodles, stir and serve!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
- Meatballs – Use 1-2 pounds of frozen meatballs, cut the time down to 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
- Ground beef – Be sure to brown and crumble the beef before adding to the slow cooker.
- Chicken – You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Use chicken or turkey gravy instead of beef. Shred the chicken before adding the noodles and sour cream.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Elaina Johnson says
Wonder if Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix would make it even better.
E says
How many cups is 1 serving?
Kimberly says
I’m unable to have sour cream, what’s a good substitute for that? I was thinking maybe cream cheese, thoughts on that
Sarah Olson says
Yes! cream cheese works well.
Jenny says
I was going to try meatballs but do I still need 2 packs of brown gravy? That’s a lot of sodium
Sarah Olson says
If you only use 1 packet and the amount of water my recipe calls for it won’t be thick at all. I’m unsure how halving the entire recipe will be.
Anonymous says
I have done the 1/2 recipe and it was delicious!!
Annette Cannon says
How long to cook if I double recipe?
Sarah Olson says
The same amount of time should be fine! Keep the lid on.
Gina says
Can I use canned mushrooms?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, those would work fine.
Gina says
thank you! 🙂
Anonymous says
Easy & delicious! I’ll make this again!
John Sosiak says
Easy and great recipes!!
Christine G says
What can I substitute for the mushrooms, my family does not like them.
Sarah Olson says
You can leave them out, but add a 1/4 cup more water.
Shannon Hecht says
Thanks for this tip. We don’t like mushrooms either! Will definitely try now.
RENEE L KRAMARCZYK says
Loved this recipe.
Donna Howard says
Do you add the gravy in step 3? I assume you just left it out but that’s what you mix with the water/
Sarah Olson says
I will fix, thank you
Donna Howard says
made this – total yum!! And if i would have watched the video first I would have had my question answered. Happy Easter to you!
Shelley says
Could you use beef broth instead of water
Sarah Olson says
Yes, it may be a little salty though.
Grant Baker says
Awesome recipes