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.
Suzanne Clark says
Can you freeze this in portions? I just need 4 servings and would love 2 for another time.
Sarah Olson says
Yes, it should do fine!
Melissa says
I jumped to the recipe without looking at the top part, so I didn’t see the yellow onion part. Will white onion completely change the flavor?
Sarah Olson says
You can use any onion! Will taste great.
Kay LaFrankie says
How does this warm up if made s head of time.
Sarah Olson says
It’s great the next day. One of the better dishes I’ve had.
Chuck Lisle says
In other recipes I’ve seen for slow cooker stroganoff they say to brown the meat first, but you don’t. Any pros or cons on this?
Amanda says
I’ve made this numerous times and I just toss the raw stew meat in and cook on low. Never an issue.
Chuck Lisle says
I would like to use leftover prime rib for the stroganoff. Do you recommend any adjustments to the recipe?
Sarah Olson says
Hi! I think you can probably cook for a little less time. Otherwise I think it will be great.
Lari says
Is it ok if I put the sour cream in already before cooking? I didn’t Read it thoroughly
Sarah Olson says
Yeah should be fine. May look seperated while serving, but will taste fine.
Sasha says
Can this be made in the instant pot?
Sarah Olson says
I have not tried, unsure if you would get the burn warning on this with the gravy packets.
Jessica says
I made this in my Ninja Foodi and followed the recipe exactly and cooked it for 25 mins. I have made it several times in my crock pot and it turned out exactly the same in the Foodi so I imagine it would work in the Instant Pot!
Lacey says
I’m going to try this! For some reason I was thinking the recipe called for cream cheese instead of sour cream… Can I substitute the sour cream for cream cheese? Do you think it would make much of a difference? I don’t want to screw it up the first time making it! Lol
Sarah Olson says
I’ve done it before. Though I recommend taking some of gravy at the end and putting it the the blender with the cream cheese. Then pour into the beef and sauce left in the slow cooker. It will blend into the sauce better.
Lacey Sitas says
This was delicious! Just loaded the crockpot with it again!
Sarah Olson says
Great to hear Lacey! We love it too.
Heather Hunter says
Made this with the Stroganoff seasoning as I didn’t have the brown gravy packets. Used only one because the size of one packet equaled two of the brown gravy packets . Kept the water the same and followed the recipe to the letter. It came out good but a little bland. Not sure if it was the different seasonings or something else. Next time I’m adding wine to it! This is a keeper…. thanks Sarah!
Sarah Olson says
Thanks for letting me know! I’ve never tried the stroganoff packet before.
Janna says
I would use garlic also. Either garlic powder or minced garlic.
Kevin Morris says
I made this as directed. It was OK, but it just seems like it needed more flavor. More seasoning. Maybe add some beef bullion or garlic. Not really sure.
James Smallwood says
Delicious, I used half beef and I it all ingredients except meat in blender for 5 seconds. Served over thick sliced fresh oven wheat bread with lemon pie salad.
Christine Marie says
Can you skip the mushrooms and onions if you have a bunch that doesn’t like them?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, though I would add a touch more water.
Chet says
Very good I put half purple onion and half yellow put some Anaheim’s and Jalapeño’s I use two packages of Roasted Beef Gravy it was by Pioneer company it was two for a buck.
Caroline Hamilton says
Was great and easy. I would add fresh parsley to the dish before serving next time. Thank you!